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Boss Goes Out Of His Way To Make Life Difficult For Grieving Employee, Gets Deserved Karma
Interview With Expert
Those who have experienced having a heartless, cruel manager would know how demoralizing and traumatizing it can be. You work tirelessly at a stressful job, only to be exacerbated by the unsympathetic individual who pretty much controls whether or not you move up the corporate ladder.
However, some people can take that cruelty up a notch, much like what this employee went through. Not only did his boss deny his paid time off to grieve the passing of a close loved one, but he was also unceremoniously and unjustly terminated for attending the funeral.
The man did get even through petty revenge, doling out some hilarious yet much-deserved comeuppance on his former employer.
RELATED:
No one deserves to be unjustly terminated from their job
Image credits: Safa Bakırcı / Pexels (not the actual photo)
It unfortunately happened to this employee, who was mourning the loss of his grandfather
Image credits: Kampus Production / Pexels (not the actual photo)
After being denied paid time off to grieve, he was also fired for attending the funeral and made to sign a gag order
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Fed up with the insult to injury, the man hatched the perfect petty revenge
Image credits: Seannj222
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Paid time off isn’t required by federal law, which enables companies to set their own policies
We had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Anush Gasparian, Human Resources Director at California-based software company Phonexa. She clarified that because paid time off isn’t a federal requirement, companies can set their own policies. That may complicate many situations, like what the story’s author experienced.
“Request denial itself isn’t unethical at all. What makes it unethical is the wrong motivation,” Gasparian tells Bored Panda. “For example, when the manager tries to punish or control their team this way, it’s unethical and petty. And this behavior usually backfires badly.”
Gasparian also confirmed that a grandparent’s death does not qualify for FMLA, unless they acted in loco parentis or provided daily care and financial support during the employee’s childhood.
But can managers threaten or push through with termination if the employee goes against their orders, even out of necessity? Gasparian says legally, yes. However, such actions come with consequences.
“This can lower the employee’s morale, lead to quiet quitting, or rage applying (when the employee sends out applications out of revenge/frustration).”
In the story, the author was in a tough spot, given the “power” his former boss had over him. In such cases, Gasparian recommends documenting everything and remaining professional. Seeking legal advice is also an option if necessary.
But her most important tip is to focus on protecting your reputation and moving to a healthier work environment.
“Sometimes, the best revenge is finding inner peace in a better position in a company with healthy relationships,” Gasparian said.
The author’s petty revenge wasn’t necessary. However, his manager’s grudging actions extended after he left, and his harmless, petty revenge was understandable.
People in the comments applauded his scheme, and some had some wisecracks to share
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What do you think ?
Apatheist Account2 4 months ago
Employees are generally happy to be flexible with you if you're flexible with them. This is just awful management. I had a chap who split up with his girlfriend and was struggling to concentrate; he asked to go home, so I let him, no question. He was still with the company 20 years later (and had made it up to director). Team spirit and support gets you a lot further than slavish adherence to a rule book.
Tabitha 4 months ago (edited)
My husband and I own our own company. He’s the talent and I run the office. This past April, our one employee (at the time, we have two now) badly injured his leg—-not at work—and had to be off his feet for a month. My husband went out in the field every day and did all the work of two people that month to cover for him. Our employee only had two weeks of vacation and another week of sick time, so three weeks of paid time off. We paid him for the entire month anyway, because we value him and wanted him to recover properly, not try to come back to work too early and do more damage to his leg. You only get one chance to heal properly. He doesn’t have to pay anything back to us, or work when the office is closed. He will still get all bonuses we pay out. We consider paying him for the extra week as simply an investment in retaining a good employee. My husband and I both spent decades working for real miserable a*****e bosses, so when we opened our business, we decided to be the diametric opposite of them. Our employees are paid a good wage, plus bonuses, and work time is flexible, depending on the day’s stops. As long as the work is done right, on time, and makes our customers happy, we have no reason to b***h and micromanage. Our business is profitable and growing by leaps and bounds, with very loyal customers who do a load of word of mouth advertising for us, so what we’re doing is working. Proof that valuing employees, treating them as responsible adults, and paying a decent wage, one that’s well above merely liveable, WORKS.
Load More Replies...
Jenna Kay 4 months ago
Please don't use the real estate agency sites to do this. The agents pay per lead and some only get a few a month, so you are directly affecting their ability to support their family. No, I am not a realtor, but I know one and she is a young mother, so each lead is really precious to her.
