We can all agree that getting fired sucks. But there are some shrewd people among us who managed to turn getting let go into a golden opportunity to get even. Here are the best accounts of satisfying workplace revenge that we've ever heard.
1. A Slick Send-Off
I used to paint buildings for a living. Unfortunately, I got fired and was told to drive over to the owner's house to pick up my final paycheck. When I arrived at his house and approached the door, he had a sly smile on his face. He handed me the check but also mentioned deducting some money for the tools he had lent me.
I left his house, got into my car, and started backing out. Suddenly, I heard him scream in terror. I stopped the car and looked at his face, which was filled with horror. It turns out that he had just had his driveway resurfaced with fresh concrete.
Unfortunately, as it dried, my car had leaked an enormous amount of extremely dirty and dark oil right in the middle of his brand-new driveway.
2. The Devil’s In The Details
I used to work for an architect who never paid attention to the small things, and this led to a lot of failures. There was a time when I refused to approve a design that I knew would fail because of some "unimportant" details, and as a result, I got fired.
Before leaving, I was in charge of overseeing the printing of company letterheads, business cards, and large drawing sheets. The correct wording was supposed to be "McDonald, Sweet and Partners, Chartered Architects". But at the last moment, I decided to seek revenge.
I made changes to the proofs, so they said, "McDonald, Sweet and Partners, Chartered Artichokes". Since he wasn't someone who paid attention to details, he approved the proofs, and thousands of them got printed with the incorrect wording.
Freepik,nakaridore
3. Checkmate
I used to work at a small gaming company that was going through some rough patches, which they were quite transparent about, so it didn’t set off any alarms. They had faltered on paying salaries a few times but compensated by the next payday. Despite this, we enjoyed our work and stayed, hoping for improvements.
However, one day we arrived to find the doors locked. Turns out, the situation was more dire than they had revealed. I was owed around $8k in unpaid wages. When I contacted one of the owners, he informed me they were broke, had sold off assets to settle debts, and there was nothing left.
A month passed, and I received a call from one of the owners inquiring about a specific computer. I had taken it home for the weekend to work on some projects and since I lost my job on the following Monday, it ended up tucked away under my desk and slipped my mind. However, I didn’t share these details with him.
Instead, I responded, “I’m not sure where it could be, just like I'm unsure where my pending paychecks are. Maybe it was sold along with the other assets? But, if those pending payments were to miraculously appear in my bank and get successfully processed, I might just recall where that crucial machine packed with code, model files, textures, and storyboards is".
Within three days, a FedEx envelope landed at my door with a check covering my due amount, a note mentioning, “Returning the hard drive will do," and an address. I sent them the drive once the check was successfully processed.
4. A Dish Best Served…Greasy?
While she was in college, my sister worked at a busy diner in New York City. One day, one of the cooks in the kitchen got angry and threw a dish at her just because she asked about the cheese on a customer's burger. My sister decided she had enough and went to tell the manager what happened.
Unfortunately, the manager didn't take her side and didn't want to hear her out. This was the final straw for her. So, my sister went and shared the whole story with her friends, who were waitresses there too. They came up with a plan. When the restaurant got really busy (this was before they had computer systems to take orders), they didn't write down any table numbers on the checks and took all the orders at once.
Then, they grabbed their things and all walked out together. The manager ran after them, shouting at them to come back and serve the customers. But my sister told him, "You and the cook can handle it". The restaurant had to close for a whole week because they had to find new servers. It must have cost them a lot of money, probably tens of thousands.
5. Called In The Cavalry
When I was let go from a major financial services firm, the HR head essentially asked me to pack up and exit immediately. I was involved in several executive compensation plans, but there was no talk of me receiving any of that. I was aware that others had received different treatment upon their termination.
Seeking advice, I reached out to my former boss—the ex-president of the company—who had been let go two weeks prior, and inquired about the next steps. He suggested, “Reach out to the folks in sales. They think highly of you". This was around 10:00 in the morning.
Acting on his advice, I contacted every high-ranking salesperson I was acquainted with, requesting them to speak to the CEO for me. My only plea was to be treated justly. By 2:00 pm, the HR head got back to me, stating that the CEO had received the message and that my “small initiative” had been successful—I could “call off my troops".
Consequently, I managed to negotiate a fair severance deal and a temporary role within the company. It’s true what they say—friends can be a great help.
