When enough is enough and the job is never going to get better, it's time to quit. Whether it's a horrible boss, rude customers, or annoying co-workers, there's a moment when every person says, "That's the final straw." And those moments can be incredibly satisfying—just like these stories.
1. Fatal Nepotism
My aunt arranged a job for me as a technician at a chemical factory. In my naive youth, I let the fellow who was meant to train me know about my family connection. That was a move I regretted pretty much straight away—since he felt I hadn't truly "earned" my position, he made it his mission to give me a hard time.
Within the first shift, I was already close to losing my cool with him because he'd casually neglect to instruct me and was always putting me down. It didn't stop there, either—on the second shift, while I was fixing a pipe, he didn't tighten it when he should have.
Had I not noticed the unusual shaking and quickly moved away, I would have been hit by a scalding hot steam burst. I brought the issue up to our team leader, who downplayed it and suggested that I switch shifts. But I had a different plan—I chose to walk away there and then.
That guy could have seriously injured me. My aunt initially wasn't happy with my decision, until she got wind, through the grapevine, that my version of events was true.
2. Health Standards
When I was managing a quick-service eatery, I relocated to a new city. There, I got a job at a local joint but could only get a cook's position because all the management roles were already taken. To my surprise, one day a fellow cook came for his shift in basketball shorts, awkwardly using both hands to adjust himself. It was a distasteful sight—and it didn't stop there.
He joined me straight on the cooking line. I asked him, "Shouldn't you clean your hands first?" He responded with a smirk, "Nah man, that's not how we roll here." I was so appalled by his attitude towards hygiene that I quit on the spot.
3. Big Job, Big Attitude
I spent approximately one year working for Wal-Mart as a "stockman". Post-summer, I was instructed by my boss to relocate the hefty, 80-100+ lb. panels used to encircle soil bags from our lawn and garden section. This task involved lugging these massive items from the parking lot to storage sheds about 500 yards away. Moreover, she expected me to do this solo and within an hour, an unrealistic proposition as it turned out.
Arriving at the task, I quickly realized that due to the lengthy size of the panels, I was unable to lift even one by myself—despite being a fairly robust individual (6'2", 230 lbs.). I communicated my predicament over the walkie-talkie, only to be accused of whining and complaining. Eventually, a fellow worker was sent to aid me, but an hour had passed laboursome, and we had only managed to get a third of the job completed.
At this point, my supervisor—along with an additional team member—jumped in to assist. Even with a team of six, the task took two hours, double the time she had initially demanded I complete it on my own. When lunch arrived and it was time to punch out, she stationed herself by the time clock, aiming to confront my 'attitude.' That pushed me past my limit. I retorted, "Six people, two hours. You know what, I quit!” before clocking out for my final time.
They rang me a few days later to complete my exit documentation and asked for a reason behind my sudden departure. I simply wrote, "managerial incompetence and low employee morale." About a month later, I bumped into another supervisor who revealed that my ex-boss had been demoted following the incident. This very supervisor implored me to return, but I had already secured a more satisfying role in a grocery store devoid of the authoritative atmosphere so prevalent at Wal-Mart.
4. Locked Down
I found myself desperately needing a job, so I applied to work at a residential treatment center. During my interview, I learned that most of the children there had been ordered by the court and were only one step away from juvenile detention. Despite a rough interview, I was quite taken aback when they offered me the position. On my first day, they briefed us about various state and federal laws that oversee such centers, including matters like patient rights and required staff-to-patient ratios.
Later that day, we had a walkthrough of the premises. It became glaringly obvious to me that the facility wasn’t adhering to the legal guidelines we’d just discussed. Knowing this, I decided not to return after the first day. I had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right about that place. Sure enough, a few months down the line, the center was closed following a violent uproar one night, which resulted in serious injuries to several staff and residents.
I consider myself lucky for not being there when that happened.
5. Mourning Event Staff
About ten years ago, I lost a dear friend due to suicide. Heartbroken, I asked for a break from work to attend his funeral. Regrettably, my request was declined. The memory of that awful day still lingers. I had to bear the heartache of burying my 21-year-old companion and rush back to work immediately.
As the event captain, I was expected to represent the staff with a welcoming smile. Given the emotional turmoil, attempting to come off as cheerful was an uphill battle, and sadly, I couldn't succeed. The sour mood I was unable to mask led to complaints about me to my supervisor post-event.
Following week, my roster shifted entirely to event serving tasks, offering lesser pay and fewer tips. Upon inquiring, my boss informed me of my demotion triggered by the complaint from the previous event. I was left with no choice but to quit immediately—it wasn't fair for me to work that day, and I certainly should not have been demoted for being dispirited after losing one of my closest friends. I have no fond memories of that place!
6. Gone Forever
When I was around 20, I joined Forever 21 as a seasonal store associate during the holidays. My first day at work just a week prior to Black Friday was chaotic. The floor manager initiated our training with a walkthrough of the store layout.
Afterward, I was paired with an experienced associate to learn my responsibilities. But just as swiftly as he had appeared, the floor manager vanished. Roughly 90 minutes into my shift, my 'mentor' had to leave urgently due to a family matter and wasn't expected back for a week. This sudden turn of events set the ball rolling for more complications.
Faced with this sudden predicament, I approached another manager, explained my situation, and asked who else I could shadow. The manager's response was a jarring, “Just manage by yourself. Everyone else is swamped.” I decided to give it a go. If you've ever shopped in the women’s section at Forever 21, especially during sale season, you'd know how similar certain clothing pieces can look.
Take, for instance, a white cardigan with four buttons and another with five buttons. Despite their resemblance, these items would often be stocked in entirely different parts of the store. The responsibility fell on the dressing room staff to assign unsold items back to their rightful sections for the store associates to reshelve.
Unfortunately, they often mixed up the clothing. Frequently, I couldn't figure out whether certain items belonged to my section or not. Often, after investing considerable time in finding the right place for an item, I concluded, “Hang on, this is not even my responsibility, and I've scanned every shelf.” The only option left was to return it back onto the distributor's rack and move onto the next clothing piece.
I believe more than half of the items I was asked to reshelve belonged to a different section. I tried my best and geared up for my next grueling day. On my second-day, the store manager invited me into her office and gave me a less-than-pleasant feedback about my efficiency. She informed me that to maintain my job, I needed to work quickly.
I tried explaining my minimal training and lack of familiarity with the store layout, but to no avail. Instead, she suggested that I utilize my free time familiarizing myself with the store and memorizing the product locations. The rest of my day revolved around randomly placing clothes on different shelves, and I consciously decided not to turn up for a third shift. I had had enough of that store and its management.
7. 4’O Clock Shadow
Back when I was working as a stock boy at Hollister, I rarely got the chance to work directly with customers. However, I still had to purchase their pricey clothes as part of the dress code. The company also had strict policies regarding how we presented ourselves, including rules about hair, nails, and facial hair.
One particular shift required me to come in at 2:30 AM. Our task was to rearrange the store, which would take until the doors opened to customers. On that morning, I had a slight stubble, nothing more than a day and a half's growth.
Much to my surprise, my manager took issue with this at 4 AM and informed me that I needed to go buy a razor and shave before the opening. She threatened if I didn't, I'd be sent home. In reply, I couldn't help my cheeky response: "Well, that's perfect timing, as I was planning on quitting anyway. Good luck with rearranging the store!" I then took my leave, treated myself to a biscuit for breakfast, headed home and enjoyed the comfort of my bed.
8. Food For Thought
A while ago, I held down two jobs—one at Taco Bell and another at a bar. I essentially kept the Taco Bell gig for some extra cash, as my bar job catered for all my needs. An interesting event happened once when I had requested to be off-duty at Taco Bell on Super Bowl Sunday. Even though I'd let them know about a month before, and had been reminding them weekly, they made a move that really got under my skin—nor only did they not grant my request, but they actually put me on that day's work schedule.
Despite all that, I firmly stood my ground, restating that I was unavailable for the day, but they ignored my protests and kept me on the schedule regardless. So on Super Bowl day, instead of showing up for my shift, I walked in as a customer. On seeing me, they exclaimed, "What's going on? You're supposed to be on shift." I simply replied, "I quit. I'll have a Mexican pizza combo, and don't forget the sour cream."
The manager was clearly not amused by the situation, but she did fulfill my order.
9. Exit Survey
Several years back, I quit my job in a sector I'd studied for—a job where I'd been stuck for a decade in a soul-crushing, toxic atmosphere. The place drove me up the wall in less than a month, it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Unfortunately, my job was pretty specialist and unique, plus I had uprooted my life across the country just for this role. So, despite the chaos, I couldn't exactly just throw in the towel and walk away.
It took me nearly three years of job hunting till I found another position within the same industry, and in the same town. The best thing? It was boasted to be everything my current job was not—a healthy workspace, an upbeat atmosphere, a real game-changer in the business world. Thus, I felt like I was on the brink of swapping a nightmare with paradise in my profession, without even relocating. The story takes a further exciting turn...
Just when I was ready to hand in my two weeks' notice, buoyed up for the first time in long, my existing job embarked on a "management reshuffle", much to everyone's horror. New bosses were introduced across different departments.
So, every staff member went through these dreaded "one-on-one" sessions with their new department heads to "discuss work issues and progress". Most of my colleagues were frankly scared, hence not very open about the shortcomings of the place. But I saw it as a golden opportunity.
My excitement was sky high on the day of my chat with the new manager, who, like most of his peers, was part of the mess. I walked into his office, determined and assertive. His initial smug expression gave way to one of bewilderment as I bluntly laid bare my thoughts about the place, its working conditions and more, over the next hour.
My resolve was to stay polite but firm, not letting the heat of the moment take over. I didn't sugarcoat a thing, though it might make no difference in the larger scheme of things. But it didn't bother me—I was on my way out! I bore in mind my remaining good colleagues and made points they maybe weren't brave enough to express. The cherry on top was what followed.
At the end of my outpour, the manager sat dazed, mouth agape, scribbling away on his legal pad. As he asked if there was anything else he should know, I got up, calmly shook his hand and said, "Well, yes. I've found another job, so consider this my two weeks' notice". I walked away, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. It was a wonderful feeling.
10. Scrubbing This Job
I remember when I was interviewed twice for a janitorial role at a local medical center. To my surprise, I received a phone call around midnight on the night of the second interview. The person on the line was actually one of the interviewers, and he told me, "We're planning to offer you the job tomorrow." That should have been my first warning sign.
On the first day of my training, the same guy presented me with printed copies of my Facebook page and my boyfriend's. He began asking personal questions like how long we'd been dating and stressed the importance of honesty. It felt like he knew everything about my private life—it was incredibly awkward. After that unsettling meeting, I proceeded with some training, and later we had a lunch break. During lunch, he joined me and was curious about my experience so far.
Unexpectedly, he then mentioned that he was looking forward to seeing me at his church service on the upcoming Sunday. It had been nearly a decade since I last attended any kind of service. After having a quick group meeting later on, I hung back when everyone had dispersed. I left my badge, keys, and walkie-talkie on the desk and just walked out. As guilty as I felt, it became clear why they had trouble retaining staff.
Following my departure, he kept in touch constantly, questioning my abrupt resignation. He continuously stressed his concern and repeatedly stated that he deserved an explanation. Although, I had already informed the center’s HR about the reasons for quitting a day after I'd left. They must have relayed the message to him. Still, he persisted with no valid reason to keep reaching out to me.
