‘The judge actually congratulated me and my lawyer’: Boss exploits employee using a fake freelancing contract and then fires her without warning, so she takes them to court for violating labor laws

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Sep 3, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Many creatives follow the path of freelance work because it offers benefits like building their own schedule and not being tied down to one geographical location—they are digital nomads. The employee in this next story, however, works for a company under an alleged freelancing contract but works full-time hours. She receives no support from her direct supervisor, and upper management is unsure how to perform their jobs. Her "freelancer" status prevents her from having any real permanence at the company, so she isn't surprised when she is canned on a random weekday.

Though she wasn't surprised, she still held a vendetta and promised her ex-boss and upper management that she would be back, Terminator-style, and she definitely followed through on that promise.

Even when you think the world forgets about you, you're offered victories beyond your comprehension. The employee takes the boss to court, wins by a landslide, and is even congratulated by the judge because she did everything right. Employers violate labor laws more often than anyone realizes, so it's important to know your rights as an employee. The big guys in suits win a lot of things, but sometimes, the little guys find a way to serve justice. Scroll below to read the entire story.

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  • a wooden gavel sitting on top of a wooden table in a court room
    via Yunus Tuğ For Unsplash+

  • "Boss fires me illegally—Ends up paying for it"

    Hi everyone! Here's how my ex-boss and his brilliant management team tried to exploit me and ended up handing me the perfect revenge on a silver platter.
    via Haldamirie
  • Petty? Quite a lot. In my country this is rarely done. A few years ago, I (F35) worked as a SEO Copywriter and SSM for a well-known Italian company.
    via Haldamirie
  • I spoke and reported directly to Big Boss (General Manager) and Mini Boss. When they "hired" me, they forced me to open a VAT number (partita IVA)
    via Haldamirie
  • and "work as a freelancer." In reality, I worked exclusively for them, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week-just like a full-time employee. This is not exactly... fair.
    via Haldamirie
  • I told them, they said "not worry, you will find more connections through us." (Never occurred). I did my job impeccably, always on time, never missed a deadline, and received plenty of praise
    via Haldamirie
  • from management ans customers via emails and messages. The twist? The Mini Boss's girlfriend and the Big Boss's mistress (yes, both on payroll) were hopeless at their jobs.
    via Haldamirie
  • They made mistakes, dumped their work on others, and only survived thanks to their "connections." I didn't hide my opinion ―especially when their mistakes meant more work for everyone else.
    via Haldamirie
  • After seven months, out of nowhere, the Mini Boss tells me in person (no written notice, which is illegal): "Your services are no longer required." I ask to speak with Big Boss, too.
    via Haldamirie
  • Request denied. I just smiled and said to Mini Boss, "This isn't over." He looked nervous and asked, "Are you threatening the company?"
    via Haldamirie
  • I replied, "Threats are for people who aren't sure they'll win. I'm making a promise. It's just a matter of time." With my lawyer, I started legal action for wrongful termination and labor law violations.
    via Haldamirie
  • Here's where it gets delicious: The Big Boss, in his infinite wisdom, replied to my lawyer's official communication with a long, angry email full of insults and personal attacks.
    via Haldamirie
  • Thank you for the extral evidence, genius. After a year (because Italian bureaucracy is slow as h I), I delivered a 200- page dossier of evidence: chats, emails, communications, invoices, photos- everything.
    via Haldamirie
  • Less than a week after my lawyer filed it (in the middle of Christmas Holidays), their own lawyer contacted me, practically begging me to name a settlement amount so they could avoid going to trial.
    via Haldamirie
  • euro currency under a judge's gavel to show that they won the lawsuit
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • With my lawyer, I asked for a five-figure sum. They accepted without a single complaint. On the day of the settlement hearing, the judge actually congratulated me and my lawyer for how thoroughly we'd documented everything.
    via Haldamirie
  • She then turned to my ex-boss and gave him a stern warning about his "appalling conduct," adding, "We're honestly tired of seeing your name in court." Looks like a leopard really doesn't change its spots.
    via Haldamirie
  • TL;DR: Boss tries to exploit me with a fake freelance contract, fires me illegally, then hands me all the evidence I need to win in court.
    via Haldamirie
  • Their lawyer begs for a settlement, they pay up, and the judge roasts my ex-boss for being a repeat offender. Karma served.
    via Haldamirie
  • dhgaut I love the zinger at the end: Boss is always going to lose in front of this judge.
    via dhgaut
  • Haldamirie I recently found out that other ex-colleagues took similar actions against him. Excellent way to get a bad reputation in the court of a small province.
    via Haldamirie

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Like a Boss boss workplace-stories petty-revenge-reddit bosses Professional At Work work reddit story petty revenge petty workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit
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