'[She] brought in three large boxes of files, each one containing evidence': Scorned employee gives the exit interview of a lifetime

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jul 10, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

Making a difference in the world isn't always easy, but it's possible. U/EpicWinterWolf has a family member who knows that all too well, after she gave an unforgettable exit interview at one of her previous jobs. 

Exit interviews can be tricky. You probably want to tell your boss 101 things they did wrong or could improve on. You may want to disclose everything you think is wrong with the workplace, from the biggest issues to tiny personal gripes. At the same time, you may need a reference from your boss at some point, so you should resist burning your bridges. 

Sometimes, you can just tell that your boss isn't going to give you a good recommendation, too. If things have really gone sour during employment, can you trust them enough to vouch for you as you continue on in your career? It's certainly risky…

You can check out this person's mother's brave exit interview story down below. The original poster also mentioned that they told Mom how much love their story had gotten on Reddit, and shared her reaction to that news! 

Next up, this railroad boss demanded that an employee follow a plan that made zero sense, so the employee decided to underperform. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10372037632
    via Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
  • 02
    My Mom Ends up Ruining the Life of Her Ex-Boss During After an Exit Interview
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 03
    This happened about thirty odd years ago, and my mother recounted it recently during a family dinner.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 04
    So back in the 1990's my mom worked for this big time company (we'll call it Company W) as an accountant. Her boss, the Head of Finance was a sleazy guy, and despite being semi-wealthy (it was a BIG company) and married with kids, he always tried to pick up younger women in the office.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 05
    Eventually after a few years, my Mom, being the amazing accountant that she is, noticed small irregularities in several statements. I don't know the technical terms, but Mom realized that someone was embezzling the company's money for at least a couple decades.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 06
    Concerned, she brought it up to the Head of Finance... who proceeded to demean her, call her names, botch her claim and basically threatened to fire her if she brought it up again.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 07
    My mother is not one to start crying, and instead sought to prove him wrong. However, a couple of months later Head of Finance brought in a new lady (young, she was legit blonde, fresh out of college) to train under Mom. My mother instantly knew what this was, and started putting out feelers for a new job. In the meanwhile
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 08
    she trained the younger lady, who, to quote my Mom, was "not the brightest bulb”. Now, Company W had a policy when an employee was going to be fired. If the employee was being fired (for reasons other than rule breaking, violations, etc) they would be allowed to say that they 'quit' to be able to give their weeks
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 09
    notice and get pay. A fair policy. So one day Mom was summoned by Head of Finance and told that he was firing her. She quickly counteracted and used the policy to her advantage, which angered Head of Finance but he had to comply.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 10
    The Malicious Compliance I know you're waiting for? Head of Finance told my mother in a, rather way, that since she was going about it that way, she might as well do an exit interview. My mother literally had a lightbulb moment, and said to him that in that case, she would.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    (To note: an exit interview is a formal way of leaving a job, akin to an interview for getting the job. It's a way for employees to share their experience, and why their leaving for records, including HR (Human Resources). You can see where this is going).
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 12
    So, she was scheduled for the exit interview. When she went in, my mother had to, of course, bring in files relating to her work (I can't recall the exact reason, other than it having to be relevant to her reason for leaving), and show it to the interviewer.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 13
    My Mom brought in three large boxes of files, each one containing evidence of the embezzlement. She then presented it to the interviewer, who my mother told me was rather stunned, and proceeded to hand over all the evidence and proceed with her exit. Including talking about the Head of Finance's reaction and how not long after the new lady was brought in to
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 14
    replace her. Mom then left the company that day, got new employment, and moved on. It was a decade later that she learned what happened. My Dad was a delivery driver at the time and actually made a delivery to Company W. While there he talked with an employee, mentioned my Mom had worked there
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 15
    and how she left, and the employee told him quite the juicy story.... In the year following my mother's departure and interview, her evidence was brought to HR and the CEO, who ordered an internal investigation. Hidden cameras were placed in the accounting division, every file made was screened ave photocopied, tiny details
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 16
    scrutinized and bank records triple checked... I think you can see where this is going. Yup, the Head of Finance was embezzling from Company W. But... it gets better. They got him, on camera, making out with the new lady inside the main office after hours. To add insult to injury, the cameras also caught him being cruel to those under
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 17
    him, touching other women, etc. But the biggest thing was still the embezzlement. Head of Finance managed to, in over thirty years, steal over a million dollars in Company W's earnings. From his days as a mere accountant and all through his promotions. Now the exact way he was able to get that much over time wasn't told to my dad (I doubt the employee
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    knew), but he did know the fallout. Head of Finance was summoned to the Big Cheese's office the day after the evidence was complied... and let's just say Head of Finance wished he had simply been fired. He was arrested for the embezzlement, and for sexual misconduct (or something like that), as well
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    as a few other things my mom can't recall. The new lady who came in actually revealed that he had brought her in after starting to date her and even revealed to her what he was doing. Her job basically had been to help him cover it up so they could live the rich life. She didn't even know what exactly accounting was, other than managing money. The perfect cover,
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    so to speak. And if the now ex-Head of Finance thought being arrested and charged was bad enough, when his wife found out... The employee who told my dad this hadn't been present when the wife had come in while the ex-Head of Finance had been led out, but a friend of his had seen what happened. She had just went up, smacked
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    the now ex-Head of Finance, screamed obscenities at him, before saying she'll be seeing him in court for a divorce. While my dad couldn't learn what exactly happened next, what was clear was that the guy's life. was ruined. And my mom, while not a vindictive person by any means, did feel somewhat joyful over the outcome.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    Lesson to be learned here: never screw with an accountant who actually knows what they're doing.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    TL:DR My mother discovers signs of embezzlement, gets demeaned and then slowly replaced by her boss. He offhandedly 'tells' her she might as well do an exit. interview while quitting. My mother does so, but shows evidence against him that ends up with him being changed for embezzlement and getting divorced by his wife for being with another woman.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 24
    Edit: Wow, this really blew up! I told my mom and she was in disbelief! Thanks everyone, you made her day! To clarify, the malicious compliance is that at the exit interview, my mother has to submit paperwork relating to why she left. So when the Head of Finance sarcastically told her she might as well go for it, she
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    did. And presented all those files of evidence against him, stating why she left (including what he had said to her). This is not revenge because my mother never intended it to be, she actually didn't realize how deep it went or that he was such a scumbag. She simply did exactly as she was told!
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    Another thing to clarify: the CEO got involved because one; Head of Finance was leeching from their funds for a long time, and two; ...they had been friends according to mom. Yikes.
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
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    Also please note she didn't learn of the fallout until a decade later, and from my dad who was told by an employee from the company, and mom told me. If I did get something wrong, well... telephone effect anyone?
    via u/EpicWinterWolf
  • 28
    Wow! Just saw the notification about the gold! That's insane! And that upvotes! You guys really made my mom's day! Thanks all!
    via u/EpicWinterWolf

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boss workplace-stories jobs toxic-workplace job malicious compliance toxic mother bosses work malicious-compliance-reddit workplace mom interview malicious compliance reddit exit toxic-work-environment
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