11. Starting A Tradition
One of my colleagues at Subway up and left while we were in the thick of the lunch rush during my university days. We were at one of the busiest outlets in the region. He was in the middle of assembling a sandwich when he paused, looked up at the customer and simply stated, "See you around, dude." Immediately after, he sauntered out, never to return. He didn't even come back to collect his last paycheck.
When it was time for me to head back to campus at semester’s start, I took a unique approach to saying goodbye. I scattered 100 sticky notes saying "See you around" all over the store. After my Subway mate's memorable exit, this seemed like the only way I could announce my departure! And I have a hunch that I'm not the last worker from that store who will choose such an unconventional farewell...
Wikimedia Commons, Corey Coyle
12. Selective Memory
My boss insisted that he had called me to alter my shift hours, but I had no missed calls from him—which implied he wasn't truthful. On that same day, he penciled me in to cover an afternoon slot without even asking if I was available or open to taking on the extra hours. When I arrived for my next shift, he seemed surprised I had missed my "scheduled shifts" and showed me a printout of my alleged schedule.
I assured him I wasn't slated for that day, supported by a screenshot of my schedule from two days post-official release, clearly showing I wasn't booked for that particular day. He dismissed it with a smile and nod and allowed me to resume my duties. However, upon the release of the subsequent week's roster, I had zero hours. When I inquired, he made a startling accusation—he blamed my alleged absence without reporting, leading to a two-week deduction of work hours. Yet again, I highlighted that I had adhered to my schedule, also pointing out our previous discussion where he affirmed that all was well.
He deflected by feigning forgetfulness of the said conversation. His profound astonishment at my resignation before the penalty period ended says it all. The irony came when I received a voicemail after three days, questioning my absence during my "slated shifts". His bewilderment escalated when I reminded him via call of my stated resignation and securing of another job. Conveniently, he disclaimed ever calling or voicing a message, insinuating that I was simply baffled!
Imagine this fanciful scenario—an impersonator, sounding exactly like him, takes his phone, dials me, pretends to be him, and uses my name in an ostensibly confounding voicemail talking about my new job and my misunderstood schedule—to what end? And benefiting who? Turns out, this wasn't the end of his deceit. He was shown the door a few weeks later for engaging in similar shenanigans with other staff members. So much so, they even removed his name from the building's facade. Oh, the drama!
13. Thinking Inside The Box
My friend once shared a story with me about a time when we were in high school. He was talking about a coworker from the supermarket they worked at, located in a less than desirable area a few towns away. Due to its location near the highway, it was always busy with out-of-town customers. The coworker had had it with this chaotic work environment and was also not a fan of the management. As he was on the verge of heading to college, he decided to create a memorable exit.
On his final day, a customer tried to persuade him into accepting her stack of expired coupons. Pretending to consult his supervisor, he instead pulled out a surprising item from underneath his cash register—a Jack-in-the-Box toy. With an eerie smile, he set the toy on the scanner and began to slowly turn the crank.
As the toy sprang out, he looked at the woman and simply commented, "Yeah, he said no." She reacted strongly, demanding to speak with a manager. Meanwhile, he was laughing, removed his work apricot and simply left.
14. Let’s Not Point Fingers
Back in the 1990s, I shared a warehouse job with a chap who had, in past construction mishap, lost his middle finger. When I met him, he was wearing a fake middle finger as a replacement. Our supervisor was a rather testy guy who relished any opportunity to scold my colleagues—whether they were at fault or not.
Early one morning, the supervisor asked my coworker to operate the massive forklift to get some items from a high shelf. The man politely declined, stating that he lacked the necessary certification, and operating it could make him responsible for any damages that might occur. This statement immediately brought a wave of fury over the supervisor's face. He began to shout relentlessly at the poor guy, who just stood there taking it all in, his expression unread.
Once the rant subsided, my coworker calmly removed his prosthetic and passed it on to the flabbergasted supervisor. Puzzled, the supervisor asked what on earth he thought he was doing. Without a moment's hesitation, he coolly responded, "I’m giving you the finger," and then he calmly departed. We never saw that legendary figure again.
15. This One’s A Riot
My first on-the-job experience was at a juvenile detention facility in Brazil. This place was similar to a prison, with specific legal adjustments for teenagers, intended more for their rehabilitation than punishment. One day, while walking around the yard with my boss, there was a sudden commotion. Doctors were hastily running toward us, there was yelling, and wardens were sprinting in from the other direction.
My boss quickly pulled me aside and instructed me to head back to our office. She then revealed the cause of all of the chaos. The young detainees, some as young as twelve, had somehow gotten out of their area. Just moments after, a warden was banging on the office doors urgently, shouting for everyone to evacuate due to a fire. It seems a few of the kids had taken to setting their own mattresses on fire in their cells.
I remember making a speedy exit from that place.
16. Crafty Move
I once held a cashier position at a crafting store, but left when I relocated. A few years later, I returned aiming to earn some extra money, this time joining the frame department. During my interview, I made it clear I wouldn't do any full cashier shifts, and they heartily agreed I would only serve as a backup.
Then, they caught completely off-guard. Imagine my surprise when during my first shift, after the interview, they intended to place me in the cashier spot instead of framing. Apparently, they filled the framing spot with someone else and told me I would be spending most of my shifts at the cash counter. After six hours of giving out 20% discounts to all customers at my register, I decided not to return.
17. Health Standards
As the team leader at a quick-service restaurant, I relocated to another town. To continue working, I joined another outlet in this town but had to accept a cook's role as all the leadership positions were taken. One day, a coworker clocked in his shift dressed in basketball shorts and, to my disbelief, was casually holding onto himself with both hands. Without a moment's pause, he stepped up on the line to work beside me. Baffled, I asked him, "Hey, shouldn't you wash your hands before starting?" His unfazed response was, "Nope, we don't really do that here." I promptly decided to quit on the spot.
18. When the Cat Is Away, the Jerks Will Play
I began a job at a local bar, where they instructed me to start my first shift at 7 pm. They even gave me a printed schedule confirming my hours. Feeling confident about this, I returned home for a quick rest. But then, at 5 pm, my boss rings me up, questioning my whereabouts and insisting that I come in right away. I pointed out to him the schedule they provided which clearly said I was due for work at 7 pm. Surprisingly, he said, "Ignore the schedule, you follow what I say."
Taken aback by this, I nicely informed him that I wouldn't be coming in tonight, or ever for that matter, bid him good night, and continued with my short rest.
19. Long Term Goals
Eight years back, an uplifting moment came about during a routine employee performance evaluation as I boldly resigned my job. I was working for a large automation firm for a decade, meanwhile, I acquired a mortgage broker license and began working part-time in this role. My plan was to transition full time if my side hustle started taking off in a year. Turns out, I was getting the hang of it just five months in.
The previous month had been really successful but I hadn't considered leaving my regular job just yet. On one occasion, my boss asked about my professional ambitions for the forthcoming half-year during my performance review. Strangely, I unexpectedly replied, "Well, Frank, I've got to tell you—my aim is to not be working here in six months' time."
His baffled expression made me spill the beans about my part-time mortgage business. To my surprise, he was incredibly supportive. I explained that if I'd been doing mortgages full time, I could have likely afforded to quit by now. His response? "Well, why don’t you?" So, following his encouragement, I quit right there and then. We shared words of gratitude for his understanding and support.
I announced my use of the remaining vacation time to serve my two-week notice and emailed my formal resignation the following day. After a firm handshake, I left the office for good. Trembling with excitement, I made a call from the parking lot to share the big news with my wife. She was also fully supportive of my decision, much to my relief.
A huge kudos to her for her endless support! Fast forward eight years, it was indeed the best resolution I had ever made. My passion lies in assisting others, I enjoy mathematics and devising strategies to save my clients significant sums on their bank repayments. Moreover, my financial freedom has increased, and I am in command of my own schedule. Even though my ex-boss was a nice guy, I know I've made the smart choice.
20. Breakfast In Bed
Back in the day when the internet was still a baby, I worked for a rather penny-pinching software firm. You might remember hearing about dot-com employees being spoilt with benefits during that era. Well, our company wasn't a part of that narrative. They demanded us to work absurd hours beyond our regular shifts, promising an ambiguous end-of-year bonus as the only added advantage.
These so-called bonus payments, however, didn't quite measure up. We essentially ended up earning below minimum wage for all the overtime we put in. At one stage, the management concluded that our weekly progress meetings were hampering productivity during office hours. Their resolution was rather extreme—they shifted the weekly meetings to an hour before the official start of our workday on Thursdays!
We weren't thrilled, yet we gathered on Thursday mornings, looking forward to at least some bagels or donuts. But there was nothing. After enduring a whole month of this while feeling generally undervalued, one colleague reached his boiling point. The following Thursday, we showed up for the 8 am meeting and were welcomed by a large tent erected in the parking area, packed with tables and a catered breakfast buffet.
There stood our coworker, all smiles, encouraging everyone to fill their plates and have a good time. We were all thrilled. The management didn't participate, but they didn't mention our tardiness for the meeting either. Post-meeting, this colleague marched straight to HR and handed in his resignation, effective in two weeks. But he was asked to leave immediately.
As he walked out the main door, he let out a loud "Freedom!" just like in Braveheart. That left a pretty lasting legacy.
21. Cooking Something Up
To be perfectly candid, I didn't last past my second shift at my first job. I was employed at a popular cafe in town, supposed to work back-of-house as a cook alongside a more experienced chef. It was a disaster. I had no prior knowledge of cooking, and to complicate matters, the other chef had a habit of leaving the kitchen to take frequent breaks.
I'd often find myself alone, surrounded by a flurry of orders I didn't know how to respond to. My usual response was to just stand there, utterly bewildered. The server would then come in and berate me, demanding I cook the orders by myself. But wait, it gets worse. Eventually, this experienced chef casually revealed that there were at least two unwelcome guests, rats, who frequented our kitchen.
They had even left droppings on a plate, which he pointed out to me before proceeding to use it for service. After that, I decided I won't return and honestly, it's a relief to hear the establishment was eventually closed down.
22. I Was Floored
I once held a temporary job on the sales floor at Forever 21. The store was constantly in disarray, and we had weekly rearrangements—nobody really knew where anything was supposed to go. I did my best to sort similar looking items together, knowing it was all going to get reshuffled soon anyway. When I caught the flu, they demanded a doctor's note, or else face a "strike" in my record.
I retorted, "Really? I'm not getting health insurance from you guys, and we're not in elementary school." I quit on the spot and snagged a position at a far superior store in the same shopping center just a week later.
23. Bottoms Up
I decided to leave my less-than-enjoyable desk job at a bank in quite an unconventional way. In our office, the cubicle walls were low and you could practically see the entire workspace from your chair. So, one day, I walked in with a six-pack of beer, placed it atop my cubicle wall and started to enjoy my drink. In a friendly move, I also offered a beer to anyone who passed by. I was able to leisurely consume four beers while still doing some of my work. However, the situation changed when two of my superiors and a manager started to approach my desk. Unsurprisingly, I was asked to leave.
24. The Gift of Knowledge
During my college days, I spent some time working at Spencer's Gifts. One time, I noticed that I'd been assigned a late-night shift just before a morning exam. I approached the store manager to see if we could rearrange my schedule. However, she was firm, stating the schedule had already been set. We tried to find a compromise—but she wasn't budging. She finally left me with a decision to make. She said: “You must choose what’s more important to you, this shift or your exam”.
