Employees refuse to throw retiring coworker's goodbye party, despite working together for over 20 years, coworker leaves company feeling disgraced: ‘I cried on my way home from work'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 3, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Anyone under the age of 35 finds it hard to imagine staying in the same place of work for 20 years. Feeling secure in a workplace to a point where you feel comfortable staying there for so long has become an inspiration we can only dream of. The closest we get to it is observing our parents celebrate yet another decade doing the same job they've been doing for our entire lives. 

Moreover, a second concern has slowly crept into our subconscious in recent years, and that is regarding the sinking possibility we will ever manage to save up enough money to afford to retire when we should. With the world's current state, it seems more and more likely that we will all be working until we are 90, and who knows how many jobs we will go through by that age.

The reason we bring these two concerning issues up is because the employee in this Reddit story seemed to be struggling with them, but not how you would think. After 20 years in their workplace, this employee is actually able to retire, and they thought everyone in their workplace would be supportive of that. However, because of some bad managers, everyone in their workplace has turned against the retiring employee, resulting in an extremely lousy last day on the job. Keep scrolling to read all about it.

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  • 01
    "I am leaving the company in disgrace"
    via filadendron

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I am retiring on December 31st but many of my coworkers say I am leaving the company in disgrace!
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 03
    It has been a challenging couple of years at my employer. For two years I have been scared to doth that I would be fired just months away from getting a full pension.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 04
    A previous boss attacked me and my work on a daily basis and started the termination process. I fought back hard and submitted a formal workforce grievance using an Employment
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 05
    Attorney. That helped me keep my job but the attacks continued. I had few people who supported me even after twenty years of hard work for the company. Many of my
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 06
    fellow employees and managers are glad to see me go. I was told that I am leaving my job and the company in disgrace and I should have gone years ago. There will be
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 07
    no going away party. My departure will be anti-climatic. But in my retirement which starts on January 1, 2025, I will do just fine with my pension, 401K investments, and Social Security, etc.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 08
    However it would have been better if I had a going away party and all kinds of kind words about my hard work and wonderful personality and gold watch. Should I be bitter?
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10449588736
    via vgajic

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 10
    UPDATED at 6 PM December 31st. I am now retired and will get my pension starting next week. (Social Security starting in February)
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 11
    I survived the day without being fired. No one talked to me the whole day. I cried on my way home. For 18 of the 20 years at my employer, I
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 12
    had lots of friendly work friends and was highly regarded. At 5:01 p.m. today, I left in disgrace!
    via Beta_Nerdy

  • Even employees who have only been working in a company for a few months deserve a decent farewell from their coworkers. So it's hard to imagine working with the same people for 20 years, only to be completely ignored on the last day of the job.

    It doesn't have to be a full-blown party, but giving a cold shoulder to someone you've worked with for so long is one cruel thing to do, and we wouldn't wish it on anyone.

  • 13
    Beta_Nerdy OP Starting next year my monthly retirement income will be: $4500 pension, $1900 Social Security, $1200 Annuity, and $3000 from 4% withdrawals from my 401K and IRA withdrawals. Lots of money but I feel empty and small! REJECTED AND BELITTLED BY MY RESPECTED PEERS!
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 14
    Bama Tony64 Maybe a few coworkers want to have a drink on your last day after work?
    via BamaTony64
  • 15
    Beta_Nerdy OP I am out of favor. If a coworker is seen talking to me about non-work related things people would notice and that person would be ostracized. I am like the class nerd in High School. If the cool kids are seen talking to me they are not cool anymore.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 16
    Gullible_Banana387 Dude, it's 2024, no one gets a retirement party.
    via Gullible_Banana387
  • 17
    Beta Nerdy OP Not true. Except for the people who were fired and escorted out by security, everyone else who resigned at the company I work at got a going away lunch and a card saying how much they would miss him or her. Not me!
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 18
    OlympicA r u/Beta_Nerdy If you don't mind sharing, what do you do for a living?
    via OlympicA****Eater
  • 19
    Beta_Nerdy OP For 20 years I worked in Human Resources but left because the management would not back me up when I tried to give a voice to bu ied employees. In my final years up to today, I was an Office Operations Manager.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 20
    IndependenceMean8774 Who cares what they think? It doesn't matter. You're free, and you never have to see them again. You just had the bad luck (or maybe good luck if you think about it) to see their true colors before you left.
    via IndependenceMean8774
  • 21
    Work friends are often not your true friends anyway. Forget about them and enjoy your retirement. Congratulations on making it through successfully.
    via IndependenceMean8774
  • 22
    Beta_Nerdy OP On New Year's Day I was out and about town and ran into four of my ex coworkers who used to be friendly to me. They snickered and rolled their eyes and kept walking when I greeted them. Living in a small town I will see my ex coworkers everywhere I go.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 23
    RagingHardBobber I don't understand. Why would you be leaving "in disgrace"? Do they think you did something improper or ill-advised, or was it just that they think you stayed too long?
    via RagingHardBobber
  • 24
    Beta_Nerdy OP Leaving in disgrace was a term one of the company leaders used when describing my tenure at the company. Others picked it up in hushed tones of gossip and passed it on to me. They thought it was a
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 25
    disgrace I was able to hold on to my job by using a formal workforce grievance and a top employment attorney. They think I should have been fired years ago for incompetence.
    via Beta_Nerdy
  • 26
    lyingdogfacepony66 I wouldn't be bitter about not having a party or not getting recognition from people that didn't support you. Live your best life. Success is the best revenge. Enjoy your retirement.
    via lyingdogfacepony66
  • 27
    shiftysquid Every one of them wishes they were in your shoes. Every single one.
    via shiftysquid
  • 28
    stuitaff I've found loyalty and goodwill at a company only last for as long as you are deemed useful. All your previous years of good service mean squat when things begin to turn sour. So enjoy your retirement. You've earnt it!
    via stuitaff

  • This story goes to show that your coworkers are not your friends, even if you do spend so much time with them on a daily basis. All it takes is one small crisis, and they can turn on you in a split second. And the funny thing is, that as soon as you leave your workplace, you have no real reason to ever see those people again. It can be a clean breakup, and a complete disconnect from people who have become an integral part of your existence. 

    We're not saying that is the way it should be, or that it will happen to everyone, but we have to acknowledge that it does happen, and maybe we will all be better off if we're a little more prepared for it than before.

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Tags

boss workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace coworkers reddit story overworked-employees workplace retired retirement Reddit company
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