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Anyone who’s ever had any job experience knows that it’s not all massive paychecks, awesome colleagues, and annual promotions. Work can be exhausting, frustrating, and unfair. However, if you’re stuck in a toxic workplace environment, every single day can be a struggle. Especially if you’re already burned out and barely hanging in there.

Members of the r/AskReddit community opened up about their worst workplace experiences in a viral thread. You’ll find their candid stories, about what finally made them quit without notice, as you scroll down.

Bored Panda reached out to Paula Davis, JD, MAPP, the founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute and the author of 'Beating Burnout at Work.' She was kind enough to shine some light on the early warning signs of burnout, as well as how employees can address serious workplace issues when they're scared of the backlash.

#1

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice After 18 years in retail, I took a vacation to the beach. It had been an ungodly tough year of death (becoming a widow), trouble with my children, money problems, and a boss with an otherworldly hatred of me suddenly having much more things taking up my time.

They were completely unwilling to be flexible with these new constraints on my time, so I finally just wrote a schedule and took a whopping 3 days to myself.

I finally felt relaxed and realized I felt so good to be so far away. The day I was supposed to pack and head home, I extended mine and my kiddos’ stays and just never went back.

They called like crazy, texted, tried to get ahold of me but I didn’t care. I stayed gone and it was like a weight was lifted.

I still have nightmares about that place, but at least I wake up knowing I never have to go there again.

haylibee , Brett Sayles Report

With so many employees reporting burnout, Bored Panda was curious about the early warning signs that everyone should look out for. Davis explained to us that some of these signs include consistent procrastination, as well as a drop in productivity, and an inability to concentrate.

Another indication is that you react disproportionally strongly to small requests of your time. Davis said that this might mean someone has a "level 10 response" to a "level 1 ask."

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In the meantime, employees on the verge of burnout get sick far more frequently. They especially have more low-grade sicknesses, from headaches and stomachaches to colds.

#2

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Dillards. They told me to clock out and work all night because regional was coming to inspect the store. So they wanted me to work for 8 hours moving around heavy stuff for free. Quit on the spot. Told me I wasn't a "team player". I asked the manager if he would pay me for not working. He said no. I asked him why would I work without getting paid, blank stare.

lizerpetty , Zereshk Report

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Alexandra
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It never ceases to amaze me that apparently employees in the USA only have a few rights when compared to employees in most European countries. Why is that? Americans are usually very vocal about civil rights and liberties and such, but apparently not when it comes to the rights of workers.

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#3

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Old sales job I had. Landed/closed a big deal with a nice commission check heading my way. Found out a week or so later that the client wasn't *mine*, therefore, the check would be going to the correct sales rep. The "correct" sales rep just happened to be related to the boss and so they got a free commission check without ever lifting a finger.

Left that day.

h1r0ll3r , Marília Castelli Report

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Ael
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hope OP also told the new client, they would have thought twice to make business with a company that steals from its employees.

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Davis, author of 'Beating Burnout at Work,' also noted that another indication that you might be burning out is that you detach from the things that you typically enjoy. For example, your date nights become less frequent. You don't work out or participate in sports as often as before. You take part in fewer social activities. You give up your hobbies. 

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Workplace burnout is a global problem. Statista reports that, according to a 2022 survey, 36% of American employees experienced a moderate level of burnout. A further 15% were dealing with a high level of burnout; another 8% reported their levels of burnout as very high. Meanwhile, a 2021 survey conducted in Europe found that 66% of Polish workers were on the verge of burnout.

Meanwhile, a Deloitte survey found that 77% of respondents have experienced burnout at their current job. More than half of the workers surveyed have admitted that this has happened more than once. It’s a very widespread issue.

#4

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice New management started taking from my commissions and kept trying to worm out of our agreed contract and pay. Final straw was when they were taking from the tip jar claiming tips weren't for employees, just the boss

PM_ME_THIGHS_N_BUTTS , Sam Dan Truong Report

#5

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I was a shift supervisor at Wendy's. One night, a customer ordered an apple pecan salad after we had sold our last pre-made one. I asked an employee to gather ingredients from the walk-in fridge, specifically, a bag of pre-chopped apples.

He brought me two bags. One contained browned apple and had an expired expiration date label. The other looked fresh and wasn't expired. I thanked him, took the fresh one, and instructed him to dispose of the expired one. He refused because he was afraid my boss would find out it was him and fire him. I said, "she can't fire you for doing what I told you to do, especially if it's the right thing to do."

The next day, I get a call from an underage employee asking for a ride to work. When I picked him up, I suddenly remembered that he wasn't on the schedule and asked him why he was going on. He explained that the boss had asked him to sub for someone she fired.

We arrive at work, and I walk straight back to the office to check the schedule and see that she's crossed out the employee name who threw out the apples. I asked my boss why his name was crossed off the schedule, and she said he was wasting perfectly good food. I told her that I told him to throw it away because it was brown and the stamped date was expired. She yelled back that it was only a few days past expiration, and it was still fine. I explained that it is illegal to sell food beyond its expiration date, but if she wanted to eat it herself, she was welcome to get it out of the dumpster. She said she did get it out of the dumpster and made salads with it. Then she yelled, "You don't throw away milk just because the expiration date has passed without sniffing it first!" I yelled back, first of all, the apples were f*****g brown, and second of all, I absolutely will throw out expired milk without sniffing it because spoiled milk smells awful and I don't wanna ruin my apatite while I'm serving myself a meal!"

Then she threatened to fire me, and I yelled that she should because I was the one who instructed the employee to dispose of expired food, and I'll do it again. She admitted it was an empty promise because she couldn't afford to fire me, so I told her I was quitting. She asked, "Right now?" I said, "No, I'm giving my two week notice, but I start my two week vacation tomorrow, so tonight is my last shift."

Later that night, I called the fired employee and apologized for getting him fired and bragged about how I quit in solidarity.

When my two weeks vacation was up, I actually did have to work one more week in order to get paid for my 2 week vacation, because I needed one more week to qualify working a full year. During that final week, I had an exit interview with the district manager. I explained why I quit and spoiled the beans on a bunch of other s**t the boss did wrong, and also suggested she get the security camera system fixed without the manager knowing because the manager's shift is constantly putting money in the register and handing food out of the window without ringing it up in the system, then the manager counts out the drawers, which is against policy, and pockets the excess cash.

During my next shift, a couple of tech guys from corporate showed up to fix the security camera DVR, but left the second they opened the closet and saw we had a VHS system. They couldn't just fix it. They needed to replace it. Also, they were very confused as to why we had a VHS system considering how new our store was. I told them the rumor was that the manager swapped it with a system from her house so she could get away with they.

Anyways, the district manager asked me to work at a store that was closer to my house for 1 month, because all of the managers at the other store were overdue for vacations but they didn't have enough managers to take vacations.

When I started working at the other Wendy's, I explained to the general manager why I quit and got transferred, and that I'd quit with no notice if he overruled my decisions on food safety. He agreed.

I worked there for almost a month and never had a single shift where I was the only manager on duty, which either meant that they did have enough managers to take vacations, or they weren't taking any vacations anyway.