6. Up in Flames
I had recently left the army and landed a job working for a guy who was quite unsavory. He had been through four marriages and had indecent photos of all his former wives. He would incessantly attempt to show me these photos as if to brag about his conquests. I was well aware of the envelope’s hiding place, where he kept these pictures.
When I decided to resign, I seized the opportunity for the ideal payback. I turned all those photographs into ashes and placed them back into the envelope, along with a farewell note from me. In my view, if someone is foolish, unscrupulous, and unpleasant, they had it coming.
For over 40 years, I’ve been running my own successful business with a team of more than 60 employees. Funnily enough, I have him to thank for setting me on this path.
7. Sound Familiar?
I lost my job at a sports company because I didn't fit in well. The Vice President of Technology fired me, and it was my manager who took me to his office without saying a single word. Fast forward a few years, and I find myself as the keynote speaker at a conference where my old and unhelpful manager, whom I like to call a jellyfish, is in attendance.
In the middle of sharing my story about being fired, I realize that this experience has given me valuable skills and credibility that I proudly showcase on my resume. I make sure not to mention any names as I describe the whole ordeal, and as I look out into the audience, I feel this wave of satisfaction wash over me.
I see her awkwardly trying to hide by sliding down in her chair. It was a memorable moment.
Wikimedia Commons,Women Deliver
8. Smell You Later
I used to work for a family of three brothers who inherited a business but didn't know much about running a ladies' boutique. They ended up firing me for no good reason, even though I was the best at making sales and they had to compensate me for my skills with extra commissions and bonuses.
They claimed I was making too much money for their liking. I decided to leave and found a job at a competing store in the area. As a not-so-friendly gesture, I sent them each a special "gift"—100 pounds of bagged cow manure sent straight to their front doors. It definitely gave me a satisfying feeling.
9. Just Plane Wrong
Back in the 80s, I had a job with a small airline. I was paid $800 per month, which I received once a month. One day, while I was working a long 14-hour shift, I received a call informing me that the company was closing down. They asked me to finish my out-of-state run and bring the plane back to the hangar in a different city.
They also mentioned that my paycheck would be taped to the hangar door. After deducting taxes, my paycheck amounted to $712. I decided to take a taxi and head straight to the bank. Once I got there, I tried to cash my check. To my surprise, the bank informed me that there wasn't enough money in the company's account to cover the payment. However, the bank teller came up with a solution.
She asked if I had $20 on me, and after I confirmed, she deposited it into the account. As a result, I was able to withdraw the full $712 in cash. The following night, the owner of the company called me in a rage about the paycheck. In response, I calmly asked him, "John, you wouldn't intentionally give me a bad check, would you?"
10. What Goes Around…
I got fired from a small law firm, and the whole situation was pretty unpleasant. The owner even went as far as changing the locks and having building security escort me out. But instead of dwelling on it, I decided to open my own office.
Surprisingly, just a few months later, the legal affairs manager from my old boss's biggest client reached out to me. He was furious about the constant overbilling and lousy service they had been receiving. So, they decided to shift their business over to me instead.
It was quite satisfying whenever I bumped into my old boss at the courthouse or on the street. Just seeing the rage on his face brought me a lot of joy. I have to admit, getting back at him was a guilty pleasure.
11. So We Meet Again
I was a Case Manager for a nationwide company that operated online, with no physical offices in our area. Another local nurse was eyeing my job and began spreading rumors to the higher-ups. In a nutshell, she was causing a lot of mischief, pinning it on me, all without my awareness.
She managed to take my job but was dismissed within three months after being caught in the act, partly because her false claims triggered a state-level investigation and audit. This situation vindicated me and resulted in her losing the job. Not the smartest move on her part.
Jump ahead two years, and she applies at another local facility where, coincidentally, I’m the Associate Clinical Director. After the incident, she had her license suspended and faced conditions upon reinstatement, essentially leaving her unemployed for two years.
During the interview, she walked in, saw me behind the desk, murmured, "Oh, no!" and bolted out of the building. I didn’t utter a single word.
12. Fight For Your Rights
A family member of mine moved to Canada and started working in a restaurant, earning $8/hour, even though the minimum wage was $14/hour. He put up with this for two years until they let him go without any valid reason, still owing him nearly two months of wages. But it gets worse.
The restaurant owner played games with him for months, refusing to pay what was owed. When I found out, I knew exactly how to handle it. I lodged a complaint with the Labour Board and secured his payment for two years at the correct minimum wage, totaling around $10k. A few months after, the restaurant shut down.
