New boss deprives hardworking employee of the yearly bonus by giving them a low-rated performance review, leading employee to forfeit all extra tasks they took on: ‘I cancelled every meeting’ 

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 7, 2026 1:00 PM EST

As we all moved from 2025 to 2026 and welcomed the new year, employees all around the world had to endure their yearly performance review of their past year on the job. Usually, this review consists of an hour-long conversation with the boss, where the employee and their boss go through the different tasks, successes, and failures the employee had in the past year. Then, the boss would usually give the employee some sort of grade or ratings, and they would discuss the expectations for the new year and the new challenges ahead.

Some employees are rewarded for a successful year and a positive yearly review, while others endure it for the mere prize of getting to keep a job. It all depends on the workplace, the employee, and, of course, the boss.

In the company in the story below, the general rule is that if your boss rates your performance 'high' or 'outstanding', you get a yearly bonus. One employee had an agreement with their boss that if they took on some of the boss's responsibilities and eased his workload, he would give that employee a high review that would score them the bonus. That agreement worked out for the two of them for the last four years.

This year, however, the boss left and was replaced by a new guy. When the employee explained about the work they've been doing to him, the new boss seemed satisfied with it. But when the employee's yearly performance review rolled around, they were surprised to learn that their new boss rated them as merely 'good', so no bonus for them this year, despite all their hard work.

When the employee confronted the new boss about the poor review, they were told that the boss had higher expectations. This led the employee to decide to drop every single task they were doing so far that wasn't part of their set role. This means dropping every single task they took on to ease on their boss's role.

This week, the new boss will arrive at work and find a lot more tasks on his schedule, including everything that his employee was doing for him so far. In the meantime, the employee will be able to focus on their job and meet their boss's high expectations, and hopefully be entitled to the bonus in 2026…

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  • Young Businessman Reviewing Documents in a Park
    via Aflo Images

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

  • "Performance review"

    I work in an international corporation, our performance is rated yearly on a scale that goes: bad, average, good, high, outstanding.
    via WantToVent
  • Top view of performance Appraisal checklist on clip board with pen and glasses.
    via Jerome Maurice

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

  • The last two give you a yearly bonus and there is literally no difference in the amounts you get paid but an extra minor non monetary recognition for the last.
    via WantToVent
  • With my previous boss I had an agreement: I would do my job and cover for him as a deputy for vacations, simultaneous meetings, etc.
    via WantToVent
  • And he would do his best so I got the HIGH performance rating every year. Be aware that I have never missed a deadline, and covered all tasks.
    via WantToVent
  • I did earn the high performance every year for 4 years. My boss left. on August and I was foisted on a new guy, I showed new guy what I was doing (my job and deputy tasks), he agreed that I should continue doing those.
    via WantToVent
  • On December 2025 for the yearly performance this guy rates me GOOD, so no bonus, I told him that I was successfully fulfilling my role and extra work, that is our internal metric of high performance.
    via WantToVent
  • His reply was that he had not seem me work, and he had higher expectations therefore he couldn't rate me higher.
    via WantToVent
  • Very well, immediately after that I cancelled every meeting that had me as a my former boss replacement and sent several mails to HR and other stakeholders forfeiting the extra responsibilities, HR replied confirming that those tasks were not part of my role.
    via WantToVent
  • Nothing much happened given that the holidays were upon us. New boss will start his day tomorrow Monday with his plate full of stuff that my former boss did and I covered for, and other team's request for guidance on what to do that my ex-boss and I occasionally answered.
    via WantToVent
  • When he asks for those things, I will reply that since the extra activities did not allow me time to fulfill his expectations, I had taken to heart his words and (with HR blessing) immediately started releasing my schedule from things that were clearly not in my scope.
    via WantToVent
  • EDIT: I am not in the USA. Here CYA works if you can show malicious intent on dismissal.
    via WantToVent
  • Malicious could be "retaliating for not doing tasks that this role does not cover".
    via WantToVent
  • brandthedwarf asshole will try to fire you.
    via brandthedwarf
  • OP WantToVent That's why I have the HR replies. And of course, he is free to try. But the tasks I do officially have no overlap with my former boss role. I am essentially overqualified for my job, but to replace my ex boss and me it would require two people.
    via WantToVent
  • Smarmy ThatGuy That was the point of the email. When the shit hits the fan, there is a paper trail that points to the boss' poor review of OP as the cause. Did you CYA like that, because it makes all the difference?
    via SmarmyThatGuy
  • OP WantToVent Thanks. That's why I involved HR, so I can claim if it happens, that the dismissal is retaliatory. I forgot to mention that I am not in the USA, so labour laws are more egalitarian.
    via WantToVent
  • ceallachdon No, the relationship went sour as soon as the new manager unilaterally changed the agreement. And yes, those types of managers consider anyone who doesn't "roll over and take it" as problem employees.
    via ceallachdon
  • OP WantToVent Agreed. According to my new manager, everything is easy. Well, man if it is so easy, you doing and teach me, that way we both win: you show us your skills, asserting dominance, and I learn how to do it better, so I have never to call you again.
    via WantToVent
  • new2bay But, they already replaced your former boss, so they'd only need one additional person? That's not really what I'd call leverage.
    via new2bay
  • OP WantToVent I am not listing leverage, just stating a fact: the two roles are different, it is unlikely that they can find a replacement for me that can do my boss tasks too. They can absolutely fire me and get a replacement for what I do. They can absolutely find someone to do my ex boss job. Both roles combined are a more difficult proposition. So, IF they want someone that does both roles for my current salary... Good luck.
    via WantToVent
  • Thisisafrog Take his role, and the $$, when he cries foul and fights you. You have been doing his role very capably. Godspeed!
    via Thisisafrog
  • OP WantToVent Unlikely to happen. New boss is actually one level above my old boss in the hierarchy, but new guy seems a micromanager. I told him our area needs a replacement for my former boss, I told him something along the lines: I want it to be me, but you need to pick someone to replace him, you can not do your own role and his at the same time.
    via WantToVent

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boss employee bonus manager job tales-from-the-workplace performance review overworked-employees workplace company entitled people
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