Then, one day, an employee grabbed a bag of frozen chicken out of a freezer, unaware that it was already open, and dumped the whole bag of frozen chicken on the floor right in front of the general manager and I. The employee looked at us both, shrugged, and asked, "Five second rule?" I replied, "No. The five second rule works if your only concern is vilification contamination, which can be cooked off, but we clean the floors with toxic chemicals that can not be cooked off. If you serve that chicken to customers, you will poison them."
The employee looked at the general manager for confirmation, but the general manager said, "He's right, but that's a whole lot of money. Pick it up and serve it." I walked out while saying, "Good luck with the food poisoning lawsuits!" Loud enough for customers to hear.

perrinoia , EEJCC Report

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WoodenLion
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i gave a guy a day off once and he got fired for it. when i went into the office i told them to hire him back. they said "no" so i left right then.

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#6

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I was a shift lead in a kitchen where none of the management knew anything about BoH. I ran grill, sauté, expo, and ovens solo during every peak shift. I ordered trucks, prepped all week for weekend brunch, wrote kitchen schedules, coordinated kitchen cleaning projects, contacted vendors for repairs, and generally ran the kitchen’s day to day. I was given the keys and started opening 6 days a week. I was working 55+ hours and loving it. I expanded our brunch service to Fridays as well as Saturday/Sunday and I come up with an early week menu to use up leftover brunch items and minimize waste. I helped grow weekly sales from 40-45k to 75-80k in three years.

I started having issues with closing management on shifts where I wasn’t there. I’d get in at 6am to open and the restaurant was left a mess and prep/stocking wasn’t completed. I talked to the staff and tried to get them to help out but I had no support and follow through from the actual managers. This went on for weeks.

Then one week I was in at 5 for Friday Brunch prep. I was prepping sheets of bacon and went to the back to pull the biscuits I had prepped the day before. I had left them on a speed rack. I found them on a shelf stacked on top of each other. The weight of the trays had smashed every biscuit into single sheets of dough on the lower trays. The speed rack had the dressings and cold items from the line close the night before.

I did about 90% of the brunch prep by the time the “opening” manager showed up at 8:30 (we opened at 9.) I told her what was left to set up the line. She asked why I was telling her. I laid the sheets of dough in front of her, dropped my keys on top, and walked out.

I got nearly 50 calls from them that day and dozens of texts. I didn’t respond to a single one. A few days later, the owner of the store called me and asked who he needed to fire to bring me back. I told him I’d pass and ended up finding another job in a day. A little over a year later, this restaurant shut down and was demolished to turn the space into a parking garage.

Pickle-Standard , Yente Van Eynde Report

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The reality is that far from every employee is going to stand up for justice and against unfairness in the workplace. Some people don't want to risk their careers and financial stability because they expect backlash from management.

Bored Panda asked Davis for her thoughts on how workers can still tackle those all-important issues more subtly.

"I always suggest that a good first step is to not go it alone. Is there another person (or people) on your team having the same or a similar issue, and can you approach talking about the topic together?" she urged employees to look for allies.

#7

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice My brother had just died, would have been the first Christmas without him and I was expected to work because “it’s not like you have kids.”

Flamingo83 , Pavel Danilyuk Report

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DennyS (denzoren)
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At my job too, I am the only unmarried/childless person and it's always used in the same way, "oh, he doesn't have any wife/kids so he can/wouldn't"...very unfair treatment.

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#8

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I put in that I needed off a particular weekend 5 months in advance. That week comes and I’m on the bar schedule. I call and say “yeah I can’t work this I have someone in town from across the country staying with me. I put in to have off 5 months ago.” Manager replied “you put in a *request* off, and it’s just that. A request.” So even though I was seething angry, I said okay and then hung up. Day of the shift comes and I waited until 15 minutes before it started to leave a message thanking them for the opportunity to cover everyone else’s shifts for 3 years, but I wouldn’t be in ever again. I still joke to this day with my friend that I quit my job for her.

tintedrosie , Waldemar Report

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Alexandra
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If the employer does't react to your request, it's automatically granted.

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#9

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice My boss continuously berated my performance. I got a similar job elsewhere. My new job was going to start in a couple of weeks and I was waiting to talk with my boss and give him 2 weeks notice. He started criticizing me again so I gave him my keys for the building and walked out.

Illustrious-Gas-9766 , Alena Darmel Report

"You also need to be clear about the issue and be very intentional and fact-based when talking about it. Is 'unfairness' a lot of rumors about a pending sale, for example, and your team is being kept in the dark? Or is ‘unfairness’ things like incivility, workplace bullying, or the like, which have potential legal consequences for the company?"

Davis said that whatever the case might be, it's vital to document specific dates, times, and emails.

"Keep copies of emails if that's applicable. Depending on the severity of the unfairness, you may have to ask yourself some tough questions. Is this really the right environment in which to work?"

#10

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice When they took my elderly coworker in the back and unceremoniously fired him. He had a disability when he was hired but after a few years a new manager started tasking him with things he wasn't able to do, then complained to the new owners...

I walked out with him. I have a lot of pride for that decision. He said it made him feel like he mattered. They went out of business 6 months later so who even cares. It's been 7 years and it still makes me angry to think about that day and those smug heartless managers.

holyf**kladyflash , Marcus Aurelius Report

#11

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice My manager threating to punch me in the face for wearing dress shoes(he thought I was interviewing for another job, I wasn't) AND a customer threatening to kill me in the same day

heytherefriendman , Hermes Rivera Report

#12

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice My dad died right before Christmas. I was already scheduled for a week off for family travel HR said I could add three more days for funeral services so we could have it after the holiday. I came back and received a call from HR. The woman apologized and said she needed to ask but would make it brief. She asked if my dad actually died. I told her yes, and she apologized again and said she didn’t need anything else. Then the office manager called me into her office to tell me my boss had been telling people she thought I was faking it to get more time off.

My boss was horrible in general, and relied on me to do the majority of her work, which is what led her to creating the story about my dad not actually dying. She was hoping I’d be called back early from my trip.

I had been interviewing for a job at another company and got an offer the day I got back. I called from my desk and accepted the offer, then packed my things and left.

sloughlikecow , Rhodi Lopez Report

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Thor Haugen
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At my last job, my boss and several colleagues came to both my parent's funerals. Seriously, as long as it's in the same city, why would you not go to the funeral of a parent of someone you work with? It's called being human.

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While some of the responsibility rests on the employees themselves to enforce better boundaries and take better care of their physical and mental health, management isn’t blameless. Companies need to be more aware of how the systems they have in place can and do contribute to burnout, demotivation, and top talents heading for greener pastures.

Each and every one of us is responsible for determining how much unfairness we can tolerate at work. It’s up to us to be our strongest advocates. Nobody else is going to stand up for us if we don’t start enforcing some healthy (or at least healthier) boundaries.

The problems you can face at work are incredibly varied. They can range from financial ones like unfair pay and a lack of career opportunities to social issues like toxic colleagues and micromanaging bosses.

#13

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice When I got called an hour before my shift and was told to come in immediately because the manager didn't schedule enough people. When I reminded her I needed to bus I was told to "just take a cab." Stupidly I did. And when I got in she told me I should've made sure she did the schedule right. Then I was told I'd be opening the next morning... Even though I was closing the kitchen that night.