25. That’s Not What I Ordered!
During my college years, I found myself running a sandwich shop for a rather difficult boss. However, I did have the responsibility of bringing on new staff. I ended up hiring this cool, laid-back guy who had tattoos, piercings, and lived nearby. Plus, his experience in a deli made him a perfect match for the job.
My boss, on the other hand, did not share my sentiment. From day one, he was skeptical of our new team member. On this guy's first day, my boss accused him of stealing a Gatorade from the shop's fridge. Our new employee was enjoying his lunch break, having made a sandwich—which was totally within his rights. Despite this, my boss called him out over a Gatorade.
The accused employee didn't take this lightly. He dropped his sandwich at the boss's feet and stormed off. He texted me later, saying, "You're alright, but that other guy's a total nightmare. Between us, before I left, I relieved myself in his gas tank." While this revelation was quite comedic, I decided not to share it with anyone... until now.
26. Chain Reaction
I once landed a job at a company that hosts a big annual event. When a colleague decided to retire, I was chosen to fill her shoes. It seemed simple at first, but it was a complete horror show. She left me a jumbled, confusing set of directives and was doing some pretty sketchy things to avoid upsetting people. As a result, I was constantly being reprimanded for not meeting deadlines or asking too many questions.
That was the start of an unending chain of events where I was blamed for every hiccup in the office. A power outage during a storm? I get in trouble. The building needing repairs? I get in trouble. Allergies flaring up due to high pollen count? I'm to blame. If construction noise was disrupting work? You guessed it, another reprimand. Keeping it professional, I voiced that the job wasn't as described.
It was meant to be a job in HR, after all. I reasoned to them that it was best if we severed ties. I tendered my two weeks' notice and began documenting all my tasks and responsibilities. Regardless of my efforts to train others, they shrugged it off, assuming I was too incompetent to block pollen or control noise levels.
On my final day, I cleared my office, expressed my gratitude, and headed home to wind down. Little did they know, the tables would soon turn. Within a month, each of my colleagues quit one after the other, unable to manage the workload I previously handled. They were blindsided by the complexity of the directives I had inherited from my predecessor.
I left behind all the handwritten notes for them to see that I wasn't the issue; I was just dealing with what was handed to me. Soon enough, they too were reprimanded for inefficiency. Realizing the situation was absurd, they bailed. The owner, frustrated and despondent, ended up selling the company.
So, there you have it—my story on how my calm and professional resignation indirectly led to a company's downfall.
27. Mutiny
Back in my days at a computer company, I recall a time when they tasked me with teaching my replacements. Initially, they made me believe that I was stepping up to mentor my own sales team. It's worth mentioning that during 1999-2000, I was among their best sales performers.
However, the situation took a sour turn in the middle of the two-week training. I discovered they were planning to let go of my whole team, and they intended to relieve me from my position after concluding the training.
Infuriated, I told my boss exactly how I felt, which was not very pleasant, and decided to resign instantly. But, before leaving, I revealed their plans to the new employees. This resulted in some of them choosing to quit as well.
28. The Whole 9 Yards
My travel time to work was more than an hour each day, yet I greatly enjoyed my work. I had interviews at two stores that were nearer to home. One store told me they didn't need me, while the other store immediately offered me a promotion and a pay raise on the spot. I was thrilled. However, after a week of no communication about my pending transfer from the general manager, I brought up the subject. I was then informed that the transfer had been rejected—and the reason left me totally dumbfounded.
Unbelievably, it turns out my general manager didn't want to part with me. So, she decided to bypass the other stores' management and directly approach corporate to veto my transfers. Given that I was spending nearly 50 hours a month just commuting, staying in that location had lost its appeal. Even though I had a deep affection for the company, learning that my manager had gone to such lengths to deny me a pay raise and a shorter commute, made me very upset.
So, I decided to step up to the store radio and in a calm voice, I announced to everyone what the general manager had done to me. Right after my announcement, I walked out, leaving everyone in disbelief.
29. Just Before The Deadline
I was employed by this large American firm that had a hard time devising good plans and staying true to their commitments. My role was in IT projects, but due to a hole in the team, they asked me to fill a business-oriented role. I declined. Then it became apparent that it wasn't a request, but a requirement. They gave me until Tuesday to provide the desired answer. But there was a key piece of information they weren't aware of—I was already finalizing contract specifics with a potential new employer, which fortuitously wrapped up by that Monday.
When Tuesday rolled around, a furious manager summoned me to his office, claiming that I hadn't responded to the directive promptly and I was facing serious consequences because of that. Then, in a moment that felt right out of a movie, I was able to nonchalantly slide my letter of resignation across to him as my response. This just increased his irritation, but well...
30. Too Little, Too Late
Once upon a time, I was employed at a landscaping firm. Our boss, who was a bit stingy, had a knack for biting off more than he could handle. He had a real knack for taking on gigantic projects with far too few team members. On more than one occasion, my supervisor and I prevented him from incurring fines for not completing projects timely. However, the straw that broke the camel’s back was when he agreed to service a humongous homeowners association out of the blue.
At that time, we were barely staying afloat and this new challenge took us by surprise. We only survived two weeks working under this strenuous homeowners association before we realized this job wasn’t worth the pain. Eventually, my supervisor and I resigned, only two days apart, and immediately joined another company. But, the saga didn't stop there...
The icing on the cake was that, after just a month, our old boss called us, pleading for us to return. His projects were severely falling behind schedule and he was losing clients rapidly. We both declined his offer and reminded him that he should have listened to us when we recommended hiring more staff in the past. He responded with an angry outburst and disconnected the call. Brad, you can take a hike.
31. Nothing Is Concrete
So, when I was 17, I had a job at a company that made pre-cast concrete. One day, I came across this rusty, sketchy-looking ladder that I didn't trust. I shared my concerns with my boss, but his reaction left me stunned. He called me a scaredy-cat, and climbed it himself. However, he got just about seven steps up before his foot broke through a rung. Guess he should've listened! The sound of his foot cracking as he fell was awful. I immediately called for an ambulance, then hopped in my car and left. See you around!
32. Getting Burned
I spent the whole night scorching my hands carrying hot dishes as a food runner. Here's the absolute kicker—they refused to let me use towels, telling me I needed to adjust. No way.
33. Breaking Bad
During my initial day at an Amazon warehouse, the manager clarified the 15-minute break system to all of us. It would take about two and a half minutes to reach the break area.
Afterwards, we would have a solid 10 minutes to relax, and another two and a half minutes to return to our working spots. One day, I used up two and a half minutes to stroll to my car, and I ended up choosing to take an extended, indefinite break.
34. Seeing Eye to Eye
While working on an industrial site, I broke my eye socket due to a co-worker's lapse of concentration. We were supposed to use hand signals for coordination, but he neglected to wait for mine. For over three months, my team and I had been pulling 13 to 14-hour shifts every single day, living in a run-down motel approximately 45 minutes from our site. Our original work plan ensured we wouldn’t work more than three weeks consecutively.
The incident could have been far worse, with much graver consequences. Fortunately, I noticed in time to dodge, minimizing the damage. After spending a night in the ER, I was sent home while the rest of the team carried on working. After a couple of days resting, my boss phoned to say I was required in Alaska within 48 hours and that a plane ticket was booked in my name. I resigned then and there, without a second thought.
35. Brushed Off
In one of my previous roles, I painted for someone who owned a local branch of a student painting company. Over and over, he promised to pay me the following week, but this pattern repeated for nearly 6 weeks. The last straw was after I finished several big jobs that should have earned enough money for him to finally pay me. Instead, he brought on another employee without settling my pending pay of around $1,300.
Next, he attempted to haggle over the previously agreed-upon payment, despite having a written agreement from the beginning. Out of frustration and with my bills demanding attention, I decided to skip work the next day without giving any notice. I needed to focus on ways to earn during the summer when I could make the most.
I chalked him up as a hopeless case and decided to take legal action. I took him to small claims court to recoup what was owed and eventually, I was duly compensated. Although it was stressful, I think it was worth it. Last I heard, he still had his full-time role there.
36. This Train Is Bound For Glory
For two years, I was significantly underpaid and tried addressing it with management, but my attempts were fruitless. This issue was a strong source of dissatisfaction for me. When I submitted my two months’ resignation, they asked, "Is there something we could do to keep you?" My response was something I took pride in—I told them, if they had a time machine, they could revisit our discussions from two years ago.
Then, the company alleged that I owed them a substantial sum for sponsored training, with demands in the thousands. They warned me via email that this charge would be deducted from my upcoming two months' earnings. I initially agreed verbally, but two weeks before my departure, I requested written evidence of such costs.
They failed to produce any. The icing on the cake was during my exit interview—I had the HR manager record that HR should reevaluate their policies governing training course funding.
37. Name-Ception
I'm in the recruitment business, where our task is to scout for potential workers for firms that need fresh talent. Every time we successfully place someone, we celebrate it with a ring of the bell and a whiteboard announcement, which is done to encourage applause from all office members. There was this one time when a colleague from our team, believe it or not, managed to land a job for—himself! What happened next was nothing short of legendary—he rang the bell, wrote his own name on the board, and with an air of triumph, dropped the marker like a mic as he confidently walked off towards his new career.
38. I’ll Check My Schedule
For months, I had been requesting a salary increase, only to be met with endless excuses from the bosses. Finally, I handed in my notice, explaining for the last time that the raise we had discussed was necessary for me to stay. As my final day approached, management concocted a false reason for my departure and circulated it via an email to everyone in the company.
My initial impulse was to reply and state my side of the story to all, but a smarter idea surfaced. Leveraging my grasp on how emails function and my company email address that I still possessed, I set up an email—to be dispatched a day after my exit—elucidating my real motive for leaving and highlighting the pervasive low-pay issue across the company.
Everything unfolded smoothly, just as intended, leading to utter chaos among the higher-ups. They got so flustered that they wrongfully blamed a colleague for relaying the email on my behalf. Their obvious lack of understanding about email scheduling sparked some amusement in me, which was a small consolation. After everything settled, I must say it was a deeply gratifying episode.
Moreover, it served as a catalyst for management to reassess and augment employee salaries, turning out to be beneficial for many. In retrospect, I'd call it a victory on all fronts.
39. You Dig It?
During one summer, I worked for a landscape architect. One day at the worksite, my boss directed me to dig a hole in quite rocky ground. Naturally, I requested a shovel, but he didn't have one. I then asked for a hand spade, but again, no luck. Puzzled, I inquired about how I was meant to dig this hole. His response did not go down well with me. He advised me to use my bare hands, then left me alone to head off to another site. I attempted to dig for a bit, but I quickly decided, "No way!" and walked away.
If the employment agreement had mentioned that I had to bring my own equipment, I would have. But somehow, it slipped through the gaps. There was no way I was about to bust my knuckles on some tough, rocky dirt for a boss who didn't provide the right tools.
40. On The Road Again
I recently attended an orientation for my new job as a truck driver. I was aware that I'd be spending lots of time away from home, but the reality was far harsher. I'd have to be on the road for an entire month at a stretch, working six days out of a week. And that's not all—to make things even more complicated, the pay wasn't as good as expected and they had a no-pet policy. Under these terms, I'd end up spending only 18 days a year at home.
This ban on pets was the last straw. I can't face being on the road for 30 continuous days without a little furry companion to keep me company.
