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'She told me I could NEVER tell a customer the store was closing': Retail employee works all night long after manager tells them to never tell customers to leave

'She told me I could NEVER tell a customer the store was closing': Retail employee works all night long after manager tells them to never tell customers to leave

This is one of those rules that is so obtuse, it hurts your head to think about. Every job has some rules that make no sense. But some jobs, particularly retail work , have rules that are jaw-droppingly inane. This is especially silly when it comes to the "customer is always right” types of rules. Because, as it turns out, the customer is not usually right at all, so why should they get to determine the rules? For example, if you want your store to close at 2AM each night, you should have a rul…
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'I do not want to work for someone like you': Job candidate walks out mid-interview after boss shouts at another employee

'I do not want to work for someone like you': Job candidate walks out mid-interview after boss shouts at another employee

Sometimes, it's hard to tell as an interview candidate if you're potentially stepping into a toxic work environment. People tend to present the most performative versions of themselves when they're interviewing someone. Everyone seems to be extra smiley and people only seem to be talking in euphemisms. Direct answers to direct questions are hard to come by during the interview process unless you force their hand. And because everyone's being the best versions of themselves, it can be difficult…
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'"If it's not in writing, it didn't happen" goes both ways': Boss wants to know why employee wasn't working during their in-person meeting, employee starts writing everything down

'"If it's not in writing, it didn't happen" goes both ways': Micromanager boss wants to know why employee wasn't working during their in-person meeting, employee starts writing everything down

This employee decided to call their boss's bluff, writing that their boss “thinks she's won.” It's not every day you hear about a boss this overbearing. U/Nerdfury83 shared a story about their new manager at their job---her title really should be “micromanager.” The OP works at a phone job, taking calls that have recorded logs. The OP's boss is so strict that she is literally counting the seconds that OP isn't on a call! While phone jobs are notoriously strict about the time employees spend on…
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Update: 'You just have to work harder': Overworked employee gets back at boss by writing essay about his poor management, quits as organization goes under

Update: 'You just have to work harder': Employee gets back at boss by writing essay about his poor management, quits as organization goes under

Sometimes, the best way to get payback at work is to wait to quit until it's the perfect time to do so. What does that mean, exactly? Well, quitting when you haven't yet made everyone know how valuable you are is definitely not the move. You want them to know what they are missing when you leave so that it's all the more dramatic. You also want to wait until the perfect opportunity has come along so you won't have any dark nights of the soul where you regret your decision and try to convince yo…
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'I have over 320 hours of annual leave banked': Boss wants employee to schedule surgery over Christmas so she doesn't have to take her PTO, employee claps back

'I have over 320 hours of annual leave banked': Boss wants employee to schedule surgery over Christmas so she doesn't have to take her PTO, employee claps back

This certainly won't be the last time a selfish boss makes an outlandish suggestion. This employee has been working at the company for nearly four years and has saved more than 320 hours of PTO, yet when they were scheduling their upcoming surgery for January 2024, their boss suddenly took major issue with this decision. First of all, let's all remind this Redditor that no matter how much control it may seem like her boss has, she is not your doctor and she has no right to make suggestions abou…
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'He panicked when I told him': Gas station attendant allows customer to pump his own gas

'He panicked when I told him': Gas station attendant allows insistent customer to pump his own gas, customer ruins his boss's tractor

You want to learn the hard way? So be it. When you first begin working at a customer service job , you want to help every customer, and help them have a positive experience at your store. Once you've been there a while, and talked to a Karen or 3, you begin to realize that many people simply cannot be reasoned with. You might be a perfectly logical person, with a perfectly reasonable answer to the customer's queries, but they will not care. Customers will still blame you for things that aren't…
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'My supervisor turns up unannounced': Guy's manager shows up at home while he's on sick leave to intimidate him

'My supervisor turns up unannounced': Guy's manager shows up at home while he's on sick leave to intimidate him

Calling an employee's sick leave into question is one of those toxic workplace traits one would hope would have been eradicated by now, but unfortunately, you can't stop horrible bosses from being horrible. This thread was posted to Reddit by u/BigJhed , who had been working as a civil engineer when he had to request three months off on sick leave while recovering from an unfortunate car accident. By the end of this period, his supervisor informed OP that his paid sick leave would expire at the…
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'My boss threatened to call my new job': Employee gives notice, boss holds grudge, tries to get new employers to revoke their offer

'My boss threatened to call my new job': Employee gives notice, boss holds grudge, tries to get new employer to revoke their offer

The way in which an employer responds to news of your departure is perhaps the most revealing moment of their overall character as a boss. There is the possibility that they will keep things professional and will respect your decision to pivot into something different. And then there's the more common response, which is the more selfish one. With this option, employers will take the news personally. No matter how professional you are, they will make your final weeks at the office all the more d…
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'[He] starts pulling chicken wings and chinese donuts out of his pockets': 30+ Guacamole goofs and fishy faux pas that happened at all-you-can-eat buffets