Rumor has it, the business partners had a major disagreement over the money since none of them wanted to bear the loss. To add to that, two other employees also brought labor disputes against the restaurant, ensuring they received their due payments. That outcome was well-deserved.
13. The Uncrackable Code
My payback was just being too good at my job and having skills my coworkers didn’t have. I created detailed spreadsheets which made the monthly billing process way quicker than it used to be. After I moved on, I found out they had to revert to manual methods, taking them a whole week, since no one could figure out how to work with the formulas I developed.
14. There’s A New Sheriff In Town
Here's how my brother got back at company: When the company finally went under, he took the opportunity to purchase it and offered the employees their jobs back. However, he made a few changes, like reducing their pay, cutting back on their vacation time, eliminating company cars, and taking on the role of their boss.
15. Turn The Other Cheek
I got transferred from the franchise I was managing to its sister company, where I became a salesperson and lost my salary right away. The new company organized a weekend activity for team building, and it turned out that my old boss from the franchise was now a director at the sister company.
The activity we did was paintball, and I didn't waste the best opportunity imaginable. I got to shoot him in the backside.
16. An Expensive Deworming
I used to work at a big company that made things for the military. One of the computer people got told they were being fired with two weeks of notice. Instead of going quietly, they decided to cause some trouble.
For their last two weeks, they secretly added a computer virus to the system. This messed up two whole years of work on one of the projects. Nobody could even get to it anymore. I think they eventually had to pay that person to fix the problem and remove the virus.
17. Nuclear Revenge
When I was getting laid off from a job, one of the last things I did was microwave my expensive IBM laptop for about a minute. My former colleagues told me that it never worked again. The HR lady tried to accuse me, but she had seen me using my laptop just five minutes before I handed it in, so she couldn't do anything.
They never discovered that it had been damaged in the microwave.
18. Took It To The Top Brass
Some years back, I was hired as a subcontractor for a company I’d rather not name. The manager frequently pressured me into handling tasks that were outside my job responsibilities, using my employment as leverage, since I was one of the few men there. She would often say, “Do you like working here?”
One day, my line manager dropped by and saw me doing one of these tasks. I clarified the situation, leading him to have a talk with that manager. That should have resolved the issue, but she started seeking any reason to let me go, eventually fabricating a story.
Fast forward a couple of months. Unbeknownst to the manager, I had kept records of all the policy breaches by her and her team. I decided to send an email detailing everything to the company's head office, not really anticipating a response given their national presence.
To my surprise, a few weeks later, I received a reply. Another month passed, and they informed me that they had looked into my claims, verified them, and expressed their gratitude. Subsequently, the manager was demoted and relocated to a different store, and her two supervisors lost their jobs.
19. Success Is The Best Revenge
I left the job primarily due to a terrible boss. Fast forward a year, and the small venture they scoffed at had grown substantially. I happened to bump into that boss at a McDonald’s after wrapping up a project. He smirked and said, “So, ready to grovel your way back to your old job?” I had a gratifying reply up my sleeve.
I glanced at him and said, “Well, I’ve just earned more in three hours than you used to pay me for a full week. What’s your guess?”
20. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
I used to work as a lobbyist for a certain industry. One day, during a meeting where laws were being discussed, I found out about a new regulation that would have a big impact on my industry. The next morning, my boss called me into their office and told me I was fired.
It turns out, the president of our industry association didn't approve of my work and convinced the board to let me go, although the vote was close. Six months later, I discovered that the president's own company had suffered a huge loss of $12 million because they were unaware of the regulatory change.
When people asked me why I hadn't informed them, I calmly explained that once I was fired, I no longer worked for them. Unfortunately, the president's company went bankrupt as a result.
21. You Messed With The Wrong Guy
I was let go from an old age home after working there for four years because they mistakenly thought I was responsible for neglecting a resident during one shift. I tried my best to argue against it, but they were not willing to reconsider.
However, little did they know, I had kept a record of every instance of misconduct and negligence by the Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and the Board. So, I wasted no time in providing all the information to the State and several advocacy groups who were willing to hear me out.
Fortunately, they took the matter seriously, and within a month, the entire staff either quit or was removed from their positions. It turns out they had accused the wrong person.
22. Going Postal
I know someone who lost their job because the boss's son, who wasn't very smart, wanted to take charge of the family business yet again. My friend didn't receive any money when he was let go, not even for the sick days or vacation time he didn't use. As he was leaving, he decided to send one final message to the boss through the mail.