I closed. I did not open. My apron and key were on the counter waiting for her when she went to work in the morning.

smango19 , Francisco Suarez Report

#14

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Over a decade ago, worked at Tim Hortons. had been there 6 years on overnight shift. (11PM-7AM)

We were always understaffed. Usually just two people; one in the back, one at front of house. Of course it is slower than during the day, that goes without saying, but there are a few "rushes" when certain places close.

Anyways, they hire back a guy who had previously been fired like 4 times for just not showing up. He was on the schedule on a Sunday morning with me. There was a 20 dozen donut order and that was the day the freezer truck arrived and I put that away. I remember saying "If he doesn't show up, I'm probably just going home".

Needless to say, he doesn't show up. Managers aren't picking up either. I think I stayed for a few hours futilely trying to get everything done- I closed down the front and the Drive/thru for what I intended to be a few hours to try to at least have the order ready for 6AM. But then a switch kind of flipped; I realized I wasn't going to be able to take any break the entire time. Somehow I'd have to figure out how to put away a freezer delivery, which arrives literally at 5AM which is busy as hell, and I'd be doing that as well. The people that showed up in the morning would just do their usual bitching about stuff I wasn't able to do, I'd probably get written up again for some stupid reason or because I didn't do X or Y or whatever, and all this for like, $10.50/hr. I paused and asked myself- "how long do I want to work here?". And right then a bunch of drunk kids were knocking on the door, apparently confused why the lights were off and the door was locked, because that's an enigma. I decided "6 years is enough" and went home.

BCProgramming , Ian Rutherford Report

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Mbfsc63
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahhhhhhh..... Timmy Ho's......that bastion of great corporate citizenship........

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#15

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I once worked as a landscaper, and during a slow month, some of us workers were asked to head to the bosses brothers property and help out there, which was fine. My boss asked that I pick him up in the morning and take him out there. The straw that broke the camels back was while out there I had filled some buckets with water, and while I did turn the tap off, it was slowly dripping. My boss noticed this and had a complete meltdown. He made threats to harm to the person who left it dripping (he didn't know who it was at that point). I dropped my tools, told my boss to shove his threats, and left, leaving my boss in the middle of nowhere

Atlas00x , Amritanshu Sikdar Report

Whatever your problem might be, it’s up to you to address it. If you wait for someone else to do it, the odds are that the issue will remain untouched. Not many people are willing to rock the boat, unless they know that they’ve got the support of at least some of their colleagues. So they’re generally willing to tolerate small-scale problems.

If you happen to have an issue with a problematic coworker, it’s best to talk to them directly. Have a friendly chat about how their behavior (rudeness, excessive gossip, etc.) is affecting you. Be clear, but be willing to look for some sort of compromise. You want to make your coworker feel understood (even if they’re completely in the wrong), not like you’re accusing them.

A major part of managing other people is about having the emotional intelligence to actively listen to others and recognize their perspectives, while looking for common ground.

#16

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I used to work at IHOP in high school part time. They were literally scheduling me during school hours and calling me when I wasn’t showing up. I dropped off their stuff during the rush and left.

ThatOneHaitian , Mike Mozart Report

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James016
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had a similar thing when I was a teenager working at the long departed Safeway. I was sitting my A Level exams and I asked for time off so I could study, was told no, then got an earful as I was 10 mins late for one shift, explained I had just come from an exam that they would not let me take time off for, once my exams were done, I took 4 weeks off, came back and put in my one week's notice. Safeway then go bought out by Morrisons

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#17

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I asked for a filing cabinet for 6 months got told there was no money in the budget. I found one for free and there was mo time to pick it up. Then they bought another supervisor a brand new truck

tryoracle , Mike Bird Report

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3 Otters 🦦
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked at a very large bank years ago. Figured out how to save a million a year and was excited about my $600 dollar bonus. Nope, the supervisor took it. She said regular employees couldn’t get the bonus. So I waited. When I was in a better position I figured out how to save a few million. Yup. Cut her department and her job. Bye bye. That was worth $600 to me and then some.

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#18

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Started training a new employee. He beat the s**t out of me and put me in the hospital. I was a teenager at the time. He got the job a day out of jail. His words were, "I don't take order from some dumb kid." Then he punched me in the head.

I woke up in the hospital with broken ribs, a broken leg, 3 fingers broken on left hand, 1 on the right hand. I had various other injuries from after he knocked me out. My employer called me asking me if I was going to be late in the morning. I told them I was in the hospital with a broken leg. They said I had crutches right? Be there at 7am. I told him no, I quit. I hung up and blocked his contact. Got a bunch of nasty pages from him before I changed the number.

I showed the cops the messages and gave them access to VM, they told me it was best if I never went back there. I never did. I ended up getting a nice cheque in the mail from the company for how badly things went. Took years to figure out. As far as i know the guy was never caught. Just fled on foot cursing about that kid that ruined his life. I imagine there is some angry guy out there thinking about how he was going to get me. I am not worried. It has been over 30 years.

ne0rmatrix , Ron Lach Report

Unfortunately, not all of your colleagues are going to be reasonable and empathetic. Some people are too proud, entitled, or lack the awareness to make some really needed changes in their behavior. So, your next step is to have someone mediate the conflict.

Talk to your direct manager or human resources rep so they can help you root out the core issues. It usually helps a ton if you have some evidence to back up your claims. That includes emails, messages, and other witnesses.

However, if your manager or HR are unwilling to help or their efforts seem fruitless, your range of options starts to shrink. What you can do is move higher up the corporate food chain. Talk to your boss (or your boss’ boss). If you’re part of a labor union, have them weigh in. And if things are incredibly bad (you’re being harassed or discriminated against, you’re owed pay, etc.), you may need to get your lawyer involved.

#19

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I was working in a private Deaf education facility, and the owner refused to get certified interpreter’s. They would instead hire college interpreting student as teaching assistant to cut costs. I was hired shortly after the semester started and the seniors left.


A month in they started scheduling me to interpret IEPs. For the first two days I showed up with my job description and an invoice for service. No signature no service.

On my last and final day, a few of us student employees who carpooled from campus parked next to the owner of business. They were on a hands feee call windows down laughing about us stupid college students and the money they were making charging crazy tuition to different Deaf Families.

Imagine the shocked as we got out of the car in our staff uniform. I turned in my badge immediately then caught a bus to back to campus.

A few months pasted they made the local news because of ADA lawsuits from parents, the facility closed due to bankruptcy and financial fraud.

Ill-Bridge3129 , cottonbro studio Report

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Pyla
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The disabled get screwed over early and often in our culture. Christ.

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#20

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I as working at Sears part time for Christmas. They never trained me. When my supervisor came in for something and found out I was working alone he ran out before they could ask him to help. My other supervisor had a nervous breakdown and while crying, said he wanted to punch the manager but was a felon and needed the job. I just got tired of the s**t because I was literally just working for Christmas money. They found me at my other job and asked me to come back because I had figured out how to do the job without being trained. I said no and they told me I'd never be able to work for Sears or Kmart again.

Shiver me timbers

LoverOfGayContent , Phillip Pessar Report

#21

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Quit my waitressing job after my boss tried to sleep with me 🙃

FreckldBombshell , cottonbro studio Report

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LuckyL
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And how imagine how many women he slept with because they needed the job or were to shy to say no.