'[He] starts pulling chicken wings and chinese donuts out of his pockets': 30+ Chocolatey catastrophes and fishy faux pas that happened at all-you-can-eat buffets

When you want to get the most amount of food for your money, it's time to head to your local all-you-can-eat buffet . Going to buffets was always a treat when I was a child. When you walk into a buffet, you're overwhelmed with the delicious smells and dozens of food choices. Whether you want roast turkey or green beans or cheesecake, an all-you-can-eat spot is bound to have a massive selection. I always loved getting both mashed potatoes and fries, and dipping the fries in the mashed potatoes.…
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'I firmly and categorically DECLINED': Job applicant asked to do free, unpaid work as part of the interview process, he rejects them

'I firmly and categorically DECLINED': Job applicant asked to do free, unpaid work as part of the interview process, he rejects them

Being tasked with performing action items during an interview process that only a full-time employee should be doing is the reddest of red flags. No matter how desperate you are for work, you have to be aware that there is absolutely nothing stopping these potential employers from taking your unpaid work, running with it, and still not giving you the job at the end of the day. If this happens to you as a prospective applicant, please know that you should feel empowered enough to send an inquiry…
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'Ten thousand pennies... And she'd just committed to carrying them': Client asks repair shop workers "Do you know who I am?" and wants to pay large bill with change

'Ten thousand pennies... And she'd just committed to carrying them': Client asks repair shop workers "Do you know who I am?" and insists on paying large bill with change

Some customers won't ever be happy with the work your company does, no matter how well you actually do on their project. Take this woman, for example. She decided to take a broken electronic to an electronics repair store. The OP writes that this customer “didn't like the bill. She didn't like the work. She claimed that we'd broken something else.” Nothing they did was good enough for this cantankerous customer.
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'He could have just told me at 9:30': Boss waits to fire employee until after he gets another project done, employee lashes out

'He could have just told me at 9:30': Boss waits to fire employee until after he gets another project done, employee lashes out

Talk about a complete waste of a day! This employee had nearly completed all of his daily work tasks when his boss up and fired him in the afternoon. His boss even revealed that he had known since 9:30 am that morning and couldn't bring himself to do it. Now, there are a couple of explanations behind the boss's behavior. Firstly, he could be more conniving than he comes across. Perhaps he wanted the employee to finish whatever project he was working on before firing him so he could be rid of hi…
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'I'm literally never late': Boss demands employee to text her as soon as she leaves the house, employee complains to her boss's boss

'I'm literally never late': Boss demands employee to text her as soon as she leaves the house, employee complains to her boss's boss

There is a reason why you should avoid giving your boss your phone number if you can help it. Sometimes, you don't have a choice, but what you do have control over is when you choose to respond to your boss. The reality is that engaging with your boss is part of your paid employment. Therefore, you really only need to do it when you're on the clock. It can be hard to draw those boundaries, especially in this day and age when it's nearly impossible to unplug. However, if you do manage to establi…
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'Lisa is absurd': Nosy coworker keeps trying to get employee to share her lunch, confronts her in the office kitchen

'Lisa is absurd': Nosy coworker keeps trying to get employee to share her lunch, confronts her in the office kitchen

Is Lisa not capable of making her own lunch? Can you imagine being wired in such a way that you genuinely would feel entitled to your coworker's lunch?! Lisa wasn't even slightly senior to OP as far as we know, not that it would be ok if she were but we all know how horrible bosses can be. This thread was posted to Reddit's r/AmITheA**hole subreddit by u/sxrllyya , who became known for making elaborate lunches and bringing them to the office. Now, as someone whose homemade office lunch is often…
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'[He said] you are all replaceable, so we all said ok': 10+ work stories where everyone quit together

'[He said] you are all replaceable, so we all said ok': 10+ work stories where everyone quit together

There are moments in everyone's working lives when management goes too far and everyone knows it. These are the kinds of moments when you look across the room at your coworker and you immediately question if they are thinking what you're thinking. Perhaps there is a clear look in their eyes or perhaps there is a slight nod, the kind of exchange that signifies, “Are we doing this? Yes, yes we are." What happens next is the kind of solidarity among employees people only dream of… if only the circ…
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'They canceled my two weeks off': HR approves employee's PTO for their mother's funeral, then cancels request, employee has an outburst

'They canceled my two weeks off': HR approves employee's PTO for her mother's funeral, then cancels request, employee has an outburst

Every human resources department has been known for some shady behavior to protect the interests of the company rather than the interests of the actual humans who work there. Ironic, much? We all have these kinds of stories, particularly ones that involve employee benefits like paid time off. It's a tale as old as time: an employee requests vacation time for an important event like a wedding or a funeral, their boss approves said vacation time, then shames them in some way as the dates actually…
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