'We do not wish to verbally engage with you, Karen': IT workers plot pro revenge against coworker

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Mar 16, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

These IT workers wanted their coworker gone after she created a toxic environment. But did they go about it in the right way, or were they being way over the top?

An IT guy wrote this post to r/ProRevenge, bragging about his solution to one coworker's irritating ways. As the OP writes, Karen joined the company and asked invasive questions that didn't offend people at first. But over time, the OP claims that "Karen was doing no work at all." Instead, she had piled up complaints, and given them to HR. The OP claims that since the company couldn't fire her, the IT department decided to get back at her. But what they did was so extreme that commenters swiftly turned against this braggadocios OP. 

In the comments, people mostly sided with the Karen! As they wrote, it seems like the IT department retaliated against her and created a toxic work environment for her. Others doubted if the story was even true, but the OP did answer questions in the comments to try to clear things up. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9744284416
    via Tim van der Kuip
  • 02
    Font - r/ProRevenge How we got Karen ejected from the office! This story is a great tale of revenge on a lazy, entitled and b**** of a Karen who thought she could coast by not doing any work and making everyone's life a living h*ll. Not in my workplace. I used to work in the IT department of a big company. For the purpose of this story all names have been changed, as that seems to be the thing everyone on Reddit does. This story starts in another department. My friend Jerry worked there. When Ka
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 03
    Font - At the time Jerry and those in his department thought she was just being nice, or asking so she didn't offend anyone. After a few months everyone slowly found out Karen was doing no work at all. Her projects were backing up, she was unhelpful and unapologetic. Her manager started to get fed up and went to fire Karen. But oh no, Karen is union. Karen has also put in complaints months ago about everyone. My white friend Jerry, sexist. The African lady, racist. Others were against her religi
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 04
    Font - By this point gossip about her antics reached me as Jerry could do nothing but complain about her. Jerry told me one day I'd be able to see Karen for myself as she was being transferred to IT as the company couldn't fire her. IT recently had a new job opening for an admin position to help organise the backlog of tickets my team was getting. I thought my life was over when Jerry said Karen was coming our way (Jerry was friends with some in upper management, that's how he know where Karen w
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 05
    Font - This advice from Jerry turned my dread into a revelation. I gathered Jerry and my IT buddies for a BBQ the weekend before Karen was due to start. We hatched a simple but effective plan. We made sure security cameras were looking over work stations ever member of the IT department, we also added hidden voice recorders as well, to catch anything that was said. When Karen came in Monday morning she found signs on everyone's desk stating the following.
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 06
    Font - "We do not wish to verbally engage with you, Karen. Please send us an email for any work related issues you may need." Anytime Karen would try to talk to us for work related issues, small talk or even trying to be nice and saying hello, we simply showed her the above mentioned sign or verbally said "for any work related issues please email me," if Karen caught us away from the desk. For weeks this drove Karen bonkers, as that was the only verbal communication she received.
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 07
    Font - She would email us asking why we wouldn't talk to her, only to get an email back saying "please only email me for work related issues." Karen went to HR complaining that everyone in IT had it out for her. When HR investigated anyone in IT we had all the video and audio proof we needed to say we did nothing wrong. Karen started also making false claims about us as she wasn't getting any dirt from the IT team. This is what landed her in hot water, only took 2 months for her to actually get
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 08
    Font - When she came to get her things we all cheered and clapped, she hurled abuse at us and went to try and save her job by showing we all had it out for her. Unlucky for Karen the cameras on the IT floor were down for maintenance when this happened, who'd believe Karen anyway as she made so many false claims in the past.
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 09
    Font - I got to tell you it felt good to be rid of that piece of trash from the office. Of course we all had a BBQ to celebrate. Those who had investigations ongoing against them from Karen had them dropped. And all was right in the world.
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 10
    Font - Groucho_MK13 Apparently Karen forgot the golden rule, don't f**k with IT. 196 Reply Share Loopy_Legend OP To right lol.
    via u/
  • 11
    Font - Orgazmo_87 Yeah IF, and its a big if, this is true they created an extremely hostile work environment for her. Especially if they talked normally amongst themselves without including her. Cameras at desk, secret recording everywhere, sounds horrible
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  • 12
    Font - sparkicidal So by you all refusing to speak to her must constitute as workplace bullying...?
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  • 13
    Font - mahade What in the world kind of union nonsense is this? If someone isn't performing, you have plans in place that can lead to termination (PIPs), and if someone is simply not doing any work repeatedly, you document that and outright fire them, and no union rep would question that. And if someone is actively sabotaging the workplace, you can gather evidence and sue them for damages. Unions are there to protect groups of employees, not to protect a singleton saboteur.
    via u/
  • 14
    Font - virusburger101 As someone who works in IT and has dealt with similar situations. Good job! 28 Reply Share Loopy Legend OP You sir are invited to the next celebration BBQ.
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  • 15
    Font - taversham When HR investigated anyone in IT we had all the video and audio proof we needed to say we did nothing wrong. You created video and audio evidence of doing something wrong. If Karen was union like you say, then the union rep would be all over this - hostile work environment, bullying, trying to set her up for constructive dismissal... If any of this were true, that is.
    via u/
  • 16
    Font - AND mandrack3 How so? I am pretty sure anything work related, communicated through email, would be met with the utmost professionalism.
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  • 17
    Font - Farfocele Karen was An A hole. ОА holes remaining (I hope) Reply Share 23 Loopy_Legend OP When I left was 0.
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  • 18
    Font - Nikelui I'm calling bull, there's no way they wouldn't acknowledge that as a hostile work environment. IT even graciously offered proof they were bullying the new member.
    via u/Nikelui
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    Cheezburger Image 9744277248
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  • 20
    Font - Loopy Legend OP I think HR turned a blind eye as they wanted to fire her but couldn't at the time due to her union, multiple complaints against other workers and other things she had in place made her hard to fire. So when the false claims were proven, they finally had the ammo to fire her.
    via u/Loopy_Legend
  • 21
    Product - s4dput1n f I wouldn't call this pro revenge, but was it satisfying to read. What a fun way to take down a Karen. Reply Share 24 Loopy Legend OP Thanks. I think it's probably as we couldn't fire her under normal conditions. But if petty I'm fine with that.
    via u/s4dputln
  • 22
    Human body - Automatic-Glass-7430 How long until people learn to not mess with the IT guy?
    via u/Automatic-Glass-7430
  • 23
    Font - themcp Karen has also put in complaints months ago about everyone. My white friend Jerry, sexist. The African lady, racist. Others were against her religion or discriminated against her in some way or form. If Karen made any such complaint against me, she'd find herself on the end of a whopping slander and/or libel lawsuit. I am not taking such S in the workplace. I am not going to have someone make up lies about me that could result in me losing my source of income.
    via u/themcp
  • 24
    Font - MrBeer9999 Doesn't make sense, Karen lying about people being mean to her makes her invulnerable to firing, but an entire department provably refusing to speak to her is just peachy.
    via u/MrBeer9999
  • 25
    Font - Accomplished_Sir5178 IT has an abundance of resources. Why did she think she could outwit them? Too funny.
    via u/Accomplished_Sir5178

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workplace-stories toxic-workplace karen
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