'If you pay peanuts you get monkeys': Boss gives employee salary 'adjustment' down to minimum wage, is surprised when they immediately quit

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Apr 30, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

A big thing about being comfortable in your job is feeling like you're being respected. The other stuff is important too, (money, benefits, flexibility) but respect looms large among those factors. You spend so much time at your job that, at the very least, you want to feel comfortable. This has a lot to do with how your supervisors see you-- how they communicate with you, how they value your time, and how they reward you financially. You're there to make money, after all. You probably want to make sure that they're paying you with respect to your talents and your time.

This, of course, doesn't always happen. Some supervisors will take any opportunity to nickel and dime their employees in order to save the company a couple of bucks. This often backfires, though. Because if you don't have happy employees, you might start having no employees at all. And it's a lot more expensive to hire someone new than it is to keep someone on.

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  • 01

    Salary "adjustment" brought me down to minimum wage-gave my notice, and now my boss is surprised

    I worked in the quality department of a large manufacturing company. In 2024, I was earning a few hundred above minimum wage. It wasn't great, but it was manageable, and I took the job to gain experience.
    via u/Giejc
  • 02
    0000
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • That's what happened in this story where a worker was humiliated by a salary adjustment. Instead of doing the right thing and valuing their loyal employee, this employer made the grave error of trying to get away with cutting corners on personnel. Read on for the story to see what happened.

  • 03
    This year, when the minimum wage increased, I expected a proportional adjustment as was done year before. Instead, my pay was "adjusted" to the new minimum wage.
    via u/Giejc
  • 04
    I have two engineering degrees and took this job knowing it wouldn't pay much, but I didn't expect it to get worse. So I handed in my one-month notice, as required in my country. My boss seemed genuinely surprised and said it would be hard to replace me on such short notice.
    via u/Giejc
  • 05
    shadho 3h ago • He can solve this problem by paying you more. It's funny how every business loves capitalism until the most basic premise of it (supply and demand) applies to their workforce.
    via u/Giejc
  • 06

    Commenters sympathized with the worker's decision to leave, and added some extra support.

    Cool_As_Your_Dad • 3h ago hard to replace me on such short notice. hard to replace for so cheap.
    via u/Cool_As_Your_Dad
  • 07
    . asvezesmeesqueco · 3h ago "what a shame, you should have thought of that before "adjusting" my salary."
    via u/asvezesmeesqueco
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10500023808
    via Kenny Eliason

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

  • 09
    just_mark 3h ago . we are paying you the least we are allowed to! Why would you want to leave?
    via u/just_mark
  • 10
    BurningAngel666 3h ago Not your problem about your replacement! Hopefully you told him that you were surprised by how little you are clearly valued by the company (as was reflected in your wage "adjustment")
    via u/BurningAngel666
  • 11
    Pottski 3h ago . Your boss is a tool and has made it all about him. F him and move on with your head held high.
    via u/Pottski
  • 12
    droscoe70 3h ago . A month? What happens if you just leave? And can he just fire you or does he owe you a month work or pay?
    via u/droscoe70
  • 13
    Giejc OP • 2h ago It works both ways in my country, If they want to fire me I have 1 month of pay guaranteed. If I just leave it can be seen as a breach of contract and will be shown on my record, so not ideal.
    via u/Giejc
  • 14
    cardlackey • 3h ago Sounds like a them problem. Wish them the best of luck finding a quality replacement at their wages.
    via u/cardlackey
  • 15
    Zdoodah 2h ago If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
    via u/Zdoodah
  • 16
    Feelout4 3h ago That's a shame for your boss isn't it, shame they didn't pay you more and are now going to have to look for a replacement. Realistically they'll just try to continue without hiring and then put more work on less workers.
    via u/Feelout4
  • 17
    AQ... • • 2h ago Edited 2h ago "From my perspective, it's a long time to struggle with a pay cut before I can take a job that pays enough to live on." It's absurd to guilt you over your hardship caused by their greed. You accepted the job at a certain rate of pay and they chose to break that contract.
    via u/AQualityKoalaTeacher
  • 18
    TheHungryBlanket • 3h ago This happens when a company needs people but doesn't value people.
    via u/TheHungryBlanket
  • 19
    Heaven19922020 • 2h ago Why are they always suprised when a decrease in pay means that people leave?
    via u/Heaven19922020
  • 20
    SamPlinth • 2h ago People surprised by easily anticipated consequences are either stupid or lying.
    via u/SamPlinth
  • 21
    Amethystdust • 2h ago I had this happen years ago. Min wage went up and suddenly I as management was making the same as the classroom staff. They gave me a token adjustment and then when I had my review a few months later said I couldn't get more because I'd "just gotten that raise from the state, thank them."
    via u/Amethystdust
  • 22
    I didn't last long after that. It was the beginning of them slipping and showing how little integrity they had towards their staff and clients.
    via u/Amethystdust
  • 23
    OurWeapons Are U... • 3h ago I experienced the same many years ago. Min wage went-up substantially in my state, and was essentially what I was earning after many years. The mgmt tried to frame just the increase as a problem they would have to deal with, trying to ignore the idea of everyone
    via u/OurWeaponsAreUseless
  • 24
    suddenly making the same money whether an employee had spent seven years or seven days on the job. When the issue was raised almost immediately, they eventually caved to a minimal increase of supervisor pay as there was really no option on their end if any appearance of propriety was to be maintained.
    via u/OurWeaponsAreUseless
  • 25
    Growling AtTheWo... . 2h ago I once had this issue and I went to the bossman and explain when I started I was being paid $1 above minimum and now I am being paid minimum. I can go anywhere else and get this same wage. So they put me Back up to $1 above minimum.
    via u/GrowlingAtTheWorld
  • 26
    davechri • 3h ago it would be hard to replace me on such short notice. That doesn't sound like your problem.
    via u/davechri

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