He attached a check for $10,000 and a bit more to the letter and walked out with it in his mailbox. He ended up framing it. Surprisingly, the boss's son ended up stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next couple of years. Now, the building has been torn down and replaced with a nice parking lot.
23. Cheaters Never Win
I was employed at a government office, and it was common knowledge in our division that a colleague was unfaithful to his spouse with another team member. To say the least, he was a notorious micromanager and not the brightest bulb in the box.
One afternoon, he had the audacity to scold me for chatting with a coworker during our break time. I just snapped. That very day, I dialed his wife’s office number and left a detailed message listing all the occasions he had met with his secret partner. Not long after, she decided to part ways with him.
I don’t have a shred of remorse. According to his wife and children, they’re much happier without him around—that’s their sentiment, not just my perspective.
24. Ghost In The Machine?
Even after leaving, I still have the ability to access some of my previous employer's social media accounts. I had explained to my boss how to secure the accounts against unauthorized access when passwords were altered, but it seems they didn’t take action.
Every now and then, I post content that makes it appear as if it was accidentally shared by them, modify their links, or create ineffective ads that consume their advertising funds without yielding results. Several months have passed, and they’ve yet to rectify the situation.
25. Not The Brightest Decision
I unexpectedly lost my Internet Marketing job, even though I was bringing in profits for the company. However, I quickly landed a new job within a week. Fortunately, two-thirds of my clients decided to come with me to my new company, resulting in a significant loss of gross profit for my old company, roughly six times my salary in billing.
The good news is that all of those clients are still working with me today.
26. Clock’s Ticking
The day after I left my job, the calls from the office started coming in, asking me about various topics. I assured them I'd get back to them and then sent an email to both corporate and the local management.
I informed them that I was more than willing to assist, but I would charge $150 per hour, with a four-hour minimum, and that the clock would start the moment I answered a call or read an email. The following day, I received another call and assisted the person with their questions.
Afterwards, I sent an electronic invoice to the corporate office. They responded, saying it was just a ten-minute call and they’d pay me twenty dollars. I reminded them of my email and stated that if I didn’t receive the full payment of $600 within thirty days, I’d inform the credit-reporting agencies and pursue legal action.
Surprisingly, three days later, I received a check via FedEx, requiring a signature upon delivery. Since then, oddly, I haven’t received any more calls or emails from their staff. I wonder why.
27. Just Following Orders
I once held a position selling airtime at a local radio station in a town with a population of 30,000. When I first stepped into my role, a retired Army major had been making occasional sales of $6,000. I managed to increase sales to over $8,000.
However, three months into the job, I was let go (I happened to be the only male employee), and they hired a young, inexperienced 22-year-old woman. The sales manager, who was also the owner's wife, instructed me to "clear out my desk". Well, that was a mistake.
I did exactly what she told me to. I discarded everything, including the sales invoices for the month. She made a point of informing me that I wouldn’t be receiving my commissions. I sat patiently at my desk, waiting for my salary check of $1,500, then promptly went to the bank and cashed it.
Sure enough, two days later, I received the call I had been anticipating, but it was still incredibly satisfying. "Where are all the sales invoices for August?" "In the trash". "What!?" "You told me to clear out my desk, so I did". Then, I hung up. I later found out that the new hire didn’t last, and the station eventually went under. Quite a shame, isn’t it?
28. Justice Was Served
A bright and capable attorney I know experienced awful treatment from a high-ranking litigation partner at a well-established Austin law firm. This partner was known for securing clients but had never actually represented anyone in court. The younger lawyer faced daily criticism from this partner.
After about a month, the young lawyer pointed out some issues in court documents prepared by the partner and subsequently lost his job without being offered any severance. Within just three days, the dismissed lawyer secured a new position working for appellate court judges.
These judges often dealt with appeals submitted by his former firm and the problematic litigation partner. Now, this young lawyer found himself in a place where he could scrutinize any appeal coming from his former employer and highlight the partner’s mistakes in public court rulings.
29. Locked Out
I had been in a temporary role for nearly a year, working mostly on data entry, with the assurance that the permanent position would be mine when available. Some of the data was sensitive, so password protection was necessary. But they did me so dirty.
When it came time to fill the role, they chose someone from out of state, much to the annoyance of my supervisor. When I attempted to hand over my password, my supervisor declined, and no one else thought to ask for it. They had to hire an expert to access their own computer system.