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The alternative is to quit and look for another job. Or you can look for better employment and then quit. Your strategy will depend on your financial situation, how bad the toxicity is at work, and the alternative employment opportunities you have available. The rule of thumb is that you should not stick around at a job if it’s chronically damaging your mental and emotional health.

However, you should read your work contract in detail to figure out how much flexibility you have in terms of when and how you quit. Some companies can demand that you stay for an additional two weeks (or more) after you put in your resignation. Essentially, you should make sure that the company cannot penalize you for quitting without notice.

Alternatively, you can try to negotiate a severance package. That might mean being more diplomatic than your boss and coworkers might deserve, but that extra bit of financial stability can really help you out while you’re figuring out what you’ll do next.

#22

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice When I complained about being on call 24/7 and not being paid for it. And they had me in with HR discussing my performance. I walked out 2 weeks before Christmas

pokemaniac8989 , cottonbro studio Report

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DennyS (denzoren)
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh you want to be compensated for your work? Well it's about time HR goes through your performance with a fine tooth comb.

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#23

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Retail. You take s**t from customers and you take s**t from management. It builds up. Not sure if there was a “straw” but one day I just went to lunch and never came back.

wheresbill , Korie Cull Report

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Miranda Veracruz de la Joya Cardenal
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everyone, EVERYONE should be required to work retail for a year. Then we will understand more about people and society, and treat each other better.

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#24

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Wrote me up for something I didn’t do. Packed up my s**t, sent an email to my boss, clocked out and left.

m_nieto , Solen Feyissa Report

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Mbfsc63
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was 18, I worked for McDonald's back in the early 80s and was asked to sign my file for being late back from my break. I what made them think I was late and was told other employees had told them. I told them I would not be signing and that what they were told amounted to heresay. They threatened to suspend me. I told them I wanted to speak with the head manager and was told I could tomorrow after my shift. My shift started at 5AM and I simply didn't go in. I got many calls and told them I would not be returning. The head manager was a decent sort and called me up and asked to meet with me near my apartment. I went, and we had a nice chat and I told him what the issue was. He was not happy with the treatment I had received and asked if I would come back if he paid me for my 2 missed days and transferred this assistant manager out. I thought that was fair and I went back and went into management 1 year later and never treated a crew person the way this moron treated me.

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#25

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice They 1st scheduled me outside of my availability after me telling them 2 times and leaving a note to my Supervisor who "didn't see it" until it was too late.

Got everything covered but 1 day and when I told my Supervisor that I was going to be 2 hours late because I worked 2 jobs, I was told "Be here or it's a no call no show!"

Figured out a way to get to work on time (wonderful coworker at 2nd job switched me shifts after begging her to do so) and due to the way I was scheduled, outside of my availability, for the next 3 days I was working from 6am to 1am. Asked if I could leave at Midnight instead of 1am and was told "For even asking, you just volunteered to stay until 4am with me so we can check the Truck in."

I clocked out for lunch and went home. Still do not regret it.

I_am_so_lost_again , Porapak Apichodilok Report

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Jeremy James
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is it a "no call no show," if we're having this conversation in advance?

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#26

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice They DQ'd me from a job that I literally created from the bottom-up, a position made explicitly for me, over a b******t complaint and were gonna send me to an overnight shift packing boxes for 15% less money. Interviewed closer to home and for 30% more the next week, quit the literal day after I burned up all my vacation hours without notice. Biggest smile of my f*****g life.

Then I learn their big fancy auditor comes in 3 months after I'm gone and finds out I actually DID A LOT to save the company money and keep them in compliance with OSHA. Oddly enough, they're about 80-some days behind on a lot of stuff...


They're hiring for my vacancy right now.

F**k em.

The_Bill_Brasky_ , Adrian Sulyok Report

#27

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Did everything they wanted. Jumped on
a plane to another site on 1 day’s notice. Ended up working 16 days straight before coming back. Took a WFH customer service job role I didn’t really want just to help out on a temporary basis. We were told that half the team could have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off and the other half could have Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Except me, who could only have Christmas Day. I signed out of the VPN, call blocked my managers, put my laptop in a box and posted it to head office with my resignation letter inside it.

Active-Strawberry-37 , Pixabay Report

#28

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice I’ve only quit one job ever, in high school when I worked at a grocery store. But I quit after I somehow was the only person scheduled to work on a Saturday night. Like, literally the only person. I was 16 or 17? Granted I lived in a small town, but being the only person working in a whole a*s grocery store (to emphasize: only person. Not a single other person was working. Not a janitor, not a manager, not a bag boy, no one else) was just absurd. Never went back.

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#29

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice My first job as a dishwasher and the owners were cheap pricks. I got yelled at for emptying a metal container with a serving or two of marinara sauce at the bottom at the end of the night because I was supposed to pour it back into the container for use later. He then freaked out and started throwing other food away in the fridge because “well we might as well not save anything”. So I quit on the spot.

AkuraPiety , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

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DarkViolet
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And hopefully reported that employer to the health department.

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#30

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice The supervisor said my weight makes me look unprofessional.

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Ael
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Employing fat shaming and probably misogynistic c***s makes a company look unprofessional...

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#31

Manager was always kinda mean. Threw pots and pans. Threw finished orders that he didn’t deem worthy of the customer. Dragged a customer out of the restaurant while she was having a panic attack because he IDd her well into her meal after she was already IDd for her first drink.

I worked there for 2 years. I was 22, a lot of the people I worked with in the afternoons were still in high school. I was on the grill when he started screaming at this 16 year old girl who he told to “man the fryers.”

She had no prior experience, it was a Saturday night.

He started screaming at her because she was slightly backed up, but doing extremely well for it being her first time.

She had tears in her eyes before he shoved her to the side and took over himself.

The kitchen went silent. Felt like time stopped idk.

We all walked out together. Nobody really said anything. She left first, then the dishwasher, then me and 2 other guys.

The manager was cursing and customers were watching us all leave. The servers were stressed but understood. It felt like sweet relief.

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Papa
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It sounds like he had watched too many Gordon Ramsay shows on TV.

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#32

This b***h kept on bragging about how she never washed her hands, yet the upper management continued to promote her. I worked in the factory that made every donut for every Dunkin' in Michigan, and yes, I mean literally bragged about not washing her hands.


Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, purchase any product from Dunkin' in Michigan. If you ever order anything from Dunkin' in Michigan that has frosting or sprinkles on it, in ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM, you are touching food product from a disgusting c**t who bitches other people out for calling her out for not washing her hands.


I know this sounds overly dramatic, but it's true.

MuSE555 Report

#33

Heard my boss talking about my mom (who did NOT work for the company) on the phone to HR, while at work. She said my mom was a “nutjob” and went on to lie about how she had “plans to replace me for the last few weeks”

She was deeply paranoid and earlier that week she’d gotten wind that I was looking for a second job closer to home which caused us to have a loooong talk where I kept having to reassure her I had no plans to quit, but just her assuming I would quit had made her turn on me like THAT after 6 years of working together including multiple major work events (like COVID).

So somehow she went from begging me not to leave, to the next day telling HR she had “plans to fire me for weeks”; but it was what she said about my mom during that same call that broke the camels back. My mom was in deep grieving at the time having found her boyfriend dead on the floor on her birthday and I had confided in my boss that I was spending a lot of energy trying to help my mom and that it was causing me stress.

