Employees asked by HR to contribute $20 each for Christmas gifts to the CEO, coworker stands his ground: 'I won't be pitching in'

Most employees would not give 20 cents to a gift fund for their CEO, and we don't blame them!

It's remarkable what companies try to get away with around the time of the holidays. Whether it's a refusal to allow employees the freedom to enjoy some time off with family or unprofessional behavior during office Christmas parties, there always seems to be some ridiculous story about your workplace environment that manifests itself during this time.

Perhaps it's because it's the end of the year, and everyone is letting their guard down. This HR department certainly showed their true colors when they decided to implement a strongly encouraged policy for all low-level employees to contribute $20 each to their CEO and CTO's respective holiday gifts. Because if anyone should be paying out of pocket for a coworker's gift, it should be the people who make less than those at the top?! Someone explain this logic to me like I'm five and make it make sense.

Author image for Ben Weiss Ben Weiss
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  • 01

    "HR is asking us to pitch in $20 for Christmas presents for the CEO and CTO"

    I just fucking can't. That money is going to my kids, not to the fat cats at the top who make at least 5x what I make on any given month. Buy your own damn presents.
    via [deleted]
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  • 02
    Edit: A lot of you are asking if this is real. The only proof I'm comfortable sharing is this redacted screenshot of the email.
    via [deleted]
  • 03
    Take it or leave it. I'm not trying to defend or dissuade anyone. It's just a thing that pissed me off and I felt like sharing with the group. I don't hate working here, but I do hate this kind of attitude toward employees, with families, at Christmas time.
    via [deleted]
  • 04
    Reply Reply All Forward IM Bing Maps RE: Christmas Gifts Wed 11 +Get more app Just a reminder everyone! Don't forget your $20 contribution for and Christmas gifts! Also, 3rd @ 6:30 office: Toll Free: Quotation Specialist 4900 Annual Christmas Party is next Friday night - Dec
    via [deleted]
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  • 05
    Edit 2: I've already told anyone with any relevance to the situation that I won't be pitching in. I haven't gotten any flack, most of them understand where I'm coming from.
    via [deleted]
  • 06
    A group of employees stand in a line, looking frustrated. The man in the center holds a "thumbs down" gesture.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • 07
    DtoX89 The fucking audacity to ask that of your employees.
    via [deleted]
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  • 08
    OP [deleted] It must be on sale, because they sure do have a lot of it.
    via [deleted]
  • 09
    wins 1337 Just tell them you don't have $20 to give because they don't pay you enough.
    via [deleted]
  • 10
    OP [deleted] I've told them the money is going to my kids. No retribution so far.
    via [deleted]
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  • 11
    RuthlessIndecision "You should be thankful you have a job in todays market"
    via [deleted]
  • 12
    OP [deleted] "you should be thankful you have an employee in today's market"
    via [deleted]
  • 13
    SumDumbDood That's some cult shit.
    via [deleted]
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  • 14
    OP [deleted] At first I felt bad that I wasn't contributing, but the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get that they'd even ask us to pitch in like that. There's nothing anyone can buy those people that they can't already go out and buy on a regular, everyday trip to Walmart.
    via [deleted]
  • 15
    The_Woman_of_Gont Step 1. Get documentation they know about allergy Step 2. Eat cake, staring aggressively into the eyes of your manager. Step 3. Severe Anaphylactic Shock. Step 4. ????? Step 5. Mountains of medical debt and not a legal leg to stand on because we live in a dystopian hellscape, but at least you maybe made them feel bad.
    via [deleted]
  • 16
    OP [deleted] Step 6. Enormous lawsuit leading to huge settlement on top of paid medical bills. Step 7. Whatever the fuck you want.
    via [deleted]
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  • 17
    Cobek They sang happy birthday to everyone and gave them a whole cake at my last place. They forgot mine for two years then when I brought it up that it was coming up the third time they gave me a slice of cake, no song. Not that I care about the song, but you'd think you'd treat your first employee the same if not a lot better than your 25th one... It was very telling once raises started going on to those who went on camping trips and to the bar with the owners, instead of introverts who put th
    via [deleted]
  • 18
    OP [deleted] I was told there would be cake.
    via [deleted]
  • 19
    stormyllewellynn I hate this shit. Yes let me spend my hard earned money on someone that takes expensive vacations every month. Then they make you seem like an asshole if you don't chip in.
    via [deleted]
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  • 20
    OP [deleted] I won't feel like an asshole. If anyone asks, I'll tell them how I feel, but I don't think they'll ask.
    via [deleted]

  • This employee's account of the Christmas gift drama just goes to show that this is the kind of toxic workplace environment that tends to give into hero worship of senior management. Of course, we all know that if anyone should be getting Christmas gifts, it should be the CEO and CTO paying out of pocket for their so-called “underlings."

    Nothing about this policy was remotely fair, which is why this author's coworker refused to take any part in it. Kudos to him for setting that precedent. Here's hoping that several of the other employees in the office felt empowered enough to follow suit.

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Tags

christmas employment issues gifts ceo merry christmas human resources Horrible Bosses holidays toxic-work-environment
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