Worker asks for a raise, gets fired instead: 'We're terminating your contract'

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

May 6, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

"The worst they can say is no." A piece of advice oft given to someone teetering on the precipice of uncertainty, deciding whether or not to make a request of someone from whom rejection is almost certain. It's the sort of tip that a friend gives you when you're agonizing about whether or not to ask out your crush who is way out of your league; they probably know you have no shot but they just want you to get it over and done with, and realize that the fact that you're going to be rejected isn't reason enough to not ask at all…

Of course, as it turns out, there are a whole lot of worse and more humiliating responses that you could get that stretch beyond a simple no. When you actually stop to think about it "No." is almost one of the better results. In the case of the workplace, this advice is often given to friends or family who are thinking about asking for a raise at their place of work. Heck, it's advice that I've more than likely given myself. You never know until you ask and what are they going to do… fire you?

Unfortunately, yes. Ask the wrong employer for a raise and they might think of any number of possible reasons why they think you're overreaching, ungrateful, or at risk of leaving anyways. No matter, while getting fired undoubtably stinks, you probably didn't want to work there anyways.