As soon as I heard her say that I packed up my desk, walked over to HR and told them everything I’d heard and quit when they said they didn’t have any other positions open elsewhere in the company and said they wouldn’t take action against my boss

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Bogdan Chelariu
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, what?!?!?! Left without slapping that b***h???? Surely OP must have left some part out...

#34

They never gave me the raise they promised me 3 months before, then a manager tried to criticize me for not doing something that wasn’t even my responsibility. I cursed him out, then cursed the main plant manager out in our meeting and left.

About 3 days later the Plant Manager called and asked why I haven’t been to work. He thought I was just venting and left for the day. I told him I said I f*****g quit. No sure how that wasn’t clear…

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Michael Largey
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe it wasn't clear to them because they get cursed at so much and so deservedly.

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#35

I was one of about 6 people working at a computer repair shop. Boss told us that anybody who passes the A+ certification test would get a $1/hr raise. 6 people take the test, 5 pass it, and I got the highest score of us all. Boss didn't give me a raise because "you're a kid, what do you need with money, you gonna buy toys with it?".

I was about to be a Senior in high school, 17 at the time. And yes, I quit on the spot and went to work for his competition for $2/hr more than he was paying me.

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#36

I used to work in renewable energy, but I was just a receptionist. Just the phone monkey.
A man came in and threatened to kill me in graphic detail because he was sure that wind energy turns the frogs gay or some s**t. Man had a gun that he was waving quite enthusiastically. I had to have the police remove him from the office. My boss laughed. I walked.

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Pyla
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wind energy kills raptors in it's current incarnation.

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#37

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Retail job I had, I wasn’t in a great place mentally and was signed off under a crisis team. Manager went mental at me, when I returned to work she apologised and told me the reason she blew up was because it was a full moon that night?

Lokisauruss , Ganapathy Kumar Report

#38

I worked in a toxic "All Boys Club" mentality department. When I applied for the Supervisor position that opened up, the hiring manager returned my application with "learn to do your job better...". I had been with the company 8 years and happened to train him and two other male managers. I went home, spoke with my dad about how angry and frustrated I was. He gave me the best advice to quit and don't look back. I walked in the next morning at 5am to open the building, collected my things, and left the keys on my boss's desk. Walked over HR, left my resignation letter and where to forward my last check. 2 managers called me saying it was all a misunderstanding and my response was "No hablo inglés. "

Now, I have a career, a Director and VP who value me.

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#39

My dad had cancer stage 4 lymphoma. We couldn't have our phones on the floor unless we filled out sone paperwork with HR for emergencies. Asked my supervisor for the paperwork and he said, "Don't worry about it!" well, when his boss visited he saw my phone and asked me about it so I told the truth. My supervisor was PISSED. A couple of weeks later I get called into the HR office, my sister called to tell me my dad died. Supervisor wasn't there but I left early. I took my bereavement and came back to work. My work bestie pulled me aside to tell me supervisor accused me of lying about my dad having cancer and dying to the entire team while I was gone. I hugged her and just left.

ETA: This was 13 years ago almost, I was 20 and was out on my own for the first time in my life. He was probably 40ish and very big and fat, no way I could have decked him but wherever he is, f**k you Casey.

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moggie63
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You'd be amazed how quickly a fat bastard goes down when he's kicked in the bollocks.

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#40

They did a lot of underhanded things to other employees so I guess it was no surprise they came for me. I had an odd feeling about it prior and the morning I figured it was happening I came in early and emptied my work space—I was a cook and had brought in a lot of my own things. I started the day they “wrote me up” and I walked straight out the door and drove away. When I got home I logged into our ordering system and deleted everything I did to make weekly ordering easier for me. I also took all the menus I created. It was very satisfying for me.

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#41

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice 6 hours before the first break, then I was told to be back in 10 minutes. I went out to smoke and just keep going.

deadevilmonkey , Wesley Mc Lachlan Report

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#42

Fast food as a teen. Worked the ‘manager’ spot on weekends overnight. Made just over minimum wage. The manager who would relieve me on sat/sun morning was often late.

Called in because my car wouldn’t start and I needed a friend to drop me off so wanted to warn them I might be a few minutes late for the first time ever. It was her and she started yelling at me over the phone. I scrambled and made it in 5 minutes late. If she had just made a snide remark or let it go we probably would have been fine, but she wanted to yell and scream and berate me and I just snapped. Yelled back that I was basically overworked and under appreciated being a manager without the title/pay and brought up her being late (hours sometimes) to relieve me basically every weekend. And I couldn’t leave because I was the ‘manager’ just like she couldn’t til I showed up… and told her I quit. I was already thinking about it… I basically worked to have my car and my car was struggling and school was starting to suffer.

The other guy that was supposed to be on nights with me saw it and quit in the spot with me.

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#43

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice New boss completely changed hours/expectations without any notice or checking in with any employees, I got the worst of it and when I stood up for myself I was greeted with anything between crocodile tears to just full on insults, after 3 months of being miserable I walked after one final scathing insult. I regret the lack of professionalism on my end, but I don’t regret leaving the job.

slvrfire , Lukas Report

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YTK
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t regret the lack of professionalism, most people would’ve probably cursed that guy out

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#44

Got lit up publicly by the a*****e store manager for clocking in 2 minutes late. Waited for a busy shift when it was just him and I on the schedule then called 10 minutes after my shift started to tell him I quit. He threatened to kill me 😂

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#45

First job working in retail. My dog was dying, so I had to have him put down. Called in to say I can’t make it I’m putting my dog down and the manager responded “seriously? It’s just a dog.” I said I’m not coming in.

Fast forward to next shift, a bunch of my coworkers told me he was badmouthing me saying “it’s just a dog who cares” the whole shift. Then later, a different manager asked me about taking someone’s shift and said “or are you going to say no since you don’t seem to want to work” because I called in. I was furious.

Last straw, I got into law school and wanted to keep working there until I left for school, as I still had about 5 months. My manager said no, we don’t want you leaving at all, so you can’t keep working till you leave, so I just quit on the spot and left. No regrets!

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#46

After my sales team bent over backwards during lockdowns to keep the company afloat, turned our living rooms into make shift offices while juggling our kids to thrive working remote. We DOUBLED our sales target... We get called in for a meeting on a random day, lectured and told remote workers are lazy, told we need to return to the office full time with less than a weeks notice and told if we do not come in, we are being let go. I quit the next day.

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Elio
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some f*cking people really like to micromanage. It doesn't matter how much more productive you were; they didn't get to be creepy and hover over you so they think it doesn't count.

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#47

I had been at a place 4 years worked over time was basically a manager without the title. I called in that would be probably an hour late due to an appointment and I did it a good 7 hours before my shift. I did arrive an hour later and said I would closed. Manager was mad would most likely not get my full raise at my yearly that was happening the next day. The assistant manager showed up and was 3 hours late. Found out the crew leader had been covering for them and no one knew where she was. Management was like: “that’s cool.” I looked at them both and quit right there. They were literally trying to drag me back to the office begging me not too. I went in. Wrote my resignation letter and said goodbye. A week later the district manager called me and was begging for me to come back and had fired both the manager and two assistants because they had been doing nothing and claiming the credit. I even apologized for not promoting the previous year and giving it to the managers she just fired. Told them thank you but if they didn’t believe in me then. Why now. Company was bought out a year later and they were also fired.

