'If I leave, my pension will be cut by two-thirds': With a $70k pension on the line, boss tries to get a loyal employee to quit by being insufferable in the workplace

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Dec 18, 2023 12:00 PM EST

Would you quit tomorrow if someone gave you $70,000 a year for the rest of your life? At that price you'd probably at least consider early retirement. But if you were looking at something more like $50k, you might think twice about leaving your current job. Our next story us about this exact conundrum, although instead of an altruistic stranger gifting someone heaps of recurring cash, we're talking about a guy's hard-earned pension.

With an ultra agro boss in the office, OP has been grinding all week for the last several decades with the hopes of reaching his pension deadline. Although, every day that passes is another 'last straw' moment for this worker because his boss is easily the most insufferable human being to work under since Gordon Ramsey's assistant got fired.

Scroll for the entirely uplifting story where a man's peers give him tips and tricks on how to stay resilient and endure verbal punishment- at least for another few months- so that he can collect a heftier pension. Afterwards, here's another story of a terrible, terrible boss.

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    Cheezburger Image 9850403072
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    r/jobs Posted by u/Beta_Nerdy 22 hours ago Boss yelled, screamed and swore at me in red faced anger for 15 minutes! (Dumbfounded!) Office relations How does one react when your boss yells, screams and swears at you in a red faced anger?
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  • 03
    Yes, the typical response is to walk away or quit on the spot. That would not work in my case. I now only have 9 months to survive at this job before I am eligible for a full pension of about $70k a year. If I leave before that date or am fired my pension will be cut by 2/3rds. Also I could not walk away because he blocked the path to the door.
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  • 04
    I have tried to be super polite, work twice as hard and keep my head down but that just gets him angrier, so more yelling and screaming. The boss wants me to quit and is trying hard to find a reason to fire me but he was told to stand down after my lawyer worked with the senior management at the parent company. Now he is trying to unnerve me and psyche me out so I quit. Physiological warfare!
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  • 05
    His boss and the local HR Director are of no help and senior management at our small office want me gone too. The only thing helping me survive now is an effective Attorney who helped me submit a formal workplace grievance and oversight by the main corporate office Vice President of HR. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
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    qpwoeor1235 22 hr. ago Lol just stare at him blank faced and then thank him for his feedback. It seems like they can't fire you so I would just do whatever and let him scream till the cows come home.
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    AnubisAnubis12. 21 hr. ago I second this and highly recommend you considering it, saying this from experience It confuses and scares the out of anybody And if you can slip a light smile or even a smirk without breaking eye contact, specially when they are at their peak of anger that'll make them rethink their choices
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    jm5813 13 hr. ago Send an email right after that recapping the whole conversation to the best of your memory and mention that even though you are on the older side your hearing is good and he doesn't need to raise his voice. But you wanted to confirm you captured the whole feedback. Ask if you missed anything else that you should improve. Now you have paper trails, make sure to BCC your personal email. Or forward it as a separate email just to be safe, you don't want anyone other than It being a
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    nolongerbanned99 - 22 hr. ago Stick through it. Get your pension and then sue them 1.7k Reply Share monkey_butt_powder - 22 hr. ago Document everything
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    swampcat42 22 hr. ago , record it. And narrate it as it's happening. "Sir, I understand that you're upset, but I really need to use the restroom, could you please move away from the door so I can use the facilities, and then I'll be right back?"
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    maynardstaint 20 hr. ago Keep you phone on record all day. So that every time he comes in, you have a recording of his "conversation" Save them to your computer at home every day. Once you have a few examples, bring them To HR. If you're really lucky, he gets fired just before you retire.
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    pizzaqualitycontrol 18 hr. ago. edited 18 hr. ago Just be polite and slam him in an HR report the second your pension is secure. Sounds like you also need to talk to a lawyer. 5 Reply Share tokarzz 16 hr. ago This is pretty much THE only answer. I would add to record and/or document as much as possible.
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    greenlungs604 · 22 hr. ago If he is blocking you and he's already been told to stand down. You start laughing... Deep laughs from your very core. Reply Share 538 arealswelltime 21 hr. ago Drop an "Awww, big feelings, huh, buddy?" in there too.
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    Beta_Nerdy OP. 19 hr. ago I tried to lighten the mood during his screaming and it got him even more angry. 202 Reply Share ... DudeWithTudeNotRude 18 hr. ago ideal. Find the humor in the situation, then embrace it. That's what is making the boss angier. The fact that his asinine behavior isn't working. That means you're winning, and things are getting worse for the boss. Enjoy it if you can.
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    WhiskyNina 4 hr. ago Ask him if he's hangry. Offer him a Snickers bar. ↑ 16 Reply Share Numerous_Ad_6276 - 3 hr. ago Or a nap. Maybe a diaper change.
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    RHFiesling 18 hr. ago smiling and keeping your cool is the most unnerving to yer boss that you can do. being polite but relentless and smiling drives aggressors MAD. he might blow a gasket n have a coronary or an aneurysm Good luck, much success
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    Big-Net-9971 17 hr. ago He is trying to get a rise out of you, and the fact that you respond with humor is infuriating him because his strategy is not working. As others have said, record and document everything, smile, and respond in lighthearted humor. Perhaps your boss will drop dead of a heart attack in frustration before your pension kicks in?
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    my_ta- 17 hr. ago The fact that it got him even more angry is proof that it worked perfectly. Keep trying to lighten to mood, laugh in his face even! Call him out on his behavior -for example like "I don't see how yelling and screaming will fix this" or similar.
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    Now YousCantLeave90 - 9 hr. ago I hit an enraged boss with the Henry Jones Sr. "Our situation has not improved" and I honestly thought he was about to blow an aorta.
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    Michthan 8 hr. ago What a worthless person, every good boss would have said: great work, I hope you do well. Don't worry I will cover your shift until you are back.
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    Healthy Maximum 13 hr. ago You say that as if it's only a negative. While I understand how distressing it is for you, consider the positives; 1 - He looks even worse in front of any witnesses. 2 - I bet it really ruins his day, every time you do it. I'm sure he goes home seething, and complains to his family (who all hate his guts) about your "fake niceness". 3 - He might have an aneurism, heart attack or stroke ... and die. Oh no, what a shame.
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    xplosm 14 hr. ago That's the idea. To let him know he is powerless. He is bullying you. Bullies are insecure little They hate to be shown how powerless they are. Do that, and smile, wipe an imaginary tear while you smirk and smile.
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    RamDasshole 13 hr. ago It's actually hilarious that he's getting this mad. Ask him what you should do with your first full pension check and all that free time, and just watch the veins on his head explode.. Also, congrats! 7 Reply Share sengir0 18 hr. ago Kill them with kindness
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    Embarrassed_Tax_6547 - 22 hr. ago If you know he's doing it on purpose and you have less than a year to go I'd say just stand there if you can't get around him. If you can walk away then do that. You should start having a case of short timers disease by now. 50 Reply Share ... sunsinstudios 15 hr. ago Thank him for his comments. Ask him to send an email summarizing the key points. Excuse yourself to go take a
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    maddasher 21 hr. ago Sounds like he's mad you're going to get that pension. Make sure you do! Reply Share 2 funtrial 21 hr. ago This.
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