Employee refuses HR's pleas to train their work replacement after being fired from their job: ‘I laughed in their faces’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Mar 4, 2025 1:00 PM EST

When all is said and done, you don't owe the companies who employ you anything if they decide to get up and fire you, but not before begging you to train the person they hired (for half the cost) to replace you. The craziest part about these kinds of stories is that they happen way more often than you'd think. Bad bosses exist everywhere, and most HR reps are looking out for their companies more than they are looking out for you. All scorned employees know the struggle between wanting to believe a company is different and knowing that they aren't different at all. Such is the case in this next story.

An employee is fired from their role and given a lukewarm "We're going in a different direction" reason. Okay, that stings. Nonsensical non-answers are almost worse than the truth, but nothing is worse than being asked to train the person who is replacing you in the role. As if. Scroll to see how the story unfolds.

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  • This employee, mind you, has been at this company for five years. They've never had so much as a bad mark on any of their performance reviews. However, a new manager came to the company and began giving them an exceptionally hard time with daily tasks and the like. So, when their HR calls them into a meeting and fires them on the spot with nonsensical reasoning for the termination, they decide to do the exact opposite of what HR is begging them to do.

  • "HR asked me to stay for two more weeks to train my replacement."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • "AITAH for refusing to train my replacement after I was fired?"

    I (28M) worked at my company for five years. I was good at my job, never had issues, and even trained multiple new hires. A few
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • months ago, we got a new manager, and from day one, she clearly didn't like me. No real reason, just constant nitpicking.
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • Last week, I was called into a meeting and fired. No warning, no performance issues—just "we're going in a different direction." I was p ed but
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • stayed professional. Then came the kicker: HR asked me to stay for two more weeks to train my replacement.
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • I laughed in their faces. They fired me, but now they expect me to help the new guy learn everything I know? No way. I told
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • them I wouldn't be coming back, and they started panicking, saying I was being "unprofessional" and should "leave on good terms."
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • Cheezburger Image 10475405824
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • Now, my ex-coworkers are texting me, saying I've screwed them over because my replacement has no idea what
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • he's doing, and everything is falling apart. My old manager even emailed me, practically begging me to reconsider.
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • AITAH for walking away and letting them deal with the mess they created?
    via Murky_Tension6624
  • HMS_Slartibartf... NTA. Proper response is "After careful consideration, I have decided that I can be hired for contract work. As an independent contractor my rate starts at (5 times your
    via HMS_Slartibartfast
  • original salary) and I can send over a service agreement. Please respond within 5 business days to keep this low rate."
    via HMS_Slartibartfast
  • KhaosSlash "Sorry, after firing me I have chosen to go in a different direction. If you would like to hire me as a consultant, please see my attached rate (like $500/hr 40 hour/week minimum of 2 weeks.)"
    via KhaosSlash
  • holdingpotato NTA It's not your job to do their job of training. I would say "If I was not up to your standards to do the job, why would you want me to train someone else?"
    via holdingpotato
  • You didn't deserve to be fired and they deserve to deal with the consequences of firing an asset.
    via holdingpotato
  • Bored BKK "...I was being "unprofessional"..." That's hilarious the only lack of professionalism was your "manager" firing the only qualified employee without actually having a replacement. If they keep the person responsible for this, your manager, then it shows it's a cultural problem at that job.
    via BoredBKK
  • PerfectVelv3t NTA. They fired you, why should you do them any favors? Let them figure it out on their own and maybe next time they'll think twice before letting go of a valuable employee. #savage #sorrynotsorry
    via PerfectVelv3t
  • Revo63 "I used to be a team player. But now I'm not on your team anymore, so go f yourselves."
    via Revo63
  • Theca NTA. Let them suffer and collect unemployment. Or may they pay you as a contractor and hike the price up but make sure they pay you first!
    via Theca

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reddit stories boss aita antiwork workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace bosses work coworkers reddit story workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit
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