To make matters worse, a hiring freeze hit the company, preventing the new hire from joining. Left without anyone for the role and after spending a significant amount on bypassing the password, they found themselves in a bind. They never even thought to ask me for the password.
Eventually, they turned to me for the position, which I accepted, but not without negotiating a higher salary and more hours.
30. A “Miner” Inconvenience
I was doing security work at a gold mine when, during a routine task, I found myself stuck in a wash on the perimeter and needed a tow truck to pull me out. The patrol vehicle was slightly damaged. My manager, however, accused me of not being truthful about the situation and let me go.
The day after I lost my job, I was brought into the Imperial County Sheriff’s Department to discuss a theft at the mine that had happened a few months back with the FBI. Given my tenure in security at the mine, which was longer than anyone else's, including my manager's, they needed my insights to close some gaps in their investigation.
I had previously explained how the theft might have happened. During the conversation, it became pretty clear that the individual charged with the theft couldn’t have acted alone. I pointed out that this person was close to my manager, suggesting they look into his involvement. That pretty much sealed his awful fate.
Piecing things together, they found out my manager had a hand in it. After he was taken in, my former boss struck a plea deal in exchange for his full cooperation. While I lost my job, he ended up losing five years of his freedom. In the grand scheme of things, I reckon I got the better end of that deal.
31. Karma’s A Glitch
I used to work at a company specializing in biotech research, where my lab played a supporting role for most of the firm. When my direct supervisor was let go, our lab was shifted under a different group. It became clear that the new manager favored his original team members. He assigned them to my area, despite their lack of knowledge about our technology.
One of these employees, thinking she knew it all, decided to reprogram a significant and pricey piece of equipment. This brought the entire lab to a standstill and set the company back nearly $250,000. Despite this, I was the one who was let go, while she stayed on. Can you guess which company eventually folded?
32. A Mass Exodus
I used to head the nuclear division at a major international firm, overseeing around 100 people. Unexpectedly, I, along with several others at my level, was let go. Shortly after, I joined a company that had previously been our client and brought around 12 of my former colleagues, including engineers and designers, with me.
In just a year, the headcount in my old division dwindled to about 15 people. I was instrumental in securing most of their projects, and the work pipeline suffered after my departure. The individual who decided to lay me off was several ranks higher—we had never met, and he was unaware of my role and contributions.
Flickr, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
33. Safety First!
I worked as a car mechanic for a few years. My boss was the owner's nephew and he had a favorite phrase: "If you don't do (xyz), you can pack up and leave". It seemed like everyone on the team was starting to resent him, so one by one, we were called into the office to have a discussion about our morale.
Me and another coworker were already talking about opening our own small repair shop and taking our loyal customers with us. It seems like the nephew found out and wasn't happy about it. The next day, we both got a call saying we were suspended for two weeks because our breath smelled like we'd been drinking (which wasn't true).
I immediately went into defensive mode. I called the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and let them know that the manager had told us to dump oil, oil filters, antifreeze, differential fluid, and transmission fluid into the dumpster. A day later, I found out that the EPA had fined him a huge amount. Two months later, all the locations were sold off.
34. Irreplaceable
I used to work for a doctor who was always focused on making money. My role was to teach people about biofeedback and relaxation techniques, but the doctor believed that anyone could do it. One day, when I returned from lunch, I found his wife sitting in the patient chair. I already had a bad feeling about this.
The doctor instructed me to teach her what I knew, hoping that she could take my place and work for free. I responded calmly, saying, "No problem. Here's what you do: place the indicator on your strongest finger, and... blah, blah" (basically making things up).
His wife became emotional and said, "I don't understand what you're saying, and I can't do this!" As a result, she didn't end up replacing me. Later, I became certified and left the job when I felt ready to move on.
35. Don’t Know Her
I had a terrible experience with my previous boss who made my work life unbearable. However, things turned around when I got transferred to a different department with a fantastic boss. Together, we uncovered all the mistakes made by my old boss.
Unfortunately, due to some politics involved, my new boss was forced to leave and the old boss, who broke the law and company rules, came back. Frustrated, I reported the situation to HR and ended up receiving a generous compensation package.
Fast forward a few years, the old boss was job hunting and a recruiting agency contacted me for a reference. I didn't provide much information, but my silence said it all. Needless to say, she didn't get the job.
