Boss cuts pay and eliminates benefits to punish an employee who asked for more money and took medical leave, forcing them to either quit or work at a loss: ‘She just doesn't want me to be able to apply for unemployment’

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Etai Eshet • Editor
Feb 10, 2025 7:00 AM EST

The corporate world loves inventing fancy words to avoid saying simple truths. Getting fired. Laid off. Canned. These words are too honest for modern HR departments. Instead, they perform linguistic gymnastics worthy of an Olympic medal. Today's gold-winning phrase: reclassification. 

Meet today's hero, who committed two cardinal workplace sins: asking for a raise and taking disability leave. The corporate response was pure poetry. Hours? Slashed in half. Benefits? Vanished like free coffee during budget cuts. Schedule? Perfectly designed to cost more in childcare than the actual paycheck. 

The boss even threw in a special assignment - creating a training manual for the future replacement. Its like being asked to dig your own professional grave while maintaining a positive attitude. The strategy is clear: make working conditions so absurd that quitting seems like the only sane choice. This way, the company dodges unemployment claims while maintaining their stellar workplace reputation.

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  • 01

    'It finally happened, but I'm not "terminated"...I'm "reclassified"'

    "She wouldn't just terminate me. She genuinely thought I'd quit"
    via Moyo Studio

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    Long time coming, since I asked for a raise in October and then took disability leave in December.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071

  • Our hero now navigates this corporate twilight zone while dealing with divorce papers, legal fees, and solo parenting. Meanwhile, well-meaning friends and family flood in with helpful suggestions about job openings, as if finding work was just that simple.

  • 03
    She knocked my hours down to 20 a week, no benefits, no health insurance, in-office 830 to 1230. It's literally going to cost me more to work. Because of child care.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 04
    Oh and she knows I'm going through a divorce, have no help/support/tons of legal fees.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10464720384
    via Yan Krukau

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • The moral of this corporate fable: when your boss invents new words for firing you, it is time to plan your exit. Because reclassification is just a fancy way of saying goodbye without the paperwork.

    Remember, in the corporate circus, sometimes the biggest clowns wear suits and sit in corner offices.

  • 06
    And she wouldn't just terminate me. She genuinely thought I'd quit. She even asked me to spend the next two weeks making a guide for my replacement. I said, "so I AM being terminated?" And of course it's no no no definitely not terminated.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 07
    She just doesn't want me to be able to apply for unemployment. The whole thing disgusts me. So I'm putting in minimum effort until she finally does terminate me, or I find a new job.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 08
    Cue every recruiter and family member ever sending me links to jobs (like I haven't been applying to 10+ a day since last year.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 09
    Ugh what a day. My soon to be ex was of absolutely no help, and | gave to hand my 2 year old daughter over to him tomorrow. Alone for 5 days. Should be plenty of time to job hunt right? What a day.
    via No_Cauliflower_5071
  • 10
    Any_Store_9590 Apply for unemployment because of diminished hours.
    via Any_Store_9590
  • 11
    EarlyExperience728 If you're still classified under accommodations due to a disability; your job hours, salary, benefits, and role cannot change. Or at least that is what the law was before I retired a few years ago. You cannot force
    via EarlyExperience728
  • 12
    someone to quit while on an accommodation due to a medical disability. I'd check into that. Maybe even post the question or guidance on the HR Reddit? Document everything. Start saving emails to your personal email. Wishing you the best.
    via EarlyExperience728
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10464720640
    via fizkes

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 14
    smithersje Please speak with an employment lawyer - I don't know the country you're in, but here in Canada this is not legal. Most employment lawyers will consult with you for free please please - speak with one.
    via smithersje
  • 15
    birthdaycakeee78 I'm so angry for you: i firmly believe part time work should be performed in full days. You shouldnt have to set an alarm clock early, wash hair, do laundry and
    via birthdaycakeee78
  • 16
    steaming 5 outfits and miss sleep and lose gas money for 4 hrs of pay per day and not be able to find another afternoon job due to 5 days/week. This is abive and criminal
    via birthdaycakeee78
  • 17
    gc1 Depends on the various things including size of company and potentially state. You may be able to call this constructive termination, though - you should definitely talk quickly to an employment lawyer.
    via gc1
  • 18
    EarlyExperience728 Yes, thank you for adding this.
    via EarlyExperience728
  • 19
    Ok_Efficiency5817 I would look for work while your in the office.
    via Ok_Efficiency5817
  • 20
    Imcdbc I'm so sorry. I have to believe that something better is on the horizon for you.
    via Imcdbc
  • 21
    Klutzy_Guard5196 It's constructive termination. Go file for unemployment NOW.
    via Klutzy_Guard5196

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management boss workplace-stories hr toxic-workplace manager bosses work PTO managers supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses work-life balance
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