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#48

VP of company took me aside and showed me how my skills in maintenance had saved the company about $15,000 in my first year there, along with that, I volunteered for our departments saftey officer as soon as I got there, and was always taking the s**t jobs nobody wanted. I asked for a raise and got the run around and told I wasnt worth it. I put in a weeks notice and moved. Now Im making over 2x as much and WAY happier and appriciated for my work with less hours. I wish daily that place goes bankrupt. A blind kid could manage coloring a photo realistic painting with his big toe before that place had proper management.

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#49

Verbal abuse from my boss. I'm an extremely patient person but when every single word out of someone's mouth is berating and condescending, there's no price worth putting up with that and no reason to subject yourself to it for longer than necessary.

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Maartje
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reason I quit a job, the shift lead would yell at everyone. He was an important cog in a startup restaurant, and the owners would not fire him until the ENTIRE staff came to them and told them "he goes or we do." The owners were the nicest people around but they depended on him too much- he got fired on the spot this time though. He later applied to where I was working... guess why he did not get the job after my manager asked me for a reference.

#50

I worked a contract writing gig for hire at a tech company coming out of college. I thought that was where you started, so I worked my a*s off writing copy all day for these idiotic scripts.

One day the boss comes up to the five writers and says “yeah, we only usually keep one of you,” and then said “I wonder who it will be? Hmm?”

That moment showed how little they valued mine and my coworkers creative. It also showed me how little they valued me.

I ended up deleting my browser history, closing my laptop, and walking out. The biggest mistake was that I had to bring the FOB back the next week… my dumb a*s forgot to take it off, so I solid snaked it back into the office at 6 am, because I knew it would just be the janitorial staff.

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#51

I was a bartender in a catering dept of a well known hotel franchise. My manager, who I wrongly figured was a friend would pull me off my cash bar shifts to serve food in the banquet rooms. When I was hired for the position I told them that I wanted to bartend and set up rooms for functions and that classification was called a Porter. Servers were different job classifications. So these catering shifts would be 12 to 14 hour shifts, so if I was going to work those hours I wanted to make money. Cash in hand. Everyone knew this and they figured I was just a regular sheep and would go along with whatever they wanted. So she ended up pulling me off a bar a few too many times so we had to have a conversation about this and she said that it was out of her hands and she had to do what she had to do. Not to mention that I was gifted a case of beer from a function organizer for a great night and the hotel basically said I'm not allowed to accept gifts. My manager took my beer and put it into their alcohol inventory to sell for the extra money. So this compounded with the being taken off my cash bars regularly pissed me off. So I waited until they had an open bar for 300 lawyers. Open bar meaning all alcohol is free for the whole function so I waited until 10 mins before my shift start time and I quit on the spot. She called me and said it was unprofessional and I'll have a hard time getting a job as good as this one. She blocked me on Facebook and whenever I see her out to this day she puts her head down and ignores me. The most satisfying part of the whole story is about 4 months after quitting I got a job with double my hotel pay and had a training session at that same hotel and I got to walk past her and smile. I hope that orange gremlin was happy she f****d me over. I was lucky she did. Now I own a house and set for the rest of my life. It's odd the way things happen.

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April Dancer
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had hoped you were going to say you took the equivalent if your beer gift when you left, but well done for getting away and building a better life. I wish my old boss 'ignored' me in the street. After nearly 10 years of talking to my like s**t and taking advantage of my helpful nature, I finally got away. A year later he passes me in the street with a big smile and a friendly 'hello'. I just looked at him, thinking, are you kidding me?

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#52

Hired as PA Announcer, league manager, and event coordinator for an ice rink. Day 4 they didn’t have “enough for me to do” while I was planning events so they asked me to clean the bathroom. I declined, as there was another person on staff for that. The owner got pissy, and I left saying this isn’t the job they sold me on.

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#53

The company had lied about so much of the job but the straw that broke the camel's back was being forced to work in a room with no windows that constantly smelled awful due to a nearby kitchen exhaust.

I'm honestly still amazed that they got away with that. They interviewed me on the 3rd floor of a glass building that turned out to be a space that they rented to lure people in.

I got an offer from my dream job and bailed immediately.

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#54

B***h tried to sabotage my interviews with other companies by contacting recruiters and talking s**t. So he lost the benefit of 2 weeks' notice. He acted surprised that I didn't want to give up my search and stay.

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#55

I worked out as a restaurant greeting and seating people and getting their drinks. We then had one to two servers depending on how busy it was since it was a tiny place. One person who was the bus person and did the dishes and then two to three people in the kitchen again depending on how busy it was. Then the manager would kind of hop in and do whatever.

Except the manager was always in the back and never helped and every other position was filled by a teenager. Not the good teenagers who are working hard because they want their own money. The ones who get a job to brag about it on social media while they sit in the back the whole time on tick tock and YouTube and everything else and don't actually work.

I literally had to work every single solitary station so the dining area was always a mess and people always had to wait and food always took forever.

Last straw was after I had to do a double shift and as I was leaving, the manager bought in the district manager to falsely accuse me of stealing from the cash register which by the way I didn't have access to in the first place (they already knew who it was because the cash register was always short by 20 or 40 or $60 after his shift every single solitary time and yet for some weird reason they decided to blame me even though him and I didn't even work at the same time so there's no physically possible way for me to access the cash register unless the manager herself gave it to me)

I went home and quit over a text and then blocked everybody

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Caroline Nagel
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bought is the past tense of the verb to buy. Brought is the past tense of the verb to bring. It's astounding how many people get this wrong.

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#56

They tried to force me to sign a "pay restructure" that was not only a massive cut, but retro 90 days. It was gonna cost me thousands of dollars to sign that form.
After 10 years, I left it and them sitting right there.

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Caroline Nagel
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Belgium your income can only be reduced when both parties (employer and employee) both agree. Thanks to our unions.

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#57

Was working Night Audit for a hotel, was going on year number 5, COVID restrictions just eased off at the start of the year, was able to go back to work after almost a year off. Wasn't too bad, but was bypassed on manager/supervisor daytime positions, office positions, etc. new front office manager started, part time night auditor quit about a month in being back, keep getting told the new manager will take the part time days so I can actually have a day off. Stuck it out like that for 4 months...was losing my mind.
Welp, I finally ended up being super late one night, and just decided to end it. Called my security guard that night, told him to meet me at the desk cause I was going to count my bank, drop it, and leave. Never looked back. Whole paradigm shift. Do electrical work now, and it's on a normal schedule.

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#58

Requested and approved for PTO so that I could get dental surgery.
Morning of surgery, get a message from boss that I had to go to work ASAP.
Explained that surgery was in ~30 minutes, he told me that I had to be there that afternoon.
Came in after surgery. Couldn't speak, was in a world of pain.

The reason? His boss was present and she asked if I was around. When she saw me and my condition, she apologized and had a very loud conversation with him. She had been one of my regulars in my previous company (yay, food service).