41. “The Worst Job I Ever Had”
My time working at Forever 21 was the absolute pits. During my orientation, they stipulated a fashionable dress code with no allowance for casual or comfy footwear. Inquiring about acceptable shoes for those grilling ten-hour shifts, the managers absurdly suggested, "Heels, flats, sandals or boots. Heels preferred." I opted for combat boots and flats on most days yet battled terrible blisters!
Despite my constant struggle, they failed to train me on how to arrange the clothing. My work was judged off guesswork, deciphering tags, or matching items to similar ones on the rack. Their absurd solution was having me shop during my free time as a method of learning merchandise placement! To make matters worse, closing the store was a marathon.
The mall would close its doors at 9 pm but sometimes, I wouldn't reach home until 3 am the following day. Even when I was done with my tasks, you'd still have to wait for the others—often the ones who had been fooling around all day! Backhandedly dodging overtime payouts, they mandated us to clock out before midnight, then clock back in at 12:01.
In my naivety, I failed to realise I was being exploited. The final straw, though, was a downright horrifying reaction from my manager when I revealed that my mother was facing a severe health crisis. Responding to my need to see mom in the hospital, she spewed, “She won't die in the next eight hours, you can deal with her in your own time." Her derogatory 'deal with her' smacked of deep disrespect!
With my patience at its end, I tersely told her off and I quit on the spot, abandoning my lanyard in her hands. I vowed to never shop there again!
42. Quitting Was Set In Stone
Without a doubt, working in the precast concrete industry was the toughest job I ever tackled. The job subjected me to extreme heat and made me inhale dust and dirt that could potentially cause cancer, and all for a trivial wage... This did not stop the management from constantly demanding more from us. They'd proudly boast, "This is the best business quarter in our history," yet there were neither raises nor bonuses on the table.
All we received for our hard work was a "Well done!" and an appreciative pat on the back for any praiseworthy performance. Such low pay forced me to live from paycheck to paycheck while our boss, the owner, nonchalantly left the premises in his fancy Maserati.
43. Well Done
I used to work at a restaurant where I was treated poorly—grueling work hours, rotten sections to handle, and bullying managers, you name it. To improve my situation, I put forth my best effort to outdo the others in the monthly sales contest, a victory that would yield improved shifts and an additional table in my section. When I won, the managers falsely accused me of cheating—something that was not even remotely possible, and handed over the recognition to the usual winner.
On a Friday night at half-past eight, I placed an order for 20 extra well-done filet mignons into the system under multiple waitstaff IDs. After five minutes, I approached my unkind manager with my jacket on and announced, “I’m done here, goodbye.” I didn’t even bother to collect my final paycheck or inquired about the chaos I'd left in the kitchen. Interestingly, the restaurant has since shut its doors for good.
44. No Deliverables
During my university days, I had a job delivering food. I was always on the clock, taking extra shifts, and noticed for my hard work. One day, the higher-ups decided to call a meeting with the store staff, but our managers failed to relay the message. So, when the meeting time came around, none of the employees were present. I was on duty when this happened, giving me a front-row seat to watch our managers get an earful from the higher-ups. To make up for the missed gathering, another meeting was set for the coming Saturday, which clashed with a rare day off I'd requested for my birthday.
Upon telling them I wouldn't be able to attend the meeting, they implied threats of unspecified repercussions. This took place at the end of my lunch shift—and I decided that enough was enough. I rang up a local pizza shop, scheduled an interview, and skipped my evening shift at the delivery job. When they called to say we could "work something out," I politely declined. I could have weathered the storm, considering managers usually lasted only about four months, but I was fed up with this person by then.
45. You Had That In The Bag
I had a chat with the store manager, planning to give my two weeks' notice. Funnily enough, before I could even bring it up, he informed me that they'd mistakenly been paying me at the cashier's rate instead of the bag boy's for the past year. Apparently, they would correct this error and start paying me about a dollar less per hour starting from my next salary. My response? "Well, in that case, consider this my two weeks' notice. So long!"
46. What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks
One of my buddies had his first gig at a drive-thru for a fast-food joint. He was eager to make his resignation memorable, so he teamed up with another pal of ours, who owned a car. The friend, acting as a diner, swung by the drive-thru, placed an order, and then drove up to the pick-up window. The friend who was working began to ask, "Do you want any ketch-" but feigned a voice crack and staged a dramatic breakdown, pretending to weep.
The guy in the car reached towards him through the window and comforted him, "It's all good, dude. Chill out. Just leave. Hop in with me." Literally, my friend removed his badge and headset, jumped through the drive-thru window into his buddy's car, and they sped off. They mapped out this entire stunt meticulously, and according to what I heard, when the moment arrived, it played out seamlessly.
47. A Tough Sell
While I was studying at college, I came across this job ad in the newspaper for an office-based role involving sales calls. I took part in a telephone interview and luckily, was selected for a face-to-face interview. So there I was, led into this large room packed with about fifty other bewildered individuals, with a small podium perched at the head of the room.
The reason for this unusual setup was a mystery until suddenly, someone stepped up onto the stage. The shocking truth was revealed: we'd been singled out for the chance to sell Cutco knives. At that point, I, alongside two-thirds of the people present, chose to exit the room, distancing ourselves from this odd proposition.
48. Not a Minute More
I used to have a boss who was a stickler for details and, quite frankly, had a knack for being unfair. Even though my work began at 7:00 AM, I'd arrived early at 6:56 AM. Rather than clocking in right away and using up company time for a bathroom break, I decided to freshen up first. When I clocked in at 7:01 AM, he completely lost it. He started scolding me for being a minute late. He had seen me put down my belongings and head to the restroom, so it was clear I wasn’t really tardy.
This wasn't his first bout of nitpicking, but it certainly was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I didn't just stomp out, shouting, "I've had enough, I quit!". Instead, I directed my frustrations at him, "Enough with you, I quit!". I reported his unacceptable behavior to the Human Resources team a couple of days later. As it turns out, I wasn't the only one who had lodged complaints about his ridiculously toxic work ethos. An insider friend from HR later informed me he was relieved of his duties the very next week. So that's the satisfying conclusion to my 'fed-up-resignation' saga.
49. The Power Of Love
Switching gears a bit, I have a friend, a woman, who harbored some romantic feelings for her boss for a while. She thought the feeling was mutual though he never explicitly confirmed it. They were colleagues for about a year before he decided to quit his job. The day after his farewell party, he picked up the phone and asked her out on a date.
Pretty classy, right? But here's an even bigger surprise—they ended up getting married. In my mind, this counts as a unique and fulfilling resignation story since, in a way, he left his job for love. From what I can see, he seems quite content with his decision.
50. A Disgusting Discovery
While I was employed at a restaurant, part of my job was cleaning up my work area at the end of the day. One night, I was sweeping under a refrigerator and I saw a large brown mass. Initially, I thought it might be some spoiled food that had been left behind. But, the most terrifying thing happened next — this mass started moving. Turns out, it was a swarm of hundreds of cockroaches. After that incident, I never went back.
51. Teamwork
I used to work at a call center alongside my girlfriend. She was dismissed, fairly so, and seemingly to avoid potential drama, they let me go too, without any solid reason. That evening, they brought my brother, who held a management position there, into a room and announced they were placing him on a "Performance Improvement Plan", yet they offered no justification for it.
His response was, "You just let go of my brother and his girlfriend, and now it seems like you're setting up a pretext to remove me as well. Nothing doing, I quit." The office was awfully divided into cliques. My brother's girlfriend, also a manager there, only managed to stick around for about three months before she started receiving written warnings over petty matters and eventually quit. Roughly three months down the line, the entire establishment went downhill and around 900 individuals lost their jobs.
52. Not a Dollar to Spare
After working for a year at my previous job, I suggested a minor pay increase of $1 to my existing $20 per hour, knowing that my salary was below the standard. The counteroffer they presented was a shocker: a mere 50 cent raise. Despite demonstrating that my work was saving them between $70,000 to $100,000 annually, they were firm on their decision. So, I handed in my notice then and there.
Upon receiving my final paycheck, I noticed they hadn't added my due annual bonus of $1,000. They reasoned that they were not required to pay me since I had resigned. I casually responded that I was going to inform OSHA about five significant safety issues they'd failed to rectify. Almost instantly, I got my bonus.
53. No, For Real!
I genuinely appreciated my boss, but detested my job. He was the sole factor that made it tolerable. Ultimately, I found a new job and presented him with my written notice, stating my leave in two weeks. Coincidentally, it was April Fool's Day, so he took it as a joke. From then on, I reiterated the remaining days of my tenure each day, but he dismissed it as humor. Rumor has it, he was pretty shocked when I no longer turned up for work!
54. Teaching Them A Lesson
I was working at a private school and eventually earned a promotion, which came with a slew of added responsibilities—staff training, assessment coordination, and so on—piled atop my regular duties. I requested a €200 monthly raise for the remaining year of my contract.
However, my boss denied my ask, blaming it on budgetary constraints. Instead, she tossed me a half-hearted compromise: €100, which ironically left me earning less than some unqualified teachers she hired due to their chummy relationship. Before I left, she wished me well for my journey back home. I reciprocated, wishing her good luck with her hiring efforts, knowing full well that the typical hiring process for my position cost around €2,500.
What I relished most was the opportunity to subtly suggest —hoping she grasps the hint— how challenging it would be to find someone as skilled as me willing to work for such low pay, confident that she would struggle to do so. Predictably, they not only flew in three potential replacements at the school's expense of over €1,500, but my successor also quit only six months into the job, forcing them to restart the entire recruitment process.
In the meantime, Iaccepted a job offer at a different school on the other side of town that came with a substantial pay hike and a less workload. To that, I say, cheers to the new boss!
55. The Arrogant Chef
Not too long after earning my culinary degree, I found myself at a hotel kitchen interview. As the executive chef and I carried on a conversation in his office for around 20 minutes, I got the distinct impression that he had a bit of a superior attitude. But I brushed it aside, considering it almost normal in this industry. Besides, I was in no position to turn down a well-paying job with attractive shifts.
When it was time to leave, I tried to exit through the dining room, the same route I'd taken on my way in. The dining room was closed as it was still an hour before meal time. Unexpectedly, the chef stopped me in my tracks and issued a statement that really got under my skin: "No, not through there—go out via the kitchen; you're not worthy enough for the dining area." I was taken aback by his abrupt and rude comment!
Silently, I followed his directions. After reaching home and giving it some thought, I called him back. I told him after careful consideration, I felt his menu didn't meet my standards, hence I wouldn't be accepting his job offer.
56. Throw The Book At ‘Em!
When I was 13, I got my first job ever– delivering telephone directories. My job was to distribute these directories to various houses from the back of a van. As an older man drove slowly down the road, I would hop out to deliver the books. The van was initially filled to the brim with directories, so it was quite cramped, but when we finished a fair amount of deliveries, the van started feeling more spacious.
On finishing our assigned street, we drove to another area. The man's driving suddenly became a bit rough, and as the van jerked around, I lost my balance. Now, there were no seats in the back of the van, so I was standing, and I fell amongst the few remaining books. I put my hand out to catch myself, but unfortunately, I came into contact with an open antenna of a portable radio. Harmless, right? Wrong.
Unluckily, the antenna was broken and sharp as a razor. It ended up slicing my palm, and I was left with a ghastly wound, around three to four inches deep. I asked the driver to pull over, showing him my wounded hand. In response, he simply tossed me a plastic shopping bag to cover my hand, and then carried on delivering the remaining phone books himself.
