’Can I sue?’: Unless man changes his mind about quitting, his boss won’t give raises to anyone else

Author image for Stephanie Harper
Stephanie Harper
Jul 1, 2023 6:00 PM EDT

If you knew all of your coworkers are going to miss out on a raise at work because of YOU, how would you handle that? No one wants to deal with having an uncomfortable weight on their shoulders when it comes to things money-related. One man took to Quora to ask a question about his current workplace predicament. 

He explained that his boss is refusing to hand out raises to all the people he works with unless OP changes his mind about quitting his job. Because of the uncomfortable situation, OP is feeling conflicted and hurt about his next steps. He didn't explain why he wants to leave his position, but dealing with threats like this from his boss could be an obvious reason why he wants to move on. 

He asked if what was happening was illegal or if it was something he would be able to sue for. Responders on Quora have a lot to say about his boss and the way OP should best proceed so his coworkers have the best possible chance at receiving their raises.

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  • 01
    Facial expression - Can I sue over my boss's ultimatum?
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  • 02
    Font - My boss just told me if I don't quit he will give everyone else a raise. I'm now conflicted and hurting. Is this illegal? Is this something I can sue for? 8 Answer Follow Request i Details OOO More
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  • 03
    Font - Carole Smith. Follow Seven and a half months of chemotherapy 1y That would be nice of you to stay and see if he will follow through with giving your co-workers a raise, or if he is all bluff. Don't quit, make him fire you after that. 4 Upvote. 17 D ...
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  • 04
    Rectangle - Blaise Corbett Follow Former Nuclear Assembly (2001-2021). 1y . I'd make him give everyone else a raise, wait a bit, then quit. 4 Upvote. 31 D
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  • 05
    Font - Sarah Winston · Follow Updated Jan 23 Technically, you can sue for anything. But this is only manipulative, not illegal. It isn't against the law to be an asshole. X However it may have been dumb on his part. Because now you can tell all the other employees he revealed that there is money in the budget for raises he could easily give, but isn't. Watch him deal with that mess as his credibility with them craters. 4 Upvote - 2.6K ♡ . 153 ...
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    Font - Patrick McKeegan . Follow Jan 9 I would tell him I am not quitting and get my fellow employees a raise if he is not lying. I would then start looking for a new place to work, either way the boss is toxic and there is no reason to put up with the BS. When I let I would quietly let the employees know where the raise or last of it came from. 4 Upvote. 39 D
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  • 07
    Font - Alle Elizabeth. Follow X I'm 71 years old, and I've seen things. Lots of things.. Jan 18 Whatever you do, don't quit. This is what he wants you to do. If you quit, the company does not have to pay unemployment, and you will have a HARD time getting it. His intention here is to save the company money by getting you to quit. Don't do it. If he wants you gone, make him fire you. Also, ignore his stupid "threat". He is NOT going to give everyone else raises. It's just not going to happen. He'
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  • 08
    Font - Mike Azevedo Follow Paid attention to social successes and failures. 1y You are the office hero! You are getting everyone else a raise? Talk to an attorney or human resources or local worker advocates. If there is more to the story, maybe you have a case. 4 Upvote. 14 D
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  • 09
    Font - Scott O'Bryan . Follow Software Engineering Manager. Jun 6 S The short answer is, unless he's discriminating against you for a protected reason, like disability or gender or something, it's not illegal. X That said, he's a damn idiot. I hate bosses who react emotionally. It's not good for their business. Bottom line is, you have a bad boss and need to find another job. This is what I would do, however, while your looking...
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  • 10
    Font - Continue to work for him. Either he's bluffing (most likely), he'll fire you (so you get unemployment), or he'll give raises to everyone which will cost him money. Leave AFTER he gives them raises then he's kinda stuck because he cannot really go back and give them less after your gone unless he wants to loose face. You can even "prime the pump" by telling people what he told you, so that when he gives them the raise, they are grateful to you.
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    Font - Brian Cooke. Follow Ret. 30 Yrs Govt. Service, Pres. Priv. Consultant (1976-present). Jan 18 A number of things / questions come to mind given the lack of facts provided. I would be tempted to call his bluff and get your co- workers a raise. Ask for the work performance documentation / proof of your poor performance or fireable offence so you know why he wants you gone and and where you actually legally stand.
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    Font - While his approach is not professional, you should ask yourself, if you don't already know, why your "performance" is poor enough to ask you to quit with such an expensive risk attached. He must really dislike you or your work to want to propose such a ridiculous thing and then vocalize it. I also wonder why you would continue to work for someone who obviously has such poor management, HR and supervisory skills anyway? Move on... get another job.
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  • 13
    Font - Sue? I'm no legal expert... but why waste your time. Courts and the law are not personal revenge tools. You need to know for a fact he has broken the law and that you are a good and productive employee with a clean work record and a valid grievance. He is not breaking the law by just being a jerk or a poor manager. In the end, you may only find out you are a known poor performer. He might look like a dickhead for not handling it well but you would be out a job and court costs. 349 views V
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  • 14
    Font - Colin Riegels. Follow nascent economist. 1y I don't know if it is illegal or not in your country, but it strikes me that there is a really obvious deal to be done here with your co-workers... 4 Upvote 29
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  • 15
    Font - Dan Gibbs Follow Landlord (2016-present) Mar 12 . Your boss is a total moron if he actually said this. How is this a threat against you? Because your teammates are making more money? Who cares? You shouldn't be talking about salary with coworkers anyway. This is not illegal, by the way. You could sue, but you'd lose. I'd make him fire you rather than quitting. That might give you a better chance of getting unemployment benefits. 4 Upvote. 1 OG ...
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    Font - David Ireland. Follow Lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Jan 26 In New Zealand you could say to your boss "k off cunt! If you want me gone you'll have to fire me!" because in NZ you can't fire someone without good reason, can't do it just because you don't like them or they called you a name! But then you have to do everything BY THE BOOK! Upvote 8 1 G
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  • 17
    Font - Shawn Edwards. Follow Career Transition Specialist · 1y X In the US, when you quit, you don't get unemployment. If he wanted you gone, he could have just fired you, with all of the consequences involved. A better question would be, if your boss hadn't said a word about this, would you be looking to quit? Legally speaking, I seriously doubt he could give everyone raises and exclude you without enough performance documentation to appease the labor board. 4 Upvote 5 ♡ 06 G
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    Font - DJ Emir Santana · Follow 7th Degree Black Belt Master Shaolin Kung Fu. Jan 22 Let him, call his bluff, see if he gives them all raises, he cannot take that back, you can always quit after a few months, that way your friends get raises, and the boss now has to pay more out his pocket LOL. How does that punish you. He will then probably have to hire new people at a lower rate as no one will then take a pay reduction later. Upvote 9 ...
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  • 19
    Font - Laura Lee Rose . Follow Business Consultant, Author and Speaker. Updated 6mo. + There is no United States law against this. X You should not feel conflicted because you now know exactly where you stand with this employer. Whether he gives others a raise or not - is irrelevant to you. It's not going to change your course of action. You need to do what's best for you and your career path.
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  • 20
    Font - Thang Phan . Follow Software Developer (1998-present) · Jan 17 T That's a very odd logic but you shouldn't have to feel bad about it. Tell your boss you don't believe them. Wait until your boss gives everyone a raise then quit! Either way, they want you to get another job so make it worthwhile. 4 Upvote - 2 ♡ ...
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boss quitting job toxic-workplace quora coworkers raises pay raise Horrible Bosses quitting toxic-work-environment
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