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toxic-workplace

'Well, 9:00am - 5:00pm it is!': Lawyer refuses to come in early for big meeting after getting reprimanded by partner for leaving early

'Well, 9:00am - 5:00pm it is!': Lawyer refuses to come in early for big meeting after getting reprimanded by partner for leaving early

Welcome to the workforce, where managers never pick and choose their battles carefully. This one decided to scold her employee, a lawyer at a firm, for leaving the office early one day because he had to start a few hours earlier for a deposition. The meaning behind her frustrated lecture was that she did not want other lawyers to get the wrong idea that they can leave the office at any time. Let us be clear if we haven't been already on this site: if you are an employee and you have to come in…
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Update: Job candidate calls out startup for not properly paying overworked employees, withdraws application

Update: Job candidate calls out startup for not properly paying overworked employees, withdraws application

It's important for job seekers to know what to ask if they are worried about a toxic work environment. Oftentimes, it takes experience in a prior toxic workplace to know what those red flags are. However, every so often, there is a friend or colleague who is willing to share their tough experiences so that you don't have to endure the same trials and tribulations. Consider this the polar opposite of “paying your dues,” an outdated concept that tends to allow for the continuation of bad workplac…
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'Poor Miss Uptight': Guy pranks coworker, gets roasted in the comments

'Poor Miss Uptight': Guy pranks coworker, gets roasted in the comments

In every office, there is at least one uptight coworker and one coworker who thinks he's a good guy but is a total devil. The former example can certainly be annoying and frustrating at times, but it's par for the course in a workplace environment. However, the latter is a wildly toxic presence that often needs to be excised immediately. With this story , we have a prankster who shared his “win” against an uptight coworker, only to get completely roasted in the comments section. Most folks joke…
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'To save two dollars in OT, they let a few thousand dollars [...] go to waste': Employee lectured for working OT, double malicious compliance ensues

'To save two dollars in OT, they let a few thousand dollars [...] go to waste': Employee lectured for working OT, double malicious compliance ensues

Why is it that so many bosses are too concerned with enforcing minor rules rather than focusing on what should be their priorities? The answers are almost related to money and ego. If it's money, you have a boss who can only think about budget, budget, budget, and nothing else. There's no concern for the wellbeing of your employees and, in some cases like this one, there isn't even much thought given to the overall wellbeing of the company (i.e. sometimes, overtime is necessary to keep things a…
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'It made me realize I have been living this shell of a life, almost like a zombie': Employee's month-long vacation has surprising health benefits, sparks internet discussion on workplace culture

Everyone deserves a month-long vacation, but the reality is that many of us feel trapped in the daily grind of work, unable to imagine taking such a lengthy break. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to step away from work for an extended period, whether due to lack of PTO, financial woes, or other family obligations. However, taking a proper break from work can offer invaluable clarity for one's mental health. And these employees have powerful testimonies to prove it.
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'Nah. My PTO is my PTO': HR demands employees donate their vacation time to coworker's medical leave: '

'Nah. My PTO is my PTO': HR demands employees donate their vacation time to coworker's medical leave

HR's logic doesn't get much more flawed than this. Imagine having a sick coworker who needs to go on medical leave but their employer will only let them do so if the other employees donate their own PTO time to said medical leave. We have so many questions about the logistics of this. First of all, is the CEO or head honcho going to donate their PTO? Something tells me the answer to that question is a resounding no. Secondly, how is this even allowed? This kind of guilt tripping will make emplo…
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Boss tries to take her employee's first class seat upgrade: 'She wanted to talk to me about my lack of respect for protocol'

Boss tries to take her employee's first class seat upgrade: 'She wanted to talk to me about my lack of respect for protocol'

It's almost inevitable that traveling with your boss will lead to an uncomfortable situation. These unforeseen circumstances typically cannot be prevented, but at the end of the day, you're forced to navigate a cringeworthy dynamic with your employer that will make returning to the office after the work trip all the more bizarre and challenging. These cringe moments can include an odd quirk or eccentricity you learn about your boss or your boss learns about you. For instance, I once had a boss…
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'No one stayed longer than a year': 25+ Jobs that were the worst according to employees

'No one stayed longer than a year': 25+ Jobs that were the worst of the worst according to employees