Ideally, I should've been rushed to a hospital or at least my parents, but none of those things happened. Elling you this, I never went back to that job and quit right after this incident. As you can guess, my folks were quite upset with the man. In retrospect, I should've considered legal action.
57. Pointed in Error
My workplace closed its doors at 9 PM, at which point all staff, except the security team, had to leave so they could proceed with closing operations. Despite this, one of my eight managers kept scheduling me until 9:30 PM. I dutifully brought up this issue nightly and was regularly dismissed with comments like "No, that's an error, you should leave."
Fast forward to three months later, I was called into a disciplinary meeting. The charge? I had been "clocking out early." Apparently, I had accumulated about eight 'early departure' points because one of my managers, who ironically worked in the SAME BUILDING and certainly should have been aware of the closing time, failed to properly coordinate schedules. In my defense, I explained the obvious situation, to which they responded by postponing any punishment while further investigating.
Just a few days later, however, they informed me that the ‘early departure’ points wouldn't be removed. I was exasperated and told them exactly what I thought of their decision, then walked out, and celebrated with a concert alongside my former colleagues.
58. We All Scream for Ice Cream
Once I had a job selling ice cream at a theme park. The special thing about this ice cream was its small pellet-like form due to flash freezing. On one occasion, while serving my pricey miniature cups of this unique frozen delight to a small queue of people, a manager approached me. He claimed to have seen a customer with an overfilled cup and expressed his issues to me. I took note of his concern while continuing with my next order.
Upon serving the next customer, I made sure to use my scoop to perfectly level out the excess tiny ice cream blobs before passing the cup along—we wouldn't want customers getting too much for their money, right? However, the manager seemed discontented with my efforts. He took the cup from my hand, emptied it back into the container, and insisted I redo the serving under his watchful eye. This left both me and the customer astounded and uneasy. Yet, I served again, leveling the cup with the only method I knew. This time, to my relief, he was satisfied. He harshly noted, "That's what you should have been doing all along. It's not difficult!" Then he power-walked away.
Now, bear in mind that just the day before, I had worked straight through my shift with no break, all because this manager failed to send backup for me to have lunch. Thus, I was already peeved with the whole situation. But being publicly scolded and demeaned by him was the last straw. So, I returned the customer's money and offered everyone else in line complimentary servings of ice cream.
Without another word, I left. I didn't secure the ice cream freezer, or shutdown the cash register, or even say a word to anyone—I didn't even bother returning the uniform. I just got up and left, and I'll tell you, I haven't regretted it since.
59. Back So Soon?
Back in high school, I briefly held a job at the local Burger King. My manager was incredibly disrespectful, often yelling and belittling the employees. On my third day, he began shouting and swearing at me over a trivial issue—I can't even recall what it was because it was so minor. I stood up for myself and told him off, tossed my name tag aside, and quit on the spot.
However, I hadn't thought through my exit plan—my best friend, who also worked there, was my ride home. This meant I had to spend hours sitting on the opposite curb, waiting for their shift to end. Despite the manager glaring at me from the restaurant window the whole time, my friend managed to lift my spirits, sneaking in laughs and applause when the boss wasn't looking. Despite the awkward ride home, I would not hesitate to make that same choice again.
It makes you wonder though, why would anyone feel the need to boss around teenagers working in fast food?
60. Be Careful What You Wish For
Back in 2019, I was a product designer at a small company with about 20 employees and an owner. I was earning $42k per year in New York City—pretty slim pickings given the high cost of living there. But it was my first job, so I took it in stride, eager to start my new life after college.
In an attempt to earn my stripes, I often volunteered for extra tasks, including managing the workload of another staff member during my free time. Then 2020 rolled around, bringing with it the global pandemic. The company furloughed us all for several months, and when we eventually returned to work, it was on reduced hours causing my pay to fall to $36K before tax.
One day, my boss approached me with a request to take on additional tasks as some staff didn't want to resume work. I thought it could be a opportunity for skills development, until he asked me to handle the role of a machine operator, a task that requires specialized training I didn't have.
When I voiced my concerns about not having any training, his attitude turned dismissive. He brushed off the need for training, and belittled me for not just following any emergency procedures if something went wrong. And no, I certainly wasn't going to risk any part of myself due to his lack of proper management. Things continued to get real bad after that...
In a follow-up meeting, he insulted and humiliated me, suggesting that I wasn't important to the team and that plenty of people were waiting to take my job. I asked, calmly, if he truly meant his harsh words—he said he did. So the next morning, I handed over my resignation letter and work laptop to HR and started packing up my stuff at home.
My boss went from being stunned to begging me to reconsider my decision, all the while continuing to insult me and threatening not to give me a recommendation letter. My response was simple: "This is my final decision, thank you."
The highlight of this whole ordeal was when my boss expressed surprise over my resignation and I reminded him of his own words about how easily I could be replaced. Fast-forward a year, and I'm earning double what I did at that company, happily working with a great team and an amazing boss. No regrets whatsoever!
61. A Tale Of Two Nopes
There was this one time when I landed a job in telemarketing, but I didn't really know what it involved. Just an hour into the job, I realized it was a terrible match for me. I found myself cold-calling people in the middle of their dinners, trying to persuade them to buy things they didn't even need, all while reciting from a dreadful script in the confines of a dreary, grey cubicle. I couldn't bear it any longer, so I stood up, went to my boss, extended my apologies, and stated that I was leaving. Thankfully, he appeared to understand.
On another occasion, I went to a seminar promising easy money from a job opportunity. Surprisingly, it was just a gig selling knives from one doorstep to another. I didn't officially "resign"... but I just chose not to pursue it right after the seminar finished.
62. Money Hungry
I had a job as General Manager for a restaurant that was facing a tough time—not because it lacked customers but due to the erratic actions of its owners, like jet-setting to Italy in the hunt for an 'ideal' panini press. Despite these quirks, my duties included everything from being the only staff in the front of the house to handling inventory and other administrative tasks, six-days-a-week. I was overburdened, but the solid base salary and tips made it worthwhile.
Dramatically, in order to fund their extravagant 'business trips', they slashed costs at the restaurant. In reality, this just meant drastically reducing my wage to the lowest amount possible for tipped employees which cut my salary to a mere fraction of what it had been. In an awkward encounter, I found out about this sudden drop in my pay from my smaller paycheck, not from them directly. Their cowardice prevented them from telling me up-front, and they only admitted to it when caught. Despite working for two weeks unaware of this change, I did not quit right away, understanding that this deceitful behavior is all too common in the restaurant industry.
Fast forward a little and still fuming over the pay cut, I had resolved to resign, merely waiting for the opportunity. Subsequently, another incident occurred where they discussed rehiring a previously fired delivery guy, offering him a sizeable salary to handle promotional tasks, an amount strikingly close to what I used to earn. To make matters worse, he was meant for a role that required him to hand out flyers and manage some social media activity, something I felt was significantly less demanding than the responsibilities I juggled.
The final straw came when they laughed about our poor Yelp reviews and discussing the idea of getting positive ones by asking friends. During this, one of them made a sarcastic remark about not asking me for a review, assuming it would be laden with complaints due to my pay cut. With the joke happening within earshot, I exploded at them, resigned, and bid them luck in running the business without me.
In a turn of the events, their desperation led them to apologize and listen to my grievances for half an hour, signaling their acknowledgment of their mistakes. Once I was calm and vented out, I walked out right before a busy dinner shift, leaving them in absolute cluelessness. The restaurant eventually shut down after 18 months, a surprise considering the way things were.
63. Official Resignation
I once held a job at a children's daycare for about three weeks. Getting on with the kids was a breeze and the work was engaging. However, my supervisor was a constant source of stress. She treated me poorly at every turn: she'd have me pick up her coffee during my break, then scolded me for returning late from that same break, or she'd dump a load of tasks on me just as I was ending my shift, denying me overtime pay if I stuck around to complete them. I know that's against the rules.
My boss frequently threatened to fire me, even when I was absent on approved leave days, which she herself had given the green light to earlier. One day, I'd had enough. Keeping my cool, I gently informed her, "I won't be returning from my lunch break today, I am signing out and leaving for good." She responded by demanding that I pen a resignation letter.
That prompted me to lose my cool. I quickly grabbed a large Crayola marker from one of the art supply bins along with a piece of construction paper. I scrawled, "I QUIT" in bold letters, signed it and tossed it in her direction.
64. A Hockey Fight
I used to be a cook and runner at an NHL venue. The boss's son worked as a cashier there too, and he seemed to think it was okay to hassle you if his customers weren't tended to first. During the second break in a crucial seventh playoff game, he became aggressive after I served another cashier before him.
This wasn't something I took lightly. As soon as I felt his strike, I immediately swung around and landed a punch on his face. The guy was quite bulky, so the impact caused him to recoil, hitting his head against the concrete wall. Simply put, I knocked him unconscious right there, in front of an audience of over a hundred people. I was then taken to the arena's detention area and informed by the supervisor that I might face charges for attacking her son.
Later, they pulled up security footage which clearly showed the son being physically aggressive towards myself and other colleagues throughout the playoff season. Consequently, no charges were filed against me. It was evident that I wasn't going to stick around after being dismissed, but as I was being led out, my colleagues gave a loud cheer in my support.
65. Out Of This World
My dad really disliked his work, so one day over lunch, he took a bold step and walked right into his supervisor's office. He then said something so funny: "The mothership has reached out to me. It's time for me to go back to my home planet. Thanks for the employment and for showing me the ropes of the human world." After giving the boss a firm handshake, he took off from the office. They never got in touch with him after that.
66. The Chips Are Down
I landed a job at a small imitation dollar store located in a rundown shopping center. The man who owned the store wasn't from around here and spoke with a heavy foreign accent. He offered me $6 an hour, although he left out the fact that it was a cash-in-hand business. My job for about an hour was to tidy up the overcrowded stock on the shelves before being asked to fetch more bags of chips from the storage room behind.
Venturing to the back, I was met with a sight of about twelve men all squished into a tiny room, seated atop boxes. When I asked where the chips were stashed, I was met with blank stares. The men then started conversing in a different language before signaling towards me. Eventually, one guy stood up and asked me what I required. I let him know I had been sent to retrieve a box of chips. He rummaged in a heap and handed over a box of chips to me.
Throughout this exchange, I was met with continuous stares from these men. The whole setting in that backroom was unsettling and raised a lot of red flags. Later on, when I needed to use the restroom—which happened to be at the back, the uneasiness reached its peak. While I was in there, someone attempted to open the door, despite me being the only female present.
The store owner instructed me to report for work late the following evening, after the mall had closed. Needless to say, I didn’t go. The next morning, I showed up only to make up an excuse about why I couldn’t continue working there. Despite this, he still paid me for the brief time I had worked. To this day, I don’t know what was really going on in that store and honestly, I was not keen on finding out.
67. Break Away
Recently, we got a new boss who, oddly enough, seemed to despise the friendships we had formed. She accused me of "time theft," stating she had videotaped me outside during breaks that she believed I shouldn't have been taking. Dragging me into the HR office, the boss would chastise me about these breaks. Interestingly enough, she had been gradually reducing my hours, but would still schedule me for long enough shifts that mandated a 30-minute break.
The HR representative tried to correct her misinterpretation a number of times, insisting that I was within my rights to take these breaks, but the boss was stubbornly unyielding. She claimed having evidence of me sneaking out, yet never bothered to show me this so-called proof. Hence, the next time I was due to work, I clocked in, waited half an hour, and clocked out silently. No one ever contacted me regarding my unreported absence.