36. A Costly Mistake
The boss came in and went off on a big rant about something someone else did. He ended up firing me, so I went home and quickly found another job. About two weeks later, I got a phone call asking for the password to the office server. I told them it was in an envelope in the backup safe.
Turns out, the boss had thrown away all my paperwork, including the server password. I felt like I was let go unfairly, so I decided to take the matter to a tribunal. The advisor recommended that I say nothing until the issue was resolved. Unfortunately, my two years of medical research were locked away until the dispute was settled.
37. Dial Tone
I used to work at an environmental testing lab for seven years. Unfortunately, I was let go because I accidentally didn't perform a duplicate test on a sample that the EPA wanted to be tested. What makes it even worse is that no one else at the lab knew how to do the tests that I specialized in.
A few days later, my lab manager called me at home, acting all sweet and pretending that I got a unfair treatment, even though he was the one who reported me and blamed me to avoid any consequences for himself. He then asked me politely if I could please explain how the test was done. Time for sweet revenge.
I have never hung up a phone so forcefully in my entire life.
38. A Snow-Brainer
My boss let me go to save money, and while I was packing up my things, I mentioned to her that she would need to hire someone to remove the snow since I used to take care of shoveling, scraping, and salting. She responded, "Oh, I never thought of that".
Unfortunately, I was laid off right before winter arrived, and arranging a snow removal contract is something that needs to be done months in advance. The cost of promptly clearing the sidewalks, preferably before business hours, would likely be more than what I made in a month.
Everyone else in the office was small in stature and they were required to have a flawless appearance without any sweat or scent. Shoveling snow was definitely not something they were qualified for or expected to do.
39. Double Or Nothing
I was hired to fix the electric system for a town. I had been working on it for about a year and was almost finished when it was time for raises. It was infuriating. Everyone got a raise of $1 per hour, except me. I went to a board meeting and asked for a similar percentage increase in my pay.
They just laughed and said no because they considered me to be temporary. I didn't even know I was temporary. So I told them I would have to start looking for another job. The next morning, I made a phone call and found a new job that paid much better. I called the Mayor to let him know I quit.
He asked me to come to his office at 2:00. When I got there, the board members and the person who called me temporary were all there. She started giving me a hard time about not giving two weeks' notice. I waited until she was done complaining and then explained that since I was considered temporary, giving notice wasn't necessary.
I also negotiated with them to work weekends at time-and-a-half of my new pay rate, so that I could finish the controls for the substation. But that wasn't all. When they needed help on the 4th of July and no one else answered their calls, they had to pay me double my rate, which is the minimum for holiday pay.
They never bothered me again after that.
40. Say It With Flowers
I knew a person who worked at a garden center and got fired, even though it wasn't their fault. It turns out that most of the staff didn't like the manager. But, the employee found a brilliant way to seek revenge. Right across from the garden center, there was a muddy slope.
Under the cover of darkness, the former employee came back and planted a bunch of daffodils on the slope. This happened in the Fall. When Spring came, those daffodils bloomed and formed the words "Manager's Name is a fool".
41. Not So Fast
I got in trouble for something, and my boss said I had to go to a different town to pick up my final payment. But legally, they were supposed to give me my paycheck at the store I worked in. The store was planning to move to the bigger store next door. So, I made a claim that stopped them from moving.
Surprisingly enough, I got my payment without much delay.
freepik,wayhomestudio
42. The Surgical Approach
I used to work for a company that sold surgical instruments. It was weird how sales managers never stayed for more than three months. They would fire them for minor reasons and then follow up on all the quotes and leads they had generated. When it was time for my three-month review, I got fired too, just because I didn't make enough appointments.
Curious about what was really going on, I decided to investigate the managing director's background. I was in for a suprise. I found out that he had been forbidden from holding his position because he was bankrupt and hadn't resolved it yet. This made me furious. So, I reported him to the authorities who were in charge.
As a result, he had to step down as director and his son took over, still effectively running the business. But I didn't stop there. I reported him again, which led to a big fine for his actions. Luckily, he narrowly escaped going to prison.
43. A Wrench In The Works
Once upon a time, my buddy Bob served at an oil field. One day, a wrench accidentally slipped into a well and Bob was unjustly accused. Determined to clear his name, Bob went ahead and retrieved the lost wrench. Just as he was about to put it back in its proper place, his boss unexpectedly uttered those dreaded words, "You're fired!"