It seems like everyone has had at least one job that made them dread going into work every day . It's the kind of job that gives you a pit in your stomach as you set your alarm clock for the next day. As you drive to work, you're gritting your teeth thinking about what irritating thing your boss or coworkers are going to do that day. Sometimes it takes a little while to realize you dislike your job. But once you realize, it gets harder and harder to be happy there. You might start daydreaming a…
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Guy gets fired after six weeks, charges company hundreds to get their equipment back: 'It was very liberating for me'

Guy gets fired after six weeks, charges company hundreds to get their equipment back: 'It was very liberating for me'

This former employee refused to go quietly. Unfortunately, he was let go after just six weeks at the company due to sudden mid-quarter layoffs. That meant with such little time at the company, he would not be able to put this on his resume as such a brief stint there most certainly would raise eyebrows rather than help him find work elsewhere. This, along with poor management and a toxic work environment, led him to ensure that his final acts would be petty. When he was asked to return his work…
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'Within 15 minutes, I lost access to everything': Company celebrates employee's work anniversary only to fire him the very next day

As much as companies love to say that the workplace is just like a family, we all know that these people are not your family, sometimes they are not even your friends. Your boss doesn't see you as a family member, and they do not hesitate to toss you aside the moment you do not profit the company the way they expect you to. I don't know about your family, but it is definitely not how mine works. The employee on this Reddit story learned these facts the hard way. A mere day after the company cel…
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'He couldn't hire anyone willing to except such a [low] wage and boring work': Employee gets revenge after being demoted when entitled boss couldn't hire new staff

There's nothing more frustrating than working for a boss who fails to deliver on their promises. You end up putting in extra hours, only to find those promises empty and yourself shortchanged. Have you ever been in a situation where your company was short-staffed, and you were asked to take on additional responsibilities while they searched for new hires, only for those hires never to actually be hired? I have. At a previous job, the boss would frequently dismiss employees without warning, leav…
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‘They left me all alone’: New hire abandoned during rush hour, then gets blamed by management for low sales

Being the newest employee is never easy. There is so much to learn and you constantly feel like you have to prove yourself with every step you take. The one thing that can make that experience a little bit more tolerable is the people you work with and the way they help you settle in. If those people are not there for you the way they should be, it makes the onboarding a lot more difficult. The employee in this Reddit story did not have the easy onboarding he wished for. Two weeks into the job,…
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Guy takes over-the-top skills assessment for bartending job: 'Who do you think you're hiring?'

Guy takes over-the-top skills assessment for bartending job: 'Who do you think you're hiring?'

At what point will hiring managers just acknowledge that the reason why people are applying is always ultimately about a paycheck? Sure, sometimes there can be passion that motivates an applicant to apply for a particular position, but a paycheck is a paycheck and people need money to live. That's the point of work. With that in mind, no one should dress a job up to be anything else during the application process. It also should not be a bad thing if a candidate states that they want a certain…
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‘He worked for one hour from home and that was it’: Undervalued employee finds loophole in company half-day policy, barely works until he quits

‘He worked for one hour from home and that was it’: Undervalued employee finds loophole in company half-day policy, barely works until he quits

There is a special place in heaven for employees who discover loopholes and share about them with their fellow coworkers. It’s perhaps the most rewarding phenomenon within the battlefield that is toxic workplace culture. The only thing better than discovering a loophole within company policy is, well, being treated well by your company. However, we’re realists over here, and we understand that proper treatment of all employees is merely the stuff of dreams. This story, however, surely provides…
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Boss Guilts Employee Right Before His Paternity Leave: 'I can’t tell you not to take it but that’s a long time without you'

Boss Guilts Employee Right Before His Paternity Leave: 'I can’t tell you not to take it but that’s a long time without you'

Imagine how this employee's wife responded to this guilt-tripping. It probably does not bear repeating, but maternity and paternity leave are an inherent part of workers' rights. We all know that being a parent of someone at any age is a full-time job in and of itself. Being the parent of a newborn is like having five full-time jobs at once, and that does not include someone's actual full-time job. To that end, there is no point, especially in this day and age, in a toxic boss trying to shame a…
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Guy quits job, toxic employer retaliates by calling wellness check: 'I just want to be left alone'

Guy quits job, toxic employer retaliates by calling wellness check: 'I just want to be left alone'

Imagine finally summoning the courage to quit your job, and when you finally do, they refuse to leave you alone. Make no mistake: it takes a ton of courage to work oneself up to the place of finally calling it quits. At this point, an employee in this situation has likely considered every pro and con. By the time they schedule a meeting to confront their employer, they have 100% made their decision. So begging and pleading will not do any good. Furthermore, if the employer is totally blindsided…
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