Tabitha 4 months ago
Sign a*****e boss’s work email up for the raunchiest, dirtiest p**n, as well as escort service and happy ending type “massage” parlor notifications you can find. You get the picture. Companies don’t like thinking their employees are receiving p**n notifications in their work email, and I understand those things are impossible to get rid of.
Mad McQueen 4 months ago
Someone sorta did me wrong this way. Was supposed to meet up and found out from arriving early it was a set up. Mostly I was going to be jumped and robbed and prob s/a by a blind date with a bunch of guys I saw ah going around. Now I didn’t tell the guy I was there already. Or what my car looked like. So I got a Gmail address a went on CL a posted a home clean out freebie tag sale it all has to go and here is my number and email. Just show up. Baby stuff. Housewares. Furniture. Goats. Anything I could think of people would see free and fly to that address. I decided to go get a bite to eat and drove by an hour or so later a the address was mobbed and a guy screaming out front as people kept trying to fight over stuff outside. His phone going off. His buddies laughing and not helping. Karma baby.
Science Nerd 4 months ago
Scripts actually exist that search the web for subscriptions, information requests, requests to join sites, etc. and then subscribe with an email address or phone number. Much more efficient than doing it manually plus it gives wider coverage.
Apatheist Account2 4 months ago
Employees are generally happy to be flexible with you if you're flexible with them. This is just awful management. I had a chap who split up with his girlfriend and was struggling to concentrate; he asked to go home, so I let him, no question. He was still with the company 20 years later (and had made it up to director). Team spirit and support gets you a lot further than slavish adherence to a rule book.
Tabitha 4 months ago (edited)
My husband and I own our own company. He’s the talent and I run the office. This past April, our one employee (at the time, we have two now) badly injured his leg—-not at work—and had to be off his feet for a month. My husband went out in the field every day and did all the work of two people that month to cover for him. Our employee only had two weeks of vacation and another week of sick time, so three weeks of paid time off. We paid him for the entire month anyway, because we value him and wanted him to recover properly, not try to come back to work too early and do more damage to his leg. You only get one chance to heal properly. He doesn’t have to pay anything back to us, or work when the office is closed. He will still get all bonuses we pay out. We consider paying him for the extra week as simply an investment in retaining a good employee. My husband and I both spent decades working for real miserable a*****e bosses, so when we opened our business, we decided to be the diametric opposite of them. Our employees are paid a good wage, plus bonuses, and work time is flexible, depending on the day’s stops. As long as the work is done right, on time, and makes our customers happy, we have no reason to b***h and micromanage. Our business is profitable and growing by leaps and bounds, with very loyal customers who do a load of word of mouth advertising for us, so what we’re doing is working. Proof that valuing employees, treating them as responsible adults, and paying a decent wage, one that’s well above merely liveable, WORKS.
Load More Replies... Jenna Kay 4 months ago
Please don't use the real estate agency sites to do this. The agents pay per lead and some only get a few a month, so you are directly affecting their ability to support their family. No, I am not a realtor, but I know one and she is a young mother, so each lead is really precious to her.
Tabitha 4 months ago
Sign a*****e boss’s work email up for the raunchiest, dirtiest p**n, as well as escort service and happy ending type “massage” parlor notifications you can find. You get the picture. Companies don’t like thinking their employees are receiving p**n notifications in their work email, and I understand those things are impossible to get rid of.
Mad McQueen 4 months ago
Someone sorta did me wrong this way. Was supposed to meet up and found out from arriving early it was a set up. Mostly I was going to be jumped and robbed and prob s/a by a blind date with a bunch of guys I saw ah going around. Now I didn’t tell the guy I was there already. Or what my car looked like. So I got a Gmail address a went on CL a posted a home clean out freebie tag sale it all has to go and here is my number and email. Just show up. Baby stuff. Housewares. Furniture. Goats. Anything I could think of people would see free and fly to that address. I decided to go get a bite to eat and drove by an hour or so later a the address was mobbed and a guy screaming out front as people kept trying to fight over stuff outside. His phone going off. His buddies laughing and not helping. Karma baby.
Science Nerd 4 months ago
Scripts actually exist that search the web for subscriptions, information requests, requests to join sites, etc. and then subscribe with an email address or phone number. Much more efficient than doing it manually plus it gives wider coverage.
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