Feeling anger and frustration, Bob decided to take immediate action. Without a second thought, he grabbed the toolbox and maliciously dumped half of the tools down the very same well.
44. Slipped My Mind…
I know a truck driver who got fired for delivering freight in New Jersey with a tractor-trailer that was too long for the streets in New York City. The company headquarters didn't inform him about the issue when he dropped off the load. It seems they decided to fire him when the agency sent them bills for having to re-deliver the freight.
The agency loaded up his semi-trailer and he left, going west to make more deliveries. HQ called him a day or two later and fired him over the phone, but they didn't mention anything about the load. The agency had no idea that HQ was planning to fire him.
So he left the company's semi-trailer (since he owned the tractor) in a parking lot at a truck stop, somewhere between Ohio (where he made a delivery) and, well, most likely Oklahoma where he lived. And it took the company two days to notice.
He ignored theircalls the following day, and when he finally did speak to them, he conveniently seemed to forget where he had left the trailer. You know how those truck stops all start to look the same after a while.
45. We’ll Be In Touch
I got fired when the owner's new son-in-law took over my position. A couple of years later, I witnessed something shocking: I saw the son-in-law getting caught carrying two desktop computers down the street. Meanwhile, I was in charge of a department at another company and I got a call from the same son-in-law, asking for a job.
I had a perfect plan in mind—I wanted to have security kick him out as soon as he arrived. However, a colleague suggested a better approach. They told me to simply interview him and then politely say, "We'll be in touch if we're interested". They were absolutely right.
46. Keeping It Classy
I once heard that the best way to get back at someone is to lead a fulfilling life. I found myself in a tough spot when I got let go from a job I had relocated for after just seven months. It was a tough situation—I was in a new place, had a lease, a house far away on the market, and my mother was sick (I had gone to be with her without giving "sufficient notice").
For the next six weeks, I focused on handling the immediate legal matters of my mother's estate. Afterwards, I managed to find a new job where I'm valued and treated well. I can confidently say that I'm doing quite well and the past situation rarely crosses my mind.
47. The Long Walk
I once heard about this person who got fired by their boss while they were out working on a service call. It happened while the boss was riding along with them. The fired person decided to dump all of the company's belongings out of their pickup truck and drove away. Yep, it was their own pickup truck.
They were about 30 miles away from any civilization, with no one else around and no cell phone signal. Before leaving, they did go back to their former workplace to empty their locker, get their final paycheck, and suggest that someone should come and pick up the boss who fired them.
48. The Domino Effect
I used to be the manager of a Domino's store for a big company, but I got fired for giving too much money to a thief. I decided to take action by filing a discrimination case. During the questioning, we found out that the area manager was actually stealing supplies from the stores he supervised.
He was worried I would catch him if I carefully reviewed the bills and expenses. Right before our trial was set to begin, they unexpectedly gave me a generous six-figure check and covered all my costs. It felt like a satisfying form of revenge.
49. A Happy Coincidence
My friend switched from the IT department to a small marketing team because she felt her skills and talents aligned better there. For her, it was a promotion. However, things quickly turned unpleasant. One of the team members, who mind you, was the only other person on the team, was not pulling their weight and being unfriendly.
To make matters worse, complaining to the boss was pointless because he was actually having an affair with that team member. Anyhow, my friend started quietly looking for another job and ended up being offered a position elsewhere with a significantly higher salary.
She wrote a resignation letter and brought it to work the next day, but hesitated to hand it in, probably to avoid a confrontation. As fate would have it, the boss called her into the office that morning and informed her that she was being made redundant.
She took her remaining vacation time and left with a substantial redundancy payment, heading straight into her new job.
50. Bye, Karen
Upon returning to work after my cancer recovery, I was immediately met with a blunt suggestion from my boss to retire, citing my age and recent illness, despite having six more years till my official retirement. I endured this strained relationship for about a year before approaching HR to negotiate an early exit.
They were aware of the difficulties with my boss, who had a history of driving male colleagues away, and offered me a generous settlement on the condition that I wouldn't pursue legal action for harassment. I accepted, leaving with a substantial sum.
Not long after, she transitioned to a different department and subsequently hopped between several companies, seemingly unable to maintain a position without causing discord among her colleagues. It seems she’s been with five different companies in four years. Given her abrasive nature, it felt like a sort of poetic justice.
Nevertheless, with a well-connected politician for a father, she’s never short of job opportunities, regardless of her track record.
