'They fired me and want free labor': Marketing employee is laid off due to budget cuts, their boss expects them to train their replacement for 2 months unpaid

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Nov 18, 2025 10:00 AM EST

Never agree to unpaid labor unless you want to spend the rest of your life being a doormat for C-suite executives.

Times are tough, which means that struggling companies are due for budget cuts. This ultimately affects the roles of many employees at their respective companies, and in turn, results in unexpected layoffs. If your hopes and dreams have ever been put through the corporate meat grinder, you know just how jarring it is to get that random, menacing Google Calendar invite with your boss and HR. You hope that, at the very least, you come out of the meeting with something that starts with "s" and ends in "everance".

What do you do if your boss expects you to train your replacement? For one, you'd probably be asking why there's a replacement for you in your role that was eliminated. Second, calmly (or erratically) refuse, especially if this supposed "training" will leave you overworked and unpaid.

Upper management employees regularly display their unprecedented audacity, but this story takes the cake. The marketing employee who shares the story explains that in the same breath as the news of her layoff, her boss asked her to transition her duties to her replacement, all for the astounding pay of zero dollars. Scroll to read.

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  • 01
    a woman sitting on a couch talking to a man
    via Vitaly Gariev for Unsplash

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

  • 02

    "AITA for refusing to train my replacement after my boss said i'm being laid off but wants me to stay an extra 2 months unpaid to ‘transition’ my work"

    i 28f have worked at a marketing agency for 4 years. last week my boss called me into a meeting and said theyre eliminating my position due to budget cuts.
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    my last day is in 2 months. i was upset but i get it, budgets happen.
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    then he said he needs me to train my replacement before i leave. i said i thought my position was being eliminated.
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    he said it is but theyre hiring someone at a lower salary to absorb some of my responsibilities.
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    so not eliminated. just replacing me with someone cheaper. then he said after my official last day he needs me to be available for "transition support" for another month or two.
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    consulting basically, helping the new person get up to speed. i asked about payment for this transition period.
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    he said they dont have budget for that but it would be good for my professional reputation to leave things in good shape.
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    that future employers would want to see i was a team player during a difficult situation.
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    i said so you want me to work for free. he said its not really work its just answering questions here and there.
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    i told him no. ill train someone during my remaining 2 months while im getting paid but after my last day im done.
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    he said that puts them in a difficult position. i said laying me off put me in a difficult position.
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    he said if i dont help with the transition he cant give me a good reference.
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    a serious mature business man sitting at a desk
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

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    i said is that a threat. he said no its just that references reflect how someone handled their departure.
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    i told him if hes threatening my reference for not working for free after he fires me then he can forget the 2 months notice.
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    ill leave at the end of this week. he backtracked and said lets not be hasty.
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    that he values my contributions and wants this to be amicable. i said then pay me for the transition period or dont expect me to do it.
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    he said he'll see what he can do but cant make promises. today he sent an email to the team saying im leaving and that jessica (new hire) will be taking over my accounts.
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    asked everyone to support jessica during the transition. jessica reached out asking when we can start training sessions.
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    shes nice but shes also getting paid $20k less than what i make to do the same job.
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    my coworker said i should just help her because its not her fault. that refusing to train her properly screws her over not the boss.
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    my roommate says fuck that, they fired me and want free labor. now my boss is saying if i dont cooperate with jessicas training it shows poor professional judgment.
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    AITA for refusing to do unpaid work after being laid off????
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    RandomCoffeeThoughts Tell Jessica how much you were making and why she's taking on your responsibilities. Find a job in the meantime.
    via RandomCoffeeThoughts
  • 26
    BobaB ys Totally. I'd be honest with her about the pay difference and responsibilities, but more importantly, start lining up your next job. Can't let them guilt you into working for free.
    via BobaB***ys
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    Efficient Sundae_336 And definitely do not train her, but pretend to. Let the two months pass. What are they going to do if they notice she's not being trained, fire you? Your boss is a total disgrace. Of course you shouldn't do any kind of work for them after the last day you are paid. Don't even answer to them
    via Efficient_Sundae_336
  • 28
    LadyPickleLegs No. Do not do that. Warn the newbie that you're not available to train her and that you're sorry, but you're not going to be doing unpaid labour. That's obnoxious for them to even suggest, let alone demand
    via LadyPickleLegs
  • 29
    ElenaBlackthorn It's HIGHLY ILLEGAL TOO! She can file a DOL complaint.
    via ElenaBlackthorn

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boss antiwork workplace-stories fired work stories toxic-workplace bosses Professional At Work work laid off budget cuts reddit story workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit unemployed
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