After roughly a week, I visited the store with a friend who was a fellow ex-employee — they had resigned just the day before. To our surprise, they threatened to call security on us.
68. Not Under My Watch
Back in high school, I worked for Regal Cinemas. I was a dependable team member and when a managerial position popped up, I decided to apply, drawn to the higher pay. Sadly, my plans to attend college counted against me, making me unavailable for all but holidays. I accepted this calmly, but was upset to see the person they hired instead lacked competence.
Skip ahead a month and I found myself managing the theater cleaning team during an extremely busy weekend. With 22 cinemas to look after, I strategically divided the tasks, assisting one team with sorting out the mess left behind by several kids' movies that ended simultaneously.
Once those theaters were cleaned, I was suddenly summoned to tackle a flooded men's room. Being the only one old enough, I braved the situation, armed with rubber gloves, a plunger, and a mop, and battled the overflow of sewage. Just as I triumphed over the overflowing toilet, I was knocked back down to Earth—The recently-hired manager accused me of neglecting my duties.
She criticized me for the negligence of my other team, who had seemingly disappeared, and also reprimanded me for not maintaining my scheduled position. Even though I was busy handling another task, she penalized me for insubordination when I defended my actions.
Afterwards, I discovered my missing team members high and lazing by the trash compacter. I ensured they understood my displeasure. I ended my shift by informing the head manager about everything that had transpired and handed in my two weeks' notice. Though he offered higher pay and showered praises, mentioning my respect amongst the managerial team for my dedication, I decided to move on. Ironically, years later, the manager who had reprimanded me is still with the company while I have moved ahead in my career.
69. Gone Without A Trace
My colleague had a tough day at a major global company we worked at. Upset, he left and unexpectedly stopped going to work, not a call or a message was heard from him afterward. He thought his manager might ring him after a few days, but that didn't happen.
Fast forward four months later, the manager asked me if I'd had any contact with him. I shrugged, presuming he had resigned. The wild part is it took another two months before the company ceased to pay him. This incident was quite a saga. In case you're curious, this happened in Ontario, Canada, where no rules mandate an employee to return improperly paid wages.
70. A Match Made In Heaven
I began my journey as a copywriter at a budding internet marketing firm. I was curious and the firm was expanding, so my responsibilities grew dramatically as the company made its way onto notable lists of the fastest-growing companies across the country. However, despite being the sole analyst for over 200 clients, there were no pay raises.
Eventually, the company's president admitted that they would have to pay a six-figure salary to anyone who could perform even one of my jobs. That's when I decided to level the playing field by cutting down my hours to half. Predictably, they weren't thrilled with that and gave me an ultimatum: return full-time or leave.
Yet, I didn't go back on a full-time basis. Instead, after they botched a major client relationship, the company, having no one else to turn to, asked me to lead a project with this client.
I agreed and promptly went on a two-week vacation before delivering the news that I would be working for the client from then on. Thanks to a lucky loophole, I managed to secure three months of salary from my old company after quitting. In a word, it was epic.
71. Lining Up To Quit
I used to work as a chef on the line at a restaurant. My shifts would last 12 hours, during which I was only allotted two short breaks, approximately 10 to 15 minutes apiece. I sustained multiple burns on my hands due to handling plates directly from the oven, without any forewarning. When my shift finally concluded, I let the head chef know I wouldn't be coming back. He offhandedly referred to me as weak, mentioning I was the third person to quit after just one day. I suggested, "Perhaps, it's down to how you treat your staff."
72. Going in Blind
During high school, I was looking for a summer job, which led me to apply at a nearby grocery store where my duties included bagging, stocking, and cleaning. When I reported for my first shift, things got confusing; they didn't quite know where to place me or whom I should be reporting to. To deal with this, they sent me to the front counter where the customer service manager handed me a cash tray and told me to start working the register.
The trouble was, I had never handled a register before, let alone known how to insert the cash tray. I tried to communicate this to the customer service manager, but was instructed instead to get on with the task.
Hardly two minutes had passed and a long queue had already formed at my register, despite the cash tray still in my hands. The manager, observing the growing line, came rushing over, aggravated and questioning why the line was growing. I attempted, once again, to clarify that I was assigned as a stocker and had no knowledge of handling a register. However, she berated me publicly, calling me inconsiderate. I was not gonna let her get away with it.
Rather than tolerating the disrespect, I handed her the cash tray and expressed my thoughts openly about her unprofessional behavior. From there, while still in my uniform, I left and secured a job at another grocery store down the street.
73. $40,000th of July
I got a solicitor to prepare a harassment lawsuit notice after my new manager demanded I work on Independence Day. The office usually has around 100-150 people, but on that specific day, I was the only one around. That was the last straw following half a year of persistent harassment. Eventually, I was awarded a $40,000 settlement. It still brings a smile to my face when I reminisce about it.
74. Getting The Message
I recently decided to leave my job. I had decided some time ago I was moving on and just hung in there for my last paycheck. I kept up appearances, acting like everything was fine. However, a text from the boss's kid on a Friday afternoon threw me off guard: "Stop at the office before heading home, you need to sign a write-up for taking a longer break."
Seriously? I responded that I was already at home and I'd see him Monday. This incident cemented my decision to leave sooner rather than later. I chose to break the news on Sunday night, Valentine's day, just as they sent out the weekly work schedule.
Moments before the schedule went out, I texted the owner's son, "By the way, no need to schedule me in anymore." His response to my message was silence. However, he sent a group text to all the employees, "Someone just quit abruptly messing up this week's plan, hence we need everyone down at the shop ASAP to reorganize."
No doubt everyone was furious at being called in at such short notice, especially on a Sunday. Apparently, he'd forgotten I was still in the group chat, so I quite enjoyed seeing the whole drama unfold. To add my parting shot, I replied to his message, first with a laughing emoji then a middle finger one before leaving the group chat.
The company was a family-owned business making regular promises of bonuses (none received) and pay hikes (still waiting). I stuck it out for a year before asking for a raise since I was always punctual, never left early, or fell sick without ample notice. I was their star worker, a fact known to all.
Despite zero complaints from customers and always having the required resources at hand, they had the audacity to tell me, "Hang in there for another few months, let's see," and then penning me a write-up for taking a longer break on a big job.
75. Mamma Mia!
One of my buddies once worked at a nearby pizza joint where the boss was unreasonably harsh. He'd manipulate employee timesheets to shortchange them financially among other things. Regrettably, for my friend, it was the only job available at the time as he was gathering funds to purchase farrier tools for school where he was learning the trade and had to acquire his own equipment.
The moment he finally had enough funds to buy his tools, he plotted his dramatic resignation. He swaggered into the pizza joint, took a can from their refrigerator, took a big gulp, crushed the can and dropped it onto the floor, declaring, “This is me handing in my two weeks’ notice.” He then carried on preparing pizzas just like a normal workday. Not a single person dared to confront him or criticize his audacious move. It was downright funny.
76. State Of No-Pay
I landed what I thought would be a high-level political internship—complete with a security clearance! However, during orientation, they completely switched up on me—they mentioned the "part-time" gig was actually 40 to 60 hours a week, yet unpaid. Plus, there was no track record of interns afterwards securing a job with the organization, or getting a head start in other government positions.
Our responsibilities were to organize meetings with top leaders, arrange conferences, and help employees write research papers that would be published, without any acknowledgement of our contribution. It quickly became clear that they were overhyping the experience, so I decided it was best to leave.
77. Respect Goes Both Ways
When I had just graduated high school, I took on a part-time job at a gift shop. The lady who owned the shop had been a coworker of mine for three years at another store, and I had been at this gift shop for nearly a year. My relationship with the owner was solid, but then she opened another store and hired a new woman to manage it.
This new manager wasn't at all popular among the staff. We had years of experience in the job, and knew our inventory and procedures far better than she did. But we were all teenagers, and the manager, being in her 50s, treated us just like kids. This made us feel like she didn't respect our abilities at work. One day, I was supposed to work the late shift, but I was really sick.
As a part-time worker, I had the option to call in sick up to two hours before my shift without facing a penalty, and that's exactly what I did. The new manager answered the call and told me I could take off. Then she added, "By the way, I've made the work schedule for the next two weeks, and you're not on it." I responded with something she didn't seem to expect: "That's fine, don't worry about assigning me any shifts. I'll drop off my keys tomorrow when I'm feeling better. I'm quitting."
This manager's passive-aggressiveness was the last drop in a bucket full of condescending treatment. Still, I managed to maintain a good relationship with the store owner, even four years on. So, that's a positive note to end on.
78. Forced Presence
I used to work at a group home looking after a challenging set of residents aged between 14 and 22. Each had some form of mental development delay, ranging from severe ADHD to schizophrenia, along with records of violent conduct. I was typically on the night shift, clocking in from 10:30 pm to 9 am four times a week.
Roughly six months into my role, the company decided to cut back on staff. They slimmed down to the absolute minimum staff-to-resident ratio for every shift, with no backup if anyone couldn't make it. This meant that a team member from the previous shift was often obliged to cover. It got to a point where I was staying late almost every other day of my working week. I usually ended up finishing around 4:30 pm the following day, only to come back in for my next shift.
I lived an hour away from my workplace. After completing a demanding 16-hour shift, I would get home around 5:30 pm. But barely four hours later, I had to leave home for my next shift. I managed to keep up this brutal schedule for about a month until one day I was given last-minute notice of extra hours—that's when I decided to quit. That taxing month wreaked havoc on my mental wellbeing, and I felt the after-effects for nearly a year.
79. Over The Counter
Handing in my resignation to my boss was a fulfilling moment for me. She attempted to entice me with a salary increase, aware that I was eyeing more lucrative job positions. Surprisingly, I turned down the offer instantly, which took her aback. This was the first instance in my career where I had refused a higher salary.
Despite this, I had no qualms about my decision, knowing that I'd find greater opportunities at my new employment, keeping my focus on the broader outlook. Not meaning to brag, but they were in a pickle without me. This was my conviction upon leaving, reinforced by their reaction.
A few days post-resignation, I was approached by the main manager with an offer to raise my income further to retain me. The proposed raise was an additional £1,500 annually, a perk I already enjoyed at my new job. The manager, holding budgetary control, didn't mention a specific number but left the proposition somewhat open-ended.
In perspective, she has the authority to offer essentially any amount (within reasonable bounds). I found this twist intriguing, yet unless she presented an additional £4k at the minimum, it wouldn't have made a tangible financial impact. Importantly, working there exposed me to the company's financial wastefulness.
Part of my job entailed scrutinize the company's financial status, which was frankly appalling. There was an exorbitant waste of tens of thousands annually. It occurred to me that I could negotiate a newly created role and a substantial raise. However, what I sought was respect and attention when expressing concerns. This was something they consistently failed to do, leading to continuous issues.
I understand my worth and firmly believe in the importance of not depending on such incompetence for my livelihood.
80. This One Is Just Unhinged
Sometime in the past hundred years, a bright-eyed youngster who was just starting out in tech attended a now-forgotten meeting. The IT chief leading it had been in the game since mainframes were the next big thing, and the fresh-faced tech whiz probably started around the same time—give or take. At one point, the cheerful manager lost his temper over a particular subject. His words were scathing: "If you keep this up, there's the door!"
