Boss doubles employee's workload with $0 pay raise after coworker quits, tells employee not to 'take it personally': 'Today is the day you quiet quit'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Oct 29, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, especially at work. But this can happen if you're not careful about it. They will look at what you're already doing and ask for more. There is a certain amount of leeway you should give, since you want to step up for a challenge. But there is a fine line between pitching in when you feel like it's needed and taking on way too much for no reward. It would be smart if employers always knew to reward their employees for everything they do. But they don't always do that. Sometimes, they just want to see how much they can get away with. 

This becomes especially easy to spot when another employee leaves the company, and your team is left to figure out how to divide the work. The smart thing would be to hire somebody else. But as employers know to be true, it's much cheaper to give more work to an existing employee than it is to hire somebody else. But you should give them some reward in return. 

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  • A frustrated worker looks at his computer while his boss watches over.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • One employee faced that situation and found herself in a tricky situation. After her coworker quit, she was suddenly saddled with way more work than she was used to taking on, and she had nothing to show for it. Read on to find out what happened to this worker and why she reached out to an online community for help. 

  • My boss said don't take it personally after giving me extra work for someone who quit.

    One of my coworkers quit last week and instead of hiring a replacement my boss just handed me their entire workload. I asked if there was going to be any kind of raise or even a title change and he hit me with a don't take it
    via u/DisastrousTie190
  • personally, it's just business. Bro it's literally personal you're asking me to do two people's jobs for the same paycheck. He even had the nerve to say I know you can handle it like it was a compliment. No you know I won't say no because rent exists. I finished the day completely drained, sat in the parking lot for 20 minutes playing myprize trying not to lose it. I swear that's become my version of stress leave at this point.
    via u/DisastrousTie190
  • Anyone else notice that "you're so reliable" is just workplace code for "we can exploit you and you won't complain"?
    via u/DisastrousTie190

  • Commenters agreed that this was not a good way to manage.

    nsa_k⚫ 23h ago If you succeed at doing 2 peoples jobs, why would they bother hiring someone to fill the no longer needed position? Accomplish aspects of job 1, and some aspects of job 2 while failing at both. Email your manager daily to document that you are unable to handle the increased workload.
    via u/nsa_k
  • Be sure to also start taking an extra bathroom break or two, and don't skip any lunch or breaks. Unless you AND the person that quit were sitting around doing nothing for half the day, there is no reasonable way to do the work of 2 without being allowed double the hours.
    via u/nsa_k
  • R-Dragon_Thunde... . 23h ago Sure boss you can load me up as twice as many tasks and everything will get done half as efficiently ☑☺ what I won't be doing is halving my effective pay rate. I hope you understand, it's not personal, it's just business.
    via u/R-Dragon_Thunderzord
  • Silver_Middle_7240 23h ago "Yeah, it's business. This is a business transaction. What is my compensation for this new service?"
    via u/Silver_Middle_7240
  • A man looks upset at his desk at work.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • gijimayu 23h ago . Well.. wake the fuck up. If you are gonna do it, then why would he not ask you to do it?
    via u/gijimayu
  • STOP DRAINING YOURSELF. Work at a reasonable pace and if there are projects that are unfinished, then they are unfinished. They won't hire if you can do everything. You having a burn out is NOT their problem, its yours.
    via u/gijimayu
  • alekcand3r • 23h ago Why are you even trying? I would be likely doing less and give as excuse that too many tasks switching happening because of the additional load
    via u/alekcand3r
  • JakoMyto 23h ago I am always wondering what will happen if some of the work is simply not done by the end of the day?
    via u/JakoMyto
  • MarvelousuolevraM 23h ago • Guy quit here in April. They gave me the lip service "everyone will pick up the extra slack, it won't solely be on you to perform the tasks he was doing" - we're at the end of October and no one has done anything extra except for me. No raise. No bonuses (they cut our bonuses completely) - just more things for me to do. I hate it here.
    via u/MarvelousuolevraM
  • Redditlatley • 23h ago This sounds like a perfect time to ask for a raise and an extra week of PTO. Without that other employee, you have the upper hand, at the moment.
    via u/Redditlatley
  • Dr_A_Mephesto • 23h ago Tell him you're not taking it personally. This is nothing to do with personally. In fact this is 100% business. Ask him if his customers halved their pay but expected the same work would he do that? Because that's what he is asking.
    via u/Dr_A_Mephesto
  • ThrowRADel · 23h ago • Today is the day you quiet. quit and only do what you can.
    via u/ThrowRADel
  • Billthebanger • 23h ago The harder you work the more shit they give you. I learned this in construction after seeing a slacker getting promoted. My father told me the secret that 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people.
    via u/Billthebanger
  • No_Eggplant6269 • 23h ago . You need to find another job asap. They will load you and not reward you plain and simple.
    via u/No_Eggplant6269
  • bippy404 • 23h ago . Do not get it all done. Ask what the priorities are and the answer can't be "all of it". They get you for your scheduled hours or they compensate you for your time, period. If you show them it can be done even if it kills you, they're gonna expect it. Don't do it.
    via u/bippy404
  • dragonOfthewest • 23h ago. These companies and employers really hate capitalism. We sell our labor, same as they sell products. They increase prices in accordance with what they offer- so do workers. They clearly hate America and working Americans. Sadly, they've indoctrinated the bosses to turn against the workers and promote their anti-american sceme.
    via u/dragonOfthewest
  • mama_Maria123 · 23h ago . "Don't take it personally". The boss says that doesn't absolve them of being a jerk.
    via u/mama_Maria123
  • JoffreeBaratheon 23h ago Why are you acting like boss has the power here? Unless both jobs were meaningless, sounds like boss can't afford to lose you now even more then usual.
    via u/JoffreeBaratheon
  • Ok-Finger-733 • 22h ago . He's right, it isn't personal, it's business. Business pays for work, personal does favors like extra work for free. STOP WORKING FOR FREE. Finish your work, then start the bonus work but never, ever finish it on time or to the same standard as your normal work. Make sure you are looking for a new job
    via u/Ok-Finger-733
  • Few_Feeling_6760 · 23h ago Work at the same pace you always have done. If the extra work doesn't get done, that's on your boss. Giving someone else's ENTIRE WORKLOAD to one person is completely unreasonable.
    via u/Few_Feeling_6760
  • ResponsibleBank1... 23h ago I email daily asking which tasks to prioritize, and which can slide for the day.
    via u/ResponsibleBank1387
  • Andminus 23h ago Sounds like your boss is about to have two people quit in quick succession? will he try to put your work and that other work onto a 3rd co- worker?
    via u/Andminus

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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