Manager expects employee to take over late coworker’s $100k role, but claims there’s no budget to increase their salary, pushing employee to look for another job: ‘They're playing games’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 2, 2026 6:00 AM EST

Have your parents ever replaced a beloved pet of yours without you knowing, after the original pet was lost? (I have a point, bear with me…)

When I was 8, my pet hamster managed to escape our house and then completely disappeared with no trace. Instead of telling me the truth, my mom simply went into the pet store and got another hamster that looked as close as possible to the original one, and convinced me that the change in my hamster's fur color was because he was going through puberty.

Funnily enough, she actually pulled that off. I didn't suspect anything and was happy to keep taking care of my hamster. I only ever found out the truth when I turned 18, and my mom thought I was old enough to accept what really happened (I wasn't; it took me weeks to forgive her for lying to me all these years).

While some parents think they can replace pets just like that, this method cannot be applied to almost anything else in life. If my sister were the one to run away, for example, my mom couldn't have just replaced her with a similar-looking 5-year-old, right? Human beings don't exactly work like that.

In the workplace, however, employees get replaced all the time. Your coworker can "run away" from your workplace tomorrow, and it would only take days for your manager to find a replacement. And for some reason, we are all okay with that.

When the coworker in the story below passed away, it wasn't long before their position was posted online in order for the company to find someone else for the job. If that wasn't jarring enough, the boss then decided to turn to one of the employees and ask them to take over the role of the late coworker instead. Initially, the employee was willing to look past the idea of replacing a coworker who passed away, but they were only willing to do it if their salary was increased accordingly. However, the company wanted to do everything in its power to save money, so it refused the employee's demands.

Not only did the company not replace the coworker, but they also tried to pocket their salary and find someone who could do their job basically for free. Keep scrolling to find out how the employee reacted to these demands. 

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  • Stressed employee looking at computer with unhappy boss behind him
    via Getty Images

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

  • My manager wants me to take over a late coworker’s 100k role but says there’s “no budget” to raise my 75k salary.

    Hi everyone, and Happy New Year. I'm in a difficult situation and could really use some perspective.
    via Jamaissa
  • Around May of last year, one of my coworkers sadly and suddenly passed away. Their role was posted with a salary band of $90k-$100k.
    via Jamaissa
  • A few of my other coworkers applied for it, but none of them got the position.
    via Jamaissa
  • I currently earn $75k. My manager recently told me that she believes I am a "perfect fit" for this role and that the projects my late coworker handled should now "fall under my patch." For context, I am already doing four other projects similar to what this person did, but this specific project is a higher grade/level than my current work.
    via Jamaissa
  • My manager previously told me we could discuss a salary increase in the New Year. However, this week she sat me down and said she does not have the budget to increase my salary to that higher band or grade and yet she still expects me to take on the work.
    via Jamaissa
  • I'm starting to feel deeply resentful and taken advantage of. It feels like the company is trying to save 90k-100k by pushing the responsibilities onto me for free.
    via Jamaissa
  • My questions for you all: 1. Should I tell her to take the project back since it's not in my job description or pay grade?
    via Jamaissa
  • 2. How do I professionally set a boundary here without risking my current job? 3. Has anyone successfully negotiated out of "title/responsibility creep" when the budget was supposedly frozen?
    via Jamaissa
  • I don't want to be difficult, but I also don't want to do a $100k job for $75k.
    via Jamaissa
  • What would you do? UPADTE: Wow, I honestly wasn't expecting this many responses. The company's been declining year over year, and I really don't see them being generous with raises.
    via Jamaissa
  • From my conversation with my manager, it didn't feel like salary negotiation was an option at all.
    via Jamaissa
  • budget spreadsheet
    via doockie

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

  • I've also never been in this situation before, and given the sensitivity around the role it just felt uncomfortable to push.
    via Jamaissa
  • I know I'm underpaid, and I truly believe the skills and value | bring are worth a pay bump into the six-figure range.
    via Jamaissa
  • I just don't think that's going to happen here. So I'm going to start applying more and hope I can get out this place sooner rather than later.
    via Jamaissa
  • Mikey3800 If your co worker died, it sounds like $100k was freed up in the budget
    via Mikey3800
  • Farrahlikefawcett2 Say without a raise then I don't see the benefit and would rather stay in my current role where I know how to excel with the projects I've been managing but I appreciate the recognition. There's a chance you'll lose your job but that's a decision for you to make.
    via Farrahlikefawcett2
  • billndotnet "We can circle back to negotiating for this change in responsibilities in the new year, once the budget issues are resolved."
    via billndotnet
  • SomeProfoundQuote Don't sell yourself short. The answer is no
    via SomeProfoundQuote
  • billdizzle They have the budget they just playing games $90k is the min I would demand
    via billdizzle
  • Opposite Ad_497 what would it take for you not to be resentful? that's your answer
    via Opposite_Ad_497
  • Darnell_06 Start sending out feelers for other employers in your field. Find what they are willing to pay for your services.
    via Darnell_06
  • Frequent_Slip2455 What a bunch of cheap ba rds.
    via Frequent_Slip2455

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salary boss workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace ceo raise overworked-employees workplace company budget
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