The tech guy's response was impressively unexpected. He calmly closed his notebook, stood up, detached the meeting room door from its hinges, and politely asked the manager where he should place it. The situation was both sidesplittingly funny and toe-curlingly awkward. I've never wanted to escape a meeting more than in that moment!!! I found myself switching jobs not long after, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on...
81. Not What I Signed Up For
I responded to a babysitter job posting. At the time, I was inconsistently working odd jobs. So, earning some extra money by babysitting sounded like a good idea. However, I soon found out this opportunity was anything but ideal.
The couple, both in the military, informed me I'd be staying on-site in a spare room. They wanted me to provide constant care for their six-month-old and take care of house chores too.
They offered one day off every fortnight. And they proposed paying me under the table, suggesting I could supplement income via unemployment benefits. I walked out right away. They weren't looking for a babysitter but a full-time housemaid and caregiver, and couldn't afford to compensate me appropriately.
82. How Thoughtful
When my dad was having his brain tumor removed, I took a few days off but continued to keep up with work, answering emails and joining conference calls, right from the hospital. However, even in such circumstances, my boss handed me a huge project on a Thursday afternoon and expected it to be completed by Monday morning. This meant working for six to eight days straight, so I ended up burning the midnight oil, working 16 hours a day to meet the deadline.
Come Monday, when my boss casually asked me about my weekend, I replied honestly, "I worked the whole time." She then inquired if I had visited my dad, and when I informed her that I couldn't because I was working, she later expressed that she felt I was resentful. She suggested that maybe I was just tired, even though she had been supportive during my dad's ailment.
What irked me was when she would pass remarks as I left the office on time—not early, on time. She'd hint that it's fine for me to leave exactly at the end of the day since I didn't have a family to look after, unlike her. My reply was simple—yes, I leave when my workday is over because I don't live at work.
I'd also remind her that what we do here isn't life-saving—we're not curing cancer. While I make sure to give my all during work hours, it's also important that I have a life outside of work. In the end, I decided to leave that job.
83. Tight Schedule
At 20 years old, I was betrothed and managing a bookstore. My job was so demanding that it caused me to miss my partner's prom and other significant events. In attempting to claim some of my Christmas holiday, I was swiftly rejected. To add salt to the wound, I was informed that I couldn't carry over my unused vacation days into the following year.
The last straw was when my boss audited my store without notice, late on a Saturday after I'd left for the day. My calendar display upset him so much, he felt the need to confront me at my home. He didn't just knock. He walked straight in, bypassed my roommates, and entered my bedroom where I was unwinding with a book. The next thing I knew, he was ranting about the calendar display for an unbroken five minutes. As he finally left, he decreed we'd rectify it together the following morning.
For me, this was the breaking point. My manager had violated my personal space off the clock to scold me about a book display. So, I made a decisive move. I booked an Amtrak ticket to see my fiancée and confronted my boss the next morning before my departure. I handed him the store key and walked out, leaving it all behind just days before Christmas.
I felt liberated. I enjoyed a relaxed week-long visit with my fiancée and secured a new job shortly after. The unexpected twist was the following year, I was invited back part-time to train incoming managers. Most surprisingly, my old boss apologized, and we maintained a friendship for many years.
84. Stand Up And Fight
I submitted a job application to a restaurant that I've always adored. It's the same place I've spent every birthday. When the owner found out I was considering some other job opportunities, they invited me for a trial shift. I went in, expecting to gain some experience, but they had me wash dishes for an hour. Not a problem. Then, their regular dishwasher didn't show up, and the kitchen manager asked if I could stay and cover their lunch rush. In return, they'd pay me for those extra hours.
I agreed and the experience with the kitchen team was pleasant. I had reservations about accepting the job, but I was still happy to lend a hand. When I finished, I filled in a time card and informed the manager I probably wouldn't return. He appreciated my help. A few weeks later, I followed up about collecting my modest paycheck. I couldn't believe it—The manager claimed it was beyond his control and told me to contact the owner.
So, I reached out to the owner, who surprised me by rudely responding that I had been "staging" and wouldn't be paid. I argued that I had stayed three extra hours, for which I was told I’d be paid, but she disregarded my concerns. So, I resolved to fight for my well-deserved 40 dollars and contacted the state labor department. They sent an officer to enforce my right to compensation, including that initial "staging" hour.
A few weeks later, I received my hard-earned 40 dollars and vowed never to return to that restaurant. Despite the hassle, I was pleased to have stood up for myself. I later discovered from locals that this unfair practice was prevalent in several other local restaurants. My story, small as it may be, could inspire others to assert their labor rights.
Interestingly, a few weeks after I received my paycheck, the owner got his karma—his restaurant had to be shut down. The owner had an extended rant on Facebook, blaming the city's evolving food culture for the restaurant's decline. But most people knew better, recognizing her poor treatment of her workforce as the real reason for the restaurant's downfall.
85. Technical Problem
During one meeting, a particularly aggressive marketing individual was yelling at me. He was demanding impossible tasks from my technical team while giving us an impractical timeline and almost no resources. In front of about eight colleagues, he insulted my abilities and yelled at me to get my work done. Finally, I'd had enough—I stood up, declared that I wouldn't tolerate such disrespect, and walked out of the meeting.
Usually, you risk getting fired for exiting a meeting like that. After hearing about the incident, my boss scheduled a chat with me later that afternoon. Nervously, I anticipated being terminated. Instead, I discovered that the company had dismissed the marketing individual. I was on the verge of quitting, but they ended up supporting me and firing him instead. It was a relief and, ever since then, I've found this to be a great place to work.
86. Cut Off Time
I'm a bartender, and I used to work at a dreadful Mexican spot downtown. Bad food led to terrible tips, and we rarely had customers. Living in NYC and only making about $400 a week was tough, especially when I was used to more than double. I've been at this job for two months and each day my disdain grew.
Then, my mom developed severe pneumonia which incredibly impacted her heart. So much so, she had to have open-heart surgery to repair a valve—a delicate procedure considering she's nearing 65. Once I get the surgery date, I approach my manager, explain the situation, and request four days off so I can be with my family.
Now, let me point out that our staff turnover rate was through the roof, mostly due to low pay and an utterly clueless manager which led most employees to quit within a month. Regardless, she says no problem, and just to be sure, I followed up with emails and texts to double confirm my time off request. She agree to it, and I thought things were settled.
I couldn't have been more wrong. Just three days before my mom's surgery, the weekly schedule comes out and to my surprise, I am scheduled for the entire week. I rush to my manager to address this and make it clear that I'm not going to stick at this decrepit, rat-infested bar in the West Village while my mom undergoes surgery. Incredibly, my manager blatantly denies that I'd requested any time off!
When I present her with the email and text evidence of my time off request, she dismisses it with an insensitive remark about how my presence wouldn’t affect the outcome of the surgery. She then unreasonably goes on about teamwork and my supposed disruption due to my time off request. Infuriated by her comment, I managed to stay silent and return to work.
At precisely 5 PM, the busiest time of the day is approaching, and I'm the only bartender around. Fast forward to 8:30 PM, it's a complete chaos at the bar and I'm swamped with drink orders from the servers. Instead of lending a helping hand, my manager reprimands me not to bring "family issues to work." I was dumbfounded at her clueless and insensitive remark.
I responded with a laugh, straight to her face, and walked out then and there, heading straight to see my mom.
87. On The Road Again
While on my way to work one day, I found myself caught up in the morning rush. I phoned my boss to tell him I'd be late because of the traffic. He simply replied, "Okay." However, the moment I arrived at work, his reaction was a complete shock – he lashed out at me in anger. "Do that again, and I'll have to let you go," he warned. Despite the traffic holdup being due to an accident widely reported on the news, he refused to believe me.
The next day proved to be a déjà vu moment with another accident on the same route. Realizing I would be late again, I decided to return home instead. My boss, once again in a fit of rage, called me. "Why aren't you at work?" Exasperated, I reminded him of his warning the previous day—if I was late again, he'd fire me.
To this, he backtracked, pleading, "I didn't mean it literally! Can you still make it in?" My response? A resolute "No." And that was that.
88. Next Time, Try “Sorry For Your Loss”
I came across a tale about a guy who, when his dad passed away, told his boss he wouldn't be putting in any extra hours that day. Not because he took the day off, but because he wanted to use some of the day to mourn, instead of overworking. To his surprise, he got a message from his manager—and it was blood-boiling. He was accusing him of "playing the victim" and letting his team down.
That message was the tipping point for him. He quickly fired back, "Send my paycheck in the mail, and don't bother contacting me any further—I quit." It's surprisingly reassuring to read that, isn't it?
89. Getaway Car
Just about three weeks into the first worldwide lockdown, a young man, about 24, delivered my drive-through order at McDonald's. He looked completely exhausted, as if he'd been hit by a truck. Concerned, I asked him if he was alright. His reply was alarming: he said working at that McDonald's was a living hell.
According to him, the entire restaurant was run by just three employees and one manager who was always barking at them. This was before pay rates increased and government-assisted payments kicked in, so he was making something like eight dollars per hour with no other sources of income or job opportunities.
Just as he handed me my meal, and finished painting a bleak picture of his situation, the manager erupted, cursing vehemently at him to speed up. His face turned beet red from yelling. At that moment, I knew I had to help. I offered him a simple security job at our factory for $14.00 an hour. He was keen, but transportation was an issue.
No problem, I said, hop in. I was going to work anyway and we needed another guy. Without hesitation, he hopped in my car—it felt like a scene straight from a '90s action film. We headed toward a new chapter in his life. He didn't even tell his boss he was leaving. I managed to get him employed on the spot, and he started his new job that very night.
Later, he returned to the McDonald's to recruit the two friends with whom he'd worked. Now, they all work in security, were they often have the luxury to nap as long as they ensure all doors are securely locked at night.
90. Skirting The Situation
I was the solo server at a freshly-opened eatery. Surprisingly, my boss didn't bother with any formalities like paperwork, I was paid off the books. But, this wasn't the reason I quit on my first day there. Whenever the boss wanted me to move somewhere, he would take hold of my skirt near my upper thigh—not quite my butt, but too close for comfort— and guide me around like I was on a leash.
Wanted me in the kitchen? Instead of just telling me, he would come to me, take hold of my skirt, and lead me there. Needed me at the cash register? Once again, he would come over, no matter if I was in the midst of serving a customer, clutch my skirt and pull me along. This behavior made some customers visibly uncomfortable. One couple even left an almost 50% tip at the end... I suspect it was out of discomfort and sympathy for me.
I had supposed to show up the following day, but I called in that night and said this job wasn’t my cup of tea. A few days later, I dropped by to return my apron and he paid me on the spot with a bunch of cash from his pocket. Honestly, he was so eerie. In retrospect, quitting was a wise decision.
91. Get Your Storey Straight
Once upon a time, I had an awful retail job at a department store, making just $7 an hour. My role was in the section that sold bedding and bathroom items among other mundane things. One afternoon, a group of regional managers came round for a checkup. Their verdict? Everything in the department, including floor display furniture, needed immediate moving. The aim was to boost sales, but it felt like pure chaos!
After their review, the Assistant Manager, who was second in command, instructed some guys from the receiving team to start moving merchandise to the stockrooms. This would allow the displays to be moved around without hassle. While they did that, I was stuck at the register, unable to clean up our department because of the mess.
Next, the Assistant Manager instructed me to retrieve the merchandise from the stockrooms and put it back on the floor. Funnily enough, it was the same towels and washcloths the guys had taken to the back just 20 minutes prior.
