Immature boss starts playing petulant games with his employee, assigning her no work for days because she expressed a need for rest once: ‘She's been removed from their Slack channel’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Nov 15, 2025 10:00 PM EST

Quiet-quitting is one thing, but quiet-firing is a whole other ballpark.

Usually, when an employee decides to quit quietly, it's because they aren't happy in their workplace. They feel overworked and underpaid, their managers refuse to provide merit increases for great output, and it all just feels moot.

We're sure you know this feeling all too well. Employee burnout, though, can also just be a symptom of the workforce's inertia. We all need a rest at times, especially if we're integral to the flow of our respective companies. A lot of members of upper management, though, don't want to confront the elephant in the room: Their subordinates work too much, and they work way too little.

The employee in this next story decided she needed a rest after her boss contacted her off the clock to complete a task. This comes after a long string of passive-aggressive games, executed by her boss. The employee's husband believes her boss is targeting her because she received a pay raise to stay at the company, and now, he's wreaking havoc on her every opportunity he can get. Scroll below to read about the situation and get all the details.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10576073728
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 02

    "Boss is quiet-firing my wife and playing these WEEEEIRD passive-aggressive games"

    Tl; Dr Boss hasn't assigned wife work for days. No explanation. == == Years ago my wife was going to quit for another company, but her boss doubled her salary to retain.
    via thebangzats
  • 03
    I think after a while, her boss regrets giving her that raise and resents her for it.
    via thebangzats
  • 04
    Maybe he saw potential but she didn't live up to it. That said, "meeting his expectations" was nigh impossible.
    via thebangzats
  • 05
    * Contradictory instructions. "Don't do extra work clients didn't ask for" vs. "why aren't you going the extra mile?".
    via thebangzats
  • 06
    "Don't assume, ask questions" vs. "Why are you bothering me with these questions?" * Nitpicks the women but not the men.
    via thenbangzats
  • 07
    She'd be given shit on making (X), but he'd have no comments if the men ALSO did (X).
    via thebangzats
  • 08
    * She does (A). He insists (B) is better. She does (B). Client says (A) is better.
    via thebangzats
  • 09
    Boss learns nothing from this. * No HR, no structure, no overtime pay. Made work day start earlier "so you can end earlier", but it never actually ends any earlier.
    via thebangzats
  • 10
    * His favorite line to all his employees is "you are all replaceable". He thinks it's motivational.
    via thebangzats
  • 11
    Obviously she should quit, problem is the last incident that triggered these "games"... * Client sent two greenscreen footage: one correct, one ruined with color filters (so the green isn't green anymore).
    via thebangzats
  • 12
    Wife keyed the first footage, and for the second one, did a rough rotoscope as a backup, clearly noting and knowing that it was likely the wrong footage anyway.
    via thebangzats
  • 13
    * Boss is furious at the ugly rotoscoping, accuses her of not knowing how to kev.
    via thebangzats
  • 14
    Brought it other leads to "teach" her, but they do so on the FIRST footage which was never the issue.
    via thebangzats
  • 15
    * It's 8PM. She's sick. Says she can't do it and needs to rest. * Next day, she's given only grunt work.
    via thebangzats
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10576073984
    via Vitaly Gariev for Unsplash

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

  • 17
    Day after, she's given NO work. >Wife: "I haven't been assigned any projects for the past few days.
    via thebangzats
  • 18
    What's this about?" >Boss: "Oh, I'm just giving you the rest you asked for" ^((< may be honest, but I think all of us agree this is likely sarcastic)) >Wife: "Oh?
    via thebangzats
  • 19
    So are you giving me official time off or should I be on standby?" >Boss: "Not for today.
    via thebangzats
  • 20
    You're not assigned to anything". Since then she's been removed from the Slack channel for leads, still no assignments, but no actual statement.
    via thebangzats
  • 21
    Is she demoted? Is she fired? It's so weird that we have no idea how to proceed.
    via thebangzats
  • 22
    The kicker is, that client tells boss the day after... >Oh? You rotoscoped the second footage?
    via thebangzats
  • 23
    Yeah no, we sent you the wrong footage. Sorry. So what was even the problem?? Is he raging just because she gave up instead of continuing to slam her head against the wall KNOWING it was the wrong thing to do?
    via thebangzats
  • 24
    Thoughts? Advice?
    via thebangzats
  • 25
    squirrelfoot You outline he behaviour of a boss who is clearly bullying your wife and who doesn't respect female employees, so why do you include: "Maybe he saw potential but she didn't live up to it", in your question? Clearly, your wife's boss is a bully and she would be much better working somewhere else if she can't find a way to get her manager fired. The way she is being treated is cruel and must be undermining her confidence.
    via squirrelfoot
  • 26
    thebangzats That line wasn't a question, what I meant by it was was: "He gave her a raise because perhaps he saw potential in her, but felt she didn't live up to it, so he now resents her for it" And yeah, she's 100% quitting. I don't even care that we're having financial issues right now and would appreciate the money. It's waaaayyy too toxic for that.
    via thebangzats
  • 27
    I just don't know how to respond to this weird passive-aggressive play of "Oh nothing's going on, I'm just giving you that rest you were asking for", when it seems clear that's not the intent. I mean, it amounts to forcing an employee to take time off, you get what I mean? It's one thing if they had a conversation about this but no, it was a unilateral decision by him.
    via thebangzats
  • 28
    That removal from the leads Slack channel is also a clear sign of something going on in the background. I'm just confused why he doesn't actually SAY anything on the matter. It's like blocking your gf without first breaking up with her.
    via thebangzats

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