Arrogant coworker takes credit for project, demands a promotion and gets fired instead: 'Sometimes the trash takes itself out!'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jan 16, 2026 2:00 PM EST

It's always remarkable when a coworker proves to be so completely out of touch with their own output.

At every company, certain employees manage to prove themselves to be indispensable. Oftentimes, doing so entails going above and beyond one's core responsibilities, which, quite frankly, is a whole other problematic workplace issue. After all, one shouldn't have to take on extra unpaid work to negotiate a higher salary, but that is unfortunately still commonplace across numerous industries. 

In a more ideal world, it should be that employees who excel at their contracted job requirements and want to take on more work should be able to negotiate higher salaries right then and there, rather than the other way around. However, most folks in the workforce in 2026 know all too well at this point that this is far from an ideal world.

It should be noted that this overworked employee was not the person dealing with a salary increase, though we think they deserve one. He was just trying to get credit for his current workload, which another arrogant coworker was claiming as his own time and time again. This was the kind of dude who was perhaps slightly senior solely because he had been working there longer, but for whatever reason, he felt that he was in charge of the author, despite the fact that he most certainly was not.

Keep scrolling below to see what happened when the arrogant coworker failed to convince his manager this time that he had done all the work on a team project. Then, when he demanded a raise, well… let's just say it didn't exactly work out in his favor.

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  • This coworker had a habit of shirking his responsibilities during team projects and assuming the role of proofreading everyone else's work before sending something off to clients. This, of course, is something a manager would do, but once again, this dude was not the manager. He just wanted to be one!

    After a few instances of taking credit for work that he didn't do, the author couldn't take it anymore and made sure that the coworker's lack of effort was ultimately revealed to upper management. That meant that his simultaneous demands to be promoted were not well-received. 

  • A concerned businessman stands in the office with two colleagues laughing in the background.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • "My coworker tried to strong-arm my manager. The plan blew up in his face."

    I had a coworker, and to be fair, his technical work was good. But dealing with him was a headache because he acted like he was my manager, even though we were at the same level on the same project. He was always trying to dump his tasks on me so he could just do the final review
    via folioss
  • before the work went to the client. Things got really bad when he sent a long-winded email to our manager, CC'ing half the department, complaining that I wasn't doing my part. I replied
    via folioss
  • very simply and clarified that the 'incomplete' parts were his responsibility to deliver in the first place.
    via folioss
  • Anyway, two weeks later, I was very relieved to find out he had left. The story I heard was that his ego was his downfall. He went to our manager and demanded a promotion with a new title,
    via folioss
  • arguing that he needed it because he was applying for an MBA. Basically, he told him 'either promote me or I walk,' and our manager accepted his resignation on the spot. He didn't hesitate for a single moment.
    via folioss
  • When he was out of the picture, I took over the project and worked directly with the client to finish it. The client was very happy with the final result and gave us excellent feedback. Honestly, work has been so much better since he left.
    via folioss
  • Edit: Sometimes the trash takes itself out! Bosses don't like somebody telling them what to do. Here's hoping that my work gets more credit, because you know he's probably been taking it.
    via folioss
  • This was a lot of pressure on me. I was going to resort to leaving the job, but finally, the situation has become comfortable because I've read the job market is at its worst during this period,
    via folioss
  • and I've read searching for a job is the most difficult thing possible. Nice to see a stupid one get fired.
    via folioss
  • A concerned businessman stands in the office with two colleagues laughing in the background.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • just_mark sometimes the garbage takes itself out
    via folioss
  • Shansharr . Well done with the client and good riddance with the coworker. Expect more work coming to you, ask for a raise...
    via folioss
  • hokie3457 It's gratifying when things work out.
    via folioss
  • elveetbb Nothing sweeter than instant workplace karma.
    via folioss
  • Frequent_Roll5788 He wanted to be assistant regional manager.
    via folioss
  • FrostyBarleyPop . So in the end, OP did all of coworkers work after all.
    via folioss
  • theoldman-1313 More employees fail because of poor behavior than poor performance. Your coworker learned that the hard way.
    via folioss
  • sjclynn I have never understood the ultimatum method of negotiations. "Promote me or I quit." "Great! Have your resignation on my desk in half an hour."
    via folioss
  • A concerned businessman stands in the office with two colleagues in the background looking at him.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

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arrogant terrible coworkers promotion boss workplace-stories fired work overworked-employees
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