Ex-boss demands passwords from former employee a year after he left, ex-employee refuses to respond: 'His business partner owes me $10,000 in unpaid commissions'

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Nov 21, 2025 8:00 AM EST

It's hard to ask for help from a former employee when your business partner owes them money.

We're not just talking about a few bucks. We're talking about $10,000 in unpaid commissions from the author's time working at the company.

Clearly, this guy did not leave the business on great terms. He was tired of being shortchanged, overworked, and undervalued, so he dusted off his resume, began looking for better opportunities elsewhere, and quickly secured a far superior position. To make matters even better, his new managers were not emotionally manipulative and professionally incompetent individuals. That always helps for a much healthier workplace environment.

Time passed, and the author finally felt as if he had closed that ugly chapter behind him. He even began to make peace with the fact that he was never going to get that $10,000 back. Of course, most folks in his position would not be willing to move past that. Then, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, he heard from his ex-boss. Let's just say it was not an apology…

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  • A businessman stares at charts and graphs on his work computer.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • The author's former employer was not willing to acknowledge any wrongdoing from when the author was working at the company. Instead, he simply demanded access to passwords and information that the author claims he already possessed. What would you do in this situation? Engage or retreat?

  • "Old boss asking for passwords almost a year after I left"

    One of my former bosses has been texting, emailing, and calling me nonstop for the past few days asking me to send him a Google Verification Code so he can regain access to an old email
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • address and Instagram account that's connected to it. I gave him a list of all of the company passwords before I left, which I have confirmed in writing by his lawyer in old emails that they
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • received it and could open the document. I guess now that my work email / Google Drive is no longer active, they no longer have access to this document of
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • passwords. He wants access to this Instagram because he wants to launch a new business venture with that handle and I guess the recovery email is mine.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • His business partner owes me nearly $10,000 in unpaid commissions and he has ignored every request I've made to get that paid out. I left the company
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • nearly a year ago because it was extremely above and toxic and I was constantly getting paid late or not at all and was treated with the most disrespect in my life.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • So...am I under any obligation to respond to this person? I have not replied to any of his messages and I already sent him all of this information a year ago. I
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • don't think it's my fault if he lacks the reading comprehension skills to see that he already had all of this information and neglected to download it or change the passwords a year ago.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • A businessman sits on a table drinking coffee while speaking on the phone.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • [deleted] No discussion until his PARTNER gives up the $10k. If he says he can't control him, not your problem. Once you have it, you can block him.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • LA-forthewin This might be an opportunity to get the money owed. Tell him that he needs to pay what he owes first
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • CurrentResident23 • Heck no. He's asking you for a FAVOR. No favors until you get paid.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • The_London_Bad... Ask for the 10k, tell him your consultation fee is 1k per day. That you handed over everything and it's not your problem anymore. If he makes an excuse about he can't control his business
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • partner tell him that's fine I literally tossed and deleted everything related to your business as per data protection act.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • III-Illustrator-7845 Ask him to pay you the 10k, plus your time and effort to retrieve it, plus a 29.99%+ interest for a year on top, before proceeding with any "help". And charge him hourly or a flat rate for anything you are asked to do with a prepaid retainer
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • amcmxxiv No obligation. But they are obligated to pay you. Pursue that whether you help with passwords or not. If you have written evidence of the obligation, see if it qualifies as a wage claim.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • drumberg Highly doubtful there is a legal obligation here unless you've left something out. If I left a company on good. terms I'd help them out by taking 15 seconds of my time. If I was owed a pile of money that they never paid me because they are d would not.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • AJourneyer My response to an old boss (who didn't even owe me money) was "After being terminated without cause and without notice nearly a year ago, and with the understanding that you played a role in that, I don't think it's appropriate
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • that you contact me so many months later for this information. Everything was handed over properly. Kindly do not contact me again."
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • I'd been there 10 years, and while it wasn't business critical, it still cause him some headaches. I was ok with that.
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • I wouldn't give up anything until you get your money, plus interest. His partner's. issues impact him and now he knows it. You have your documentation, so it really is their issue. Is it worth the 10k (plus) to them? If so,
    via Outside-Carpet7479
  • pay up and you'll provide the information. If they don't pay then I guess it really isn't all that important to them.
    via Outside-Carpet7479

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job work quitting work Horrible Bosses company quitting toxic-work-environment
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