Obediently, I started my task. But then one of the stock guys returned and asked, quite confused, what I was up to. I enlightened him that our manager had given me these instructions. Indignant, he went and informed her. To my surprise, she came back and reprimanded me for not following the plan. I politely reminded her that it was indeed she who had given me the detailed instructions. She looked puzzled and seemed to realise her error.
Yet, instead of admitting her mistake, she suggested I resolve it with the stock guy. That was the last straw for me. I told her, as a store manager, she should be delegating tasks more effectively and that it was her job to fix this mix-up. I then made the decision to leave. Maybe it wasn't the most mature decision, but I have no regrets about it.
92. Bottom Line
I used to work full-time at Best Buy in the home theater section. It was about four months since we had a new system that helped us track our sales performance like revenue, services, profit margins, etc. I was an exemplary employee having top performance stats in-store and district-wide. I had a lot of loyal returning customers and had received two flawless feedbacks from mystery shoppers within the last three months.
When it was time for my annual performance review, I felt confident and prepared, backed by stellar sales figures, expecting a raise that I knew I well deserved. During the three busiest months in retail—November, December, and January—I had generated a whopping $389,000 in net profit, not just sales but actual profit, for my store. However, when I requested a raise, I received a huge reality check—was informed that I had reached the salary ceiling for my role...a meager $9.75 per hour!
I was heartbroken when I left that day. After dedicating two years of hard work to Best Buy, I essentially received a cold shoulder. The next morning, I returned to Best Buy and tendered my resignation. Accounting for insurance and taxes, my annual take-home pay would have been $12,900, less than 1/30th of the profit I made for my store in just three months.
93. Reading Material
When I resigned from a prior job, I left behind a bundle of evidence including screenshots and detailed descriptions about a coworker who constantly harassed me. This colleague was effectively manipulating not just me but our whole team, causing significant mental anguish for us. Most of the evidence was from Slack conversations, and I took the time to specify how his actions were negatively affecting our team. I additionally included several case examples to show how his disruptive tactics were impeding our work.
I handed these materials to HR and also sent copies of them to his supervisor and a bunch of other people. Here's the interesting part—the information led to numerous top-level executive meetings. Fast forward six months, and this colleague chose to resign because he found he no longer had as much leeway and didn't appreciate being accountable for his unprofessional actions. This wasn't the easiest way to leave a job, but it's certainly my most memorable resignation.
94. A Long Vacation
After a few years on the job at Walmart, just going through the motions, I had diligently saved up my two-week vacation allowance. Once I had it, I requested it off, telling them I was off to visit my family. On the final day before my vacation was set to start, I gave them my two-week resignation notice. It took a moment for the manager to realize what was happening. She asked, "So...you're not coming back?" I replied straightforwardly, "No. No, I'm not. Take care!"
95. Coming Out on Top
I used to work at a combined sports and auto equipment shop. It was quite large, housing between 35 to 40 folks on staff. One of those folks worked in the automotive department. He who was openly gay, and though not immediately apparent, most could tell. He was a middle-aged gentleman, kind and considerate, and incredibly knowledgeable when it came to cars. He'd been happily in a relationship with his partner for nearly 20 years. When a new general manager joined us, sadly, she wasn't considerate of his romantic preference and often made disparaging remarks. Obviously, her comments were affecting him, and it wasn't pleasant.
Around the same time, his partner's business suddenly hit a significant financial jackpot. Huge bonuses, significant salary hikes and other great things started happening. Having come into this unexpected fortune, they decided to use it wisely to move to Vermont, get officially married and retire. So, during a staff gathering, my auto department colleague announced his impending exit from the organisation. He was gracious about us as work peers and expressed that he had appreciated his stint there. Upon that, he removed his employee badge, approached the general manager, and paused for a moment.
The silence in the room was palpable, and honestly, the following events could only be described as epic. Standing tall in front of the manager, he extended his arm, let his badge fall to the ground, and then gave her the middle finger. Quietly, he spoke five poignant words, "To hell with you, bigot." He then left the room, walking out the door with his head held high and a confident swagger, leaving an absolute silence in his wake. The manager flushed a bright red and retreated to her office. Once the shock subsided, the rest of us broke into cheers and laughter.
96. Projecting Gossip
I used to work at this eatery, and there was a hostess there who seemed convinced that I was having an affair with the boss, which I was not. She concluded that the funds I saved for my vacation had come from him, implying that I was having secret liaisons with him behind his family's knowledge. She made everything super uncomfortable and turned nasty for several days. She started fabricating stories about me, like me badmouthing the new employees, and orchestrated many false rumors.
One day, after she cornered me in the supply room and demanded an admission of my alleged dalliance with the boss, I had enough and quit right then and there. I had barely any interaction with the boss—just the odd table reassignment or inventory check. He was a bald, round gentleman with a wedding ring, and our conversations were mostly limited to work-related instructions. However, later on, I discovered a shocking revelation—it seemed she was the one involved in the relationship with the boss, which explained her erratic behavior. Quitting turned out to be the best decision I could have made.
97. Following Up
My annoying boss tracked me down after office hours to my other job, since she was convinced I was making it up to leave early. My boss at this second job told me, "There's some wild woman pounding on the doors and shouting your name." I then took my uniform out of my bag, opened the door, tossed it at her, and asked her politely to leave.
98. Am I On Candid Camera?
While in college, I briefly took a job as a cashier at Lowe's—and by briefly, I mean less than a day. After enduring days of training filled with too much chaos and confusion, I was on the verge of thinking it was some kind of prank show. Many of the workers grumbled about the overbearing workload while not getting enough hours. Yet strangely enough, they were hiring more workers, including me.
But the reality was grimmer than I’d anticipated. Turns out, they hired us due to a pending harassment case that necessitated a store revamp and dismissal of some staff. HR was aware of this and strangely shared it with the new employees—a move against company rules. However, existing staff were kept in the dark.
The hiring manager, who was rather unprofessional, tried to downplay the harassment issue and promised things would soon return to 'normal' and we wouldn't need to be on edge. Ironically, she got fired the day before I officially started, along with one of my trainers who had given me poor guidance during the onboarding process.
They had advertised for part-time roles, and it worked for me since I had two free days from school. I shared that I could also take evening shifts, but could fill in for morning shifts only on my off-school days. Despite this clear communication, they scheduled me for morning shifts on my school days, while keeping my off days free.
What added to the absurdity was that I was scheduled for double the hours the job required, while other staff were under-scheduled. It was clear that this work schedule was not compatible with my academic commitments. So, on my first day at work, I showed up only to resign and to point out their flawed hiring process.
On my resignation, they asked about my training, and finally, the puzzle pieces fell in place. Showing a hint of gratitude, they thanked me for at least turning up to resign—unlike the other new hires who simply vanished without a word.
99. Golden Parachute, or Golden Arches?
I had a job at a posh restaurant where the staff wasn't respected. A fellow cook decided he had enough and handed in his notice, but the management responded pretty childishly—they failed to schedule him for any shifts during his last week. So, on the day of his scheduled last shift, he turned up dressed head to toe in a full McDonald’s outfit! The higher-ups were utterly flabbergasted.
He remained stubborn, refusing to change his clothes, and management couldn't ask him to leave because they needed him for the busy dinner period. Therefore, he ended up helping out for the whole duration of his eight-hour stint at this classy restaurant dressed in his fast-food attire. Every time a manager tried to give him instructions or ask anything, he simply replied with “Would you like fries with that?"
100. A Slam Dunk
I was employed at a family-run electric company. The boss's brother had a habit of repeatedly calling me names and criticizing my work throughout the day. He'd always tell me that I was incompetent. There was this one day when he asked me to go to Dunkin' Donuts and bring back breakfast for everyone, and added in a sarcastic tone, "Could you manage not to mess this one up?" That was the moment I decided I'd had enough.
Borrowing that guy's van, I went off to the donut place, got myself a tasty sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. I then phoned my girlfriend to meet me, and just left his van parked out front. Shortly after 11 am, he blew up my phone. He was going ballistic, yelling, "Where have you taken my van? Where on earth are you?" I coolly replied that I had followed his instructions and got breakfast, but he forgot to specifically ask me to return. Subsequently, I just went home.
101. Egg On His Face
There's a wild story about the time my cousin dramatically quit his job. He used to work in a restaurant and one day, he took me with him to show me around. I was just a kid back then. During my visit, the boss started berating my cousin for bringing me along, erupting into a full-blown tirade about how I was too young to be there and someone needed to look after me.
In the midst of his rant, the boss let loose a swearword in the local language that was so severe, it could cause your family to disown you—and I'm not joking. This particularly offended my cousin. Reaching his breaking point, my cousin stripped off his badge and uniform, grabbed an egg from the kitchen, and with one swift motion, he hurled it right into his boss's face. Just like that, his tenure at that restaurant was over.
102. A Church In El Paso?
I used to work at a cafeteria for a big business in my hometown. The employees there would leave their tips with bills as large as 10s and 20s in a designated bucket. However, the cafe manager wouldn't let me take home any tips, claiming cashiers couldn't be trusted. Instead, she did something remarkably self-centered – she took the tip money, saying she sent it to her church in El Paso, though we all suspected that wasn't true.
Eventually, I stopped going there. It seems to me to be illegal to collect money for one purpose, then redirect it for another without letting anyone know who or what it's really for.
103. If It Ain’t Broke…
My previous job was at a big business, family-owned, which boasted generous vacation benefits. With 250+ employees and three shifts, anyone who clocked over 25 years received a hefty 8-week vacation and 2 weeks of personal time. One employee, namely Jimmy, was an old hand, having joined when he was a tender age of 20. Now at 63, Jimmy quite frankly couldn't care less.
Crucially, Jimmy possessed unique knowledge; he and a senior office member were the only ones able to manufacture a certain product component. But a curveball was thrown when the owner, ready for retirement, decided to sell the company to a corporation. Despite assurances of minimal changes, we soon noticed a seismic shift.
The first action of our new corporate overlords was to guillotine the generous vacation benefits; maximum vacation time was halved to 4 weeks, and personal time was abandoned altogether. The catch? These changes needed to be adapted by year-end without pay-out. Moreover, they purged the office, firing anyone on the brink of retirement, including the other "keymaker" alongside Jimmy.
However, they did scrap a crucial rule: vacation approvals. Now, you could simply dial in and declare vacation time. Furious, Jimmy was singled out, being the only one capable of producing a specific part. A young recruit was hired, presumably tagged to replace Jimmy eventually. Now, Jimmy reacts.
On the first prospective training day for the youngling, he gives us a heads up; he’s taking all his paid-time-off (PTO) and goes on a 10 weeks' hiatus. We had a surplus of parts, so it didn't panic us immediately. But Jimmy had other plans. He spent his leave applying to new jobs, bagged one, and kicked-off!
Fast forward 10 weeks—it’s Jimmy's scheduled return date. But to the management's shock, he's MIA. After two days of futile attempts to contact him, he calls on day three and resigns. Pandemonium breaks out. The part Jimmy had designed was highly specialized, patented no less, by the original founder, and they couldn’t just hire a person on the street.
Eventually, they had to rope in the original owner to guide new hires. The twist? When he learned about the management's tactics, he was livid. The latest I heard is he struck a seven-figure deal to train the newcomers to produce these coveted parts. The corporation had no choice but comply or shut shop. Lesson of our tale: don't underestimate the value of vacation time or retirement benefits.
.Sources: Reddit, , , , , , , , , ,
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