A few days later he laid into me about my lack of professionalism and other topics about general management. I ended the call, put my keys in the safe, emailed his boss, and left.

He was fired about a week later, but it wasn't enough to get me to return.

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#59

My boss was promoted, my manager became my new boss.

I was written up by my new boss, and had to talk to HR for showing up "an hour late" to an offsite meeting with a vendor. They said it was unprofessional. The hour was just scheduled breakfast I didn't want to eat, and I had stayed up late at night working on some numbers for the business to present, which they assigned to me at 8pm, after we had a big work dinner, and everyone else was going to the bar.

My old boss, now boss's boss came in 3 hours late, with 2 other co-workers, interrupting the meeting to brag about how one of them passed out in the hotel lobby, the other just drunkenly handed the hotel staff his key card and said "Find my room please", and the 3rd one never made it out of the backseat of the car.

They never ended up using the data I stayed up half the night collecting.

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#60

I was working at my first "supervisor" job. I was one of three people in charge of a warehouse over night. My position started with me working from 5pm-2am, Mon-Fri and every other Saturday.

Then I was told to come in every Saturday . They said "don't leave until everyone else leaves and you lock up", which had me staying another hour or so until like 3:00am. Then I was told "You need to come in early around 4:00pm to touch base with the day boss".

Then COVID happened and they laid off like 80% of the company, including the other two supervisors on nights. So it was just me doing 3 people's jobs and a skeleton crew of like 8 people trying to the work of 20 people. We were behind every single night, and I wasn't allowed to leave until all the work was done and everyone else left. Several days I'd still be there finishing up when the day crew came in in the mornings. They'd be angry that we were behind when we were all super overwhelmed after working 14+ hours every day, 6 days a week.

I told them we either needed way more people, or the day crew needed to come in earlier or stay later to help because it wasn't sustainable. They told me I needed to come in earlier to meet with the boss and to train the day employees.

I got home at 9:00am. Showered and went to sleep. Woke up at 2:00pm to get to work at 3:00pm. When I got there, day shift was already done with their work because they had a slow day. As I came in, the day shift supervisor handed me the keys and left early.

That night, we were crazy busy fixing errors the day shift made. I was still there at 8:00am when the day shift came in. I sat in a chair in the main office waiting for the CEO to talk to him about how low night morale was. I was there until 10:00am and he never showed up. Went home and passed out.

I was woken up at around noon by a bunch of emails and phone calls from the day shift supervisor asking me about some basic stuff that he should have known. I ignored his calls & replied to his email with my letter of resignation absolutely tearing him and all the rest of the people in charge on days a new a*****e. CCd the CEO, CFO, and Director of Operations. Went back to sleep and had the best night's sleep I've ever had.

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#61

I got a write up. I was a server at the time. I told my managers that I was going on a teaching my interview a few hours out of town. I had graduated and was looking for my first full time teaching position. This was like…10 years ago or so.

They put me on the schedule as on call for that interview day. I reminded them I wouldn’t be able to show and they told me not to worry. Well, someone called in, and they told me I had to come. I reminded them I had a teaching interview several hours away and wouldn’t make it. They said, “Okay”, wished me luck at my interview, and got off the phone.

I came into work the next day, and the restaurant owners (not managers, the owners) told them to write me up for not being available. I asked if the server who called off was getting a write up and they said no. So I said to the managers, “so someone can call off with the sniffles and there’s no consequence, but I’m literally trying to better myself and gave you advance notice and I’m the one getting the write up?”

The managers looked at each other and said “Basically”. I laughed and signed it and they said they didn’t agree and tried to fight it. I actually believe them. They weren’t the type of managers to d**k you around.

Anyway, one of them said, “I thought for sure you’d quit over this.” And I said I am. He asked when. I told him he’d know when I did.

I got a teaching job a couple weeks later and didn’t tell anyone. I no showed on my first contractual day as a teacher. This also happened to be the same week that they had opened the restaurant 26 years prior and they ran a special on a buffet and certain dinners every year to celebrate. It was always packed, and they had everyone on deck.

The owners were pissed I didn’t show and threatened to fire me if I didn’t come in. I told them that was fine and said if they didn’t need anything else, I had a classroom to set up. Then I hung up in their face. That’s how they found out I got my first teaching job.

I’m still friends with the managers. They told me my absence caused a s**t show because the owners had overbooked and the servers they had on the floor with me had only recently been hired, and they were counting on me basically run the servers. A lot of meals were comped or had an additional price reduction due to poor service. They basically lost money the day I didn’t show.

Restaurant closed 3 years later (unrelated to my quitting but still…so sweet to know).

Sucks to suck.

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#62

After a stressful year of late nights and extra work (including all the work my manager didn’t “feel like doing”), we were informed by the CEO that the company had suffered major losses and we wouldn’t be getting bonuses or raises that year.
This was extra hard considering we were in a recession and barely scraping by.

I guess no one at head office told my manager to keep quiet because come Monday morning he showed up in a brand new Porsche bragging about his massive bonus.

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Bogdan Chelariu
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Previous job, my boss made close to 200k a year, had his rent, utilities, car lease (changed it yearly) and gas, all paid by the company! Then Covid hit and we were informed that all management overtime are not gonna be paid anymore, but they still expected us to do them! Started searching for a job immediately! That m**********r also bought his groceries with company money at times, but he still told us all that we need to rally and accept cuts so we could keep the company going!!!!

#63

I was promoted from Backroom to Entertainment Specialist at Target. It came with a raise to $10.25/hr. It was great.


Then the Electronics Specialist quit, and I took over his duties, as well as my own. Ok, that's cool. 


Then we were short-handed on floor staff, so I also had Toys, Sporting Goods, Auto, Travel, HIPA, and Baby Hardlines. Setting endcaps, doing price changes, clearance, pulling and stocking. On top of my actual job, which on Tuesdays (street date) was super fun moving every movie/CD/book one spot towards the back...


Then came the XBox 360/PS3/Wii launches... And digital TV...


After a couple years of working 60 hours a week, I thought I should apply for an open Team Lead position. Surely I had proven my work ethic was second to none, I had more Red Cards than anyone else in the district, I had been recognized as a top seller of Electronics in our region...


I was told I wasn't qualified because I didn't have a degree... I said f**k it and walked. Left them with no one to cover the back half of the store. I heard it was a s**t show for a while after.


Problem was, that was mid-2008. I wasn't big on the news at the time, and didn't realize we were in the midst of The Great Recession. I assumed I'd walk out and just find another job paying more. That was a rough wakeup call. Making rent the next few months was tough. I picked up random jobs, and scoured CL listings all night...


People always asked why I stayed at my last job for 14 years, I think it was the PTSD of my last career-change keeping me in a stable position.

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Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Target treats their employees like crãp. Made the mistake of taking a temp job for them while they remodeled the store (for some reason the regular employees were helping with the remodel? I'd want professionals doing that you know?) I was looked down on by the regulars, like they were afraid I was after their job? But I was told at the beginning it was a temp job, no illusion there. Managers were AH and I wasn't getting paid near enough for what they wanted me to do. I got my walking papers and left right before they got the coolers installed. Jokes on them -- when the cold stuff comes in you drop what you are doing and help put it away. Don't you think you could use that extra pair of hands? Especially since they're filling up ALL the coolers and freezers that day. Oh well, their loss.

