Corporate manager gets fired for calling out shady business practices, ex-boss reaches out for help 6 months later: 'Assistance needed!'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 16, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

It's funny how former employers always seem to come crawling back after they realize they need you. In this instance, we have a proud and stubborn employer who could not muster the courage to acknowledge her employee's justified critiques and who decided that firing the employee was the best course of action. 

Of course, the employee was in the right, and when her now former boss realized that she needed some more information from the person she let go, she dared to reach back out. Most folks would find any other way to get the information they needed, so I guess props to the employer for being that shameless.

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  • 01
    T о "Former employer wants my password to the computer I used 6 months after terminating me."
    via Corinne Kutz

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

  • This former boss had the audacity to unjustly fire one of their corporate marketing managers after she called out their illegal business practices, only to then ask for their help with changing the password to their old work computer six months later. The crazy thing about the dismissal is that it wasn't just that their manager flagged the inappropriate business practices, but she also provided concrete and actionable solutions so that she wouldn't come across as merely complaining. Still, her boss clearly felt too threatened to take her suggestions into serious consideration. Instead, she just fired her. 

    But karma did come back with a vengeance when that boss realized she was unable to log into the manager's old work computer and had no choice but to beg for assistance six months down the road…

  • 02
    Assistance Needed for Laptop Password Reset [Inbox 26 PM V to me ✓ Hi I trust this message finds you well. I am reaching out to discuss a logistical matter related to the company laptop that was returned upon your departure. We are currently unable to perform a factory reset to prepare the laptop for the next user because there is still a password on the welcome screen.
    via spicyad
  • 03
    We kindly request your assistance in providing the necessary information to reset the laptop to its factory settings, and this will involve sharing your password wit us. Rest assured that any information provided will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and will only be used to reset the laptop.
    via spicyad
  • 04
    Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me! Best regards,
    via spicyad
  • 05
    This just makes me giggle. For context: This company sought me out to interview at their company for a management position. I ended up getting the job. Lasted 30 days until
    via spicyad
  • 06
    they terminated the position due to a "cart before the horse" situation. Basically what happened is I called out all the illegal marketing practices happening and offered solutions to fix them. They got rid of the problem, which was "me." Now they want my password. Lol w
    via spicyad

  • Several members of the online community weighed in with feedback about how ignorant and unprofessional this boss was. On top of her inability to listen to her former employee's pitches for solutions, she couldn't manage to get IT to handle the computer nonsense for her. This lady is the one who should not be employed!

  • 07
    weirdfo 4 hr. ago "I forget sorry". Absolutely don't need a login password to factory reset a computer.
    via spicyad
  • 08
    Charleston2Seattle. 3 hr. ago edited 2 hr. ago No, no. You keep giving them new passwords each day. "Uh... try this: ur4J9#aXJ."
    via spicyad
  • 09
    Next day, "Oh, that didn't work? Hmm. Try this: w52Maka2h"
    via spicyad
  • 10
    Repeat until they stop asking. Always wait a day between each response.
    via spicyad
  • 11
    Fat SAPALOR PINATA 杯
    via Dan Burton

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

  • 12
    Not_In_my_crease · 4 hr. ago . edited 4 hr. ago Any company worth their salt would be able to get into that computer immediately. That tells me either it wasn't on AD and they want some files on it
    via spicyad
  • 13
    AND it's a local account and they don't know how to break into it-- which is trivially easy if unencrypted. Or they set it up originally as a local BitLocker account. This is
    via spicyad
  • 14
    stupid and if they don't. know the password and they don't have all the licenses/IDs they're Please correct me somebody.
    via spicyad
  • 15
    spicyad OP 4 hr. ago I wish I could. They didn't use ANY security measures when they issued me the laptop.
    via spicyad
  • 16
    dinosore 4 hr. ago 6 months? There is no way I'm remembering a password I haven't been using frequently after 6 months, especially for a job I'd only held for 30 days. I wouldn't be able to help them even if I wanted to.
    via spicyad
  • 17
    False Release4 4 hr. ago. I think their idea of a "factory reset" is renaming your account and just giving it to the next guy
    via spicyad
  • 18
    AngryDrnkBureaucrat 4 hr. ago Obvious spam is obvious spam Send that email to your junk folder
    via spicyad
  • 19
    Rulersfatherwas 5 hr. ago You are now a consultant. Charge them accordingly.
    via spicyad
  • 20
    crythene 4 hr. ago This is strange. Best case scenario, they are lying and need a file on your computer, worst case they themselves have been compromised and if you give this person your password they will try to
    via spicyad
  • 21
    use it to get into your personal accounts. Ignore this message and never give anyone your password for any reason.
    via spicyad
  • 22
    PegaxS 4 hr. ago "Yeah, honestly... it was that long ago, and I used a really strong 14 letter, character and number password that I had saved on a piece of paper... pretty sure I threw out that paper though... sorry."
    via spicyad
  • 23
    oldgrimie 4 hr. ago Ignore, until they offer you cash money and then demand triple. If their IT guy can't factory reset a laptop then they should be dismissed for incompetence immediately.
    via spicyad
  • 24
    AloneCan9661 - 4 hr. ago They can't preform a reset? Shouldn't IT be able to handle this?
    via spicyad
  • 25
    spicyad OP 4 hr. ago You would think... the entire company is a show and I'm glad they terminated me when they did
    via spicyad

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