Employee denied raise after outstanding performance review, so he starts leaving early and quietly cuts his hours by 20% without anyone noticing: 'I gave myself the raise'

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Nov 16, 2025 10:00 PM EST

Corporate America loves to talk about performance-based pay. That is, until you actually perform.

This guy worked his b*tt off under a new merit-based salary system that replaced the usual cost-of-living raise. He received glowing reviews from every direction, from coworkers to supervisors, and so on. His manager even called him outstanding. So, naturally, he asked for a 12% raise.

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  • And what did he get, you ask? A fat zero. HR told him he was already in the top salary bracket for his position, as if that was some kind of compliment.

    So he did what many of us only dream about: he started leaving work an hour and a half early every day. For ten months. And not one single person noticed. He basically gave himself a 20% raise in free time. King behavior.

  • Cheezburger Image 10575717120
    via Curated Lifestyle For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

  • "My evaluation was excellent and the raise was zero. So I gave myself the raise."

    childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - The company I worked for decided to use a new 'performance- based' salary system. They canceled the usual 3-4% annual cost-of-living increase and told us that all our raises would be tied to 360-degree feedback.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I worked my butt off, got excellent reviews from everyone, and my manager described my performance as 'outstanding'.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I went into my evaluation meeting asking for a 12% raise. The result? A zero percent raise.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - When I insisted on understanding why, HR told me I was already in the 'top salary bracket' for my position and there was nothing they could do.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - So what did I do? Simple. I started packing my things and leaving an hour and a half early every day.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I kept this up for 10 months until I found a better job. My salary stayed the same, but I reduced my working hours by about 20%.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - The surprise? Not a single person noticed. Honestly, I don't regret it at all. If I could go back in time, I'd do it again with my eyes closed.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I am now considering leaving the company. I know no one noticed yet, but I really need a raise.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I need the money. I am updating my resume and will start applying. The thing is, I am bad at interviews.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - This is what is discouraging me. I always write notes to help me, but it is not that efficient.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - My friend suggested using Al. He sent me this tool that you open during the interview, and it feeds you instant answers.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - I am still considering it, but would appreciate it if one of you tried something similar before.
    via childlights8e
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - metalman7 This is the way.
    via metalman7
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - ndrecord29 Never work your butt off for a company. Always quality over quantity. Work on few impactful projects and communicate well, sound professional and clearly state the challenges you faced and the how you overcame those, numbers at hand. Market yourself first, not the company.
    via ndrecord29
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Infamous_Cat_2879 Brilliant!
    via Infamous_Cat_2879
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Delicious_Idea42 I do the same, except im still looking for a new job
    via Delicious_Idea42
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Swimming-Novel-4342 I do this all the time. I take loooooooooong lunches
    via Swimming-Novel-4342
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Hairy-Slide-5924 Regarding the salary adjustment process and the utilization of 360-degree feedback, it is important to clarify that 360- degree feedback is primarily intended for developmental purposes, such as enhancing culture and leadership, rather than for direct compensation decisions.
    via Hairy-Slide-5924
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Ecstatic-Dog4021 You're my hero.
    via Ecstatic-Dog4021
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - drgrouchy This is what I did for the last five years I worked once I stopped getting raises. No regrets.
    via drgrouchy
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - soaked_hop2v Same thing happened to me. For individual contributors, which I was at the time, the company changed annual reviews to weight our performance bonus by 60% of our own work and 40% of the team's work. I got 10/10 on my own stuff and the team was like 3/10 (bad manager, team members not pulling weight). So 13/20, barely meeting expectations. I asked how as an IC I co
    via soaked_hop2v
  • childlights8e https://www.reddit.com/r/interviewhammer/comments/1ounfov/my_evaluation_was_excellent_and_the_raise_was/ - Even-Mention4751 Now with your eyes closed, someone in your office will actually start noticing
    via Even-Mention4751
  • Cheezburger Image 10575717376
    via Curated Lifestyle For Unsplash+

  • Quiet quitting isn’t about slacking off. It’s about saying no to the hustle you’re told you should buy into.

    Which brings us to this one guy who hit his $2 million goal at 40, and stopped caring about promotions… only to accidentally earn four of them anyway. 

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salary promotion quiet quitting employee work stories job performance review petty revenge raise human resources Horrible Bosses
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