Update: Employee gets cheated out of bonus by his friend-turned-boss, returns to work with his resignation and a better job offer elsewhere: 'I'll be making double what my base is now'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 27, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

There is a danger in having a close friend as your boss. When it comes to conversations about job expectations and salary, things can get tense really quickly. Those discussions are tough to navigate with anyone, which makes having to deal with the blurring of personal and professional boundaries even more unbearable. Keep scrolling below for this employee's saga of a salary negotiation conversation that led to a resignation within just a few months. Stay tuned for the author's subsequent updates as well!

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10486084608
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • This employee was able to successfully negotiate a promotion with his friend-turned-boss, but that ended up causing problems down the road. After being granted that salary raise, the employee was denied the $70k year-end bonus he had been counting on over the holidays. His boss's excuse was that the promotion made the higher-ups reconsider his eligibility for the bonus. 

  • 02
    Currently in NYC. Had a job offer earlier this year in LA paying significantly more. Went to my boss who's a good friend of mine and asked him to beat it or else I'd have to take the other role. They did and I was really happy because I love my job.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 03
    2 weeks ago sat down for my annual review and to talk over my bonus. Annual review went great but when it came to my bonus he said since I got such a big raise that should count as my bonus
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 04
    (which this year would have been ~70k-ish). I told him that's ridiculous but he's adamant about it. Was a really difficult and awkward convo since he's my friend but he wouldn't budge.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 05
    Reached out to my network and got incredibly lucky with another opportunity. Complete black swan event with the timing and was able to secure an offer last week. I'll be making double what my base is now and bonus would probably be more than double what my current should've been.
    via TheKingofSafari

  • Naturally, the employee went looking elsewhere, and when he confronted his boss that he had been given another offer, he decided that this time around, there was no point in negotiating. He handed in his resignation along with one week's notice, and despite pushback from his boss, the employee managed to stand his ground. At that point, the boss knew he had made a colossal mistake regarding their discussion of the bonus, but the damage had already been done and there was nothing anyone could do to rectify that or change the now former employee's mind.

  • 06
    I know I'm the firm offer by quitting now because I've handled our year end processes for several years now and I've honestly been kind of about documenting how I do it (I've done zéro documentation). Oh well.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 07
    Starting new gig the following week so won't be giving 2 weeks notice either. Having trouble sleeping since I'm so excited and nervous for tomorrow.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 08
    Update: mini update before I actually resign since I've gotten some PMs asking. Sorry I won't say what my specific job is. Kind of a niche job/industry and I'd rather not talk too much about it. Let's just say I'm in finance.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 09
    UPDATE: A lot more feedback than I expected. To everyone offering advice and congratulations, thank you. To others telling me to go to (or actively wishing me serious harm), I agree with you that
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 10
    putting a $ figure on the title was in poor form. $70k is a lot of money to me and I was really upset about not receiving it. I sympathize with your struggle and am sorry. I didn't grow up with money and opportunities but I got lucky and am now privileged; and I wish all of us were so.
    via TheKingofSafari
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    Cheezburger Image 10486085632
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)
  • 12
    What happened today: I pulled my boss aside and based on his reaction he already knew what was happening. He said "before you say anything I want you to know I've been thinking about our last talk and I'm sorry."
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 13
    Said he spoke with his wife who has always been good to me and agreed with her that he owed me an apology. That what happened with my bonus is unfortunate but he can't reverse it now but can try to make things right next year.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 14
    I accepted his apology and informed him that I received an offer from another firm and am excited about the opportunity but can only provide one week notice.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 15
    He tried to get numbers from me, said if I can provide him actual documentation of the offer he for sure can take it to the rest of the partners and match it with a sign on bonus to keep me motivated to stay. I thanked him for everything he's done for me but told him I'd be taking the offer anyway.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 16
    We spoke about how to handle year end procedures. I feel like this is gonna a lot of people off but I agreed to help to the best of my ability this final week that I'm here.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 17
    He wasn't happy about this and told me I'm putting them in a really difficult situation but he understood why I'm doing what I'm doing.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 18
    Few hours later we went out for a late lunch, he asked me to reconsider leaving. Said if anytime in the next week if I change my mind I can stay and we can have a discussion with the partners about what my immediate future would be. I told him I'd made up my mind
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 19
    but I would think about it. He said some stuff about the grass not always being greener and things like that. Probably gonna work the rest of the week from home to avoid those convos.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 20
    Now spending the rest of the day dodging questions from colleagues about where I'm going. you guys Overall went well. Sorry I couldn't provide the revenge wanted. It's incredibly detrimental to your career if you burn bridges in this industry.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 21
    Oceansvomitonsand Holy you were going to get a 70k bonus?!
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 22
    middlingwhiteguy That's why I don't ask an employer to match an offer I receive. They'll either promise to match it then make some excuse not to, or they do
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 23
    match it and then try to find any reason to criticize your work and fire you. If an employer won't give you a raise you deserve on their own, then find a better opportunity elsewhere
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 24
    Razgrizv Congratulations! Don't feel sorry for them, they had their chance to prove to you that you are important in their eyes but failed to do so.
    via TheKingofSafari
  • 25
    Someone else thought you are worth more based on what you can bring to the new company. You're just doing business in a capitalistic society. Nothing more, nothing less.
    via TheKingofSafari

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