#64

Working me to the bone until I was having dizzy spells,

having a doctor tell me I'm working too much,

telling my boss that I need more breaks,

her forcing me onto unpaid medical leave indefinitely,

Seen alive by my coworker a few days later

Accused of lying to get time off of work by my boss and given a write up

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#65

I knew they weren't happy with my performance and I wasn't happy with the role either. I was already planning to quit in a few months once I found a different job. But then I got covid and was super sick for 2 weeks. I came back, still feeling like s**t, and me and my lead went to the big boss to discuss a very small change I had suggested so I'd take on some more accounts in general, rather than taking on a segment of work for a bunch of accounts I'm not familiar with. Instead it turned into me being reamed out for not meeting the goals they had expected. In that meeting it became very clear that they expected me to be a the same level as my lead, when I had learned this accounting role in 3 months while still covering reception duties for 2 of those months and working crazy OT), but he had a degree and 8 years experience, not to mention being paid much more than me. Not only was it an impossible expectation, but I had just missed 2 weeks and was already DREADING how far behind things had gotten in my absence. Knowing I would be miserably stressed, unhappy with the role, sacrificing my own well-being over the next month or so and having such a strong sign it wouldn't be appreciated at all anyway... That was it. I gave it the evening to mull it over and quit on the spot the next day. It was not worth it to me.

They haven't been able to keep someone in that role for more than 3 months since I quit. This happened a year or so ago.

I told them expanding their business by adding a new location would mean more clients and invoices and we were understaffed for that amount of work, but they didn't agree. Considering accounting is so important to a business keeping afloat, I think they were very stupid to not hire on another accounting assistant at least. They likely lost multiple thousands in discounts EACH MONTH for not being able to pay bills early. Probably hurt some client relations too. And now they can't seem to keep a replacement for me in that role.

I didn't want to hurt the company by bailing like that, but part of me hopes the troubles caused them to learn a lesson and make better decisions. And ya know... Treat staff a bit better.

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#66

In college I worked for a landscaper, mostly just mowing. it was a one-man operation, but it was flexible. we were driving around in a sixties two and a half ton GM truck, it was ancient with flaky paint.

one day I called him before I came to work and said I was really sick, I'd rather stay home, he begged me to come in saying we had a lot to do that day.

so I came in, feeling like death warmed over, I got there and he had me sand the decades long neglected running boards on the ancient truck for like 40 minutes.

I walked into his house to say I'm going home, I feel like c**p, and he was sitting there getting high.

every morning he gave me like a half hour useless project busy work in the driveway so he could get stoned before we went out to work. I left and didn't go back

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#67

When it became clear the manager was only there to be the big man in charge instead of actually, you know, being a leader and fighting for his team.

I didn't quit. I slowed down to minimal effort and let them fire me so I could get the severance package.

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#68

The place was being run into the ground and I was one of the only good employees there. They hired two new managers after a stellar S+ manager(but was an a*****e) stormed out. One was....just stupid. The other was put with me because I could help him.

Im sorry *no* its not my job to be training someone higher up than me and Im already busy. I quit 4 minutes later. Idc if you were hired yesterday. Im busy as is and you can see that, and I had put up with it for almost 3 months before they were hired.

As for the dull manager(context I worked at a Sonic) Phil can you pass me tray 5? *Hands me the food, with no wrapper or bag and sets it on the plate* "Its gotta be in a bag.." He then put the pretzel twist in its wrapper(still no bag) and put it back on the tray.

I really hate incompetence.

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#69

Someone gave notice and they made up a fake reason he had to go immediately, and forced him to pack up his desk in front of everyone then they marched him to the door. I resigned over email and never went back.

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#70

When I had been off for several weeks in early 2022, taking care of an injured loved one/recovering from covid - I got an unexpected email one night that stated I had been put back on the schedule. I had a full-scale panic attack.

Hours later, after I'd finally calmed down, it occurred to me that in the weeks I'd been off, I no longer felt the need to drink on a nightly basis, and my heart palpitations had disappeared.

I started applying to new jobs the next day, had one in a few weeks. The day I started my new job, I got a letter from my old job that I'd yet to officially quit. Turns out my leave of absence was never approved (thanks for taking almost four months to tell me) and that if I didn't report to work on March 31st (it was then late on the 29) I'll be considered to have quit my job.

🤷‍♀️

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#71

I got scheduled 12 hours in a week after being hired “full time” and never getting those hours.

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#72

Supervisor outside my chain of command pulled me off my project to do mandatory overtime because his own staff doesn't show up to work. Said f**k that I'm going home.

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#73

Another bounced paycheck 

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Seadog
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sons paycheck bounced and he made them pay him in cash and they couldn't understand why he was quitting.

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#74

Emotional abuse by supervisor. Told HR, went on leave with their blessing, because they agreed with me. Two days before return the supervisor texted me and requested a coffee and donuts pickup even though that whole '60's bullsh*t expectation wasn't in my job description. Nope. Side note: I was invited to be part of a lawsuit against this supervisor who did this to other employees. I said no. Trust me when I say that won't happen again. Live and learn.

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#75

I had a coworker that was habitually late. She had a long history of getting fired from every job she held within a couple months but somehow my manager really liked her and took her side on everything. I had another job to get to across town in 15 minutes and coworker was late one day. As I was blessing her out, manager came out and started in on me talking about “if you have an issue you come to me!” so I replied “I have, and you do nothing. I have to go to another job that I’m already going to be late to, bye.” To which she replied “we’re going to talk about this in the morning!” Turns out, if you just put your phone on airplane mode and sleep in, you never have to get yelled at by a s****y manager. Manager had to work the shift the next morning. Coworker got fired a couple weeks later for being generally s****y, so bang up job manager, you lost a 3 year employee over liking a moron ne’r-do-well. Jokes on you, Stephanie, I make 3x what you do and work like 14 hours a week.

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#76

30 Employees Share What Forced Them To Quit Without Any Notice Never hiring enough qualified individuals to work in the department.

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Kyra Heiker
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

? Who quit what job in this story and for what reason? What is the rest of the information?

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#77

I was already on a performance improvement plan, had been denied the opportunity to step down, had three call-offs I was trying to cover, and heard through the grapevine that my immediate superior told the guy I had lined up to come help me cover one of the shifts not to bother.

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Javelina Poppers
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

PIPs are the greatest thing ever invented for management to deny raises and they're usually about some arcane little thing you weren't even aware of in the first place.

#78

I was waitressing at an Asian restaurant while I was in college, I was getting my degree in English lit and I had to read one novel per class per week, so 3-4 novels a week by my junior year. I was allowed to sit and watch TV when there were no customers, but I broke out one of my books for school and literally got screamed at. His kids can study in the back but I have to watch the Grammys?

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#79

I got cussed out cause they had me telemarketing on valentines day night.

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April Dancer
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm guessing telemarketing is/was your job. Do you think you should be given time off rather than calling people on V's day? Where did that end?

#80

When they told me to shut up and do what I’m told. My own mother couldn’t get me to do that what the hell makes some a*****e think I’ll listen to him. F**k that s**t.

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Ian Shaw
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Without more detail, this sounds like a beef with authority in general, the sort of problem worker I hate being colleagues with.

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