Overworked employee happily resigns and refuses to complete new tasks, against their employer's wishes: ‘This is not going to happen’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Jan 22, 2026 10:00 PM EST

An overworked employee chooses peace when their toxic boss expects them to do the work of two people for the wage of one.

This is a classic tale. Among piles and piles of arbitrary busywork that your boss assigns you to make themselves look good, there is a capable employee in search of more fulfilling and better-paying work. While we all desire to have a bit more cash in our pockets at any given time, at the very least, we want to be able to take a few moments to breathe during the workday. It's challenging to find a zen state when your boss is constantly triggering your nervous system, prompting the delicate anatomic structure to go haywire. That's just Monday, am I right?

Once they are fed up, an overworked employee is dangerous. They threaten the very structure that upholds and reifies terrible bosses and power-tripping behavior. Don't believe us? Keep scrolling to read about how putting in your two-week notice is only a courtesy, not a mandatory practice. If your boss pushes you to your breaking point, those two weeks will turn into two seconds quite rapidly.

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  • businessman leaving office with his belongings with an overlay of a woman with her arms crossed
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • "I resigned and my manager is trying to saddle me with new work"

    I submitted my resignation last Tuesday and told them I'd be leaving in two weeks. I told my manager that I would do what I can to ensure a smooth handover to the person who will replace me.
    via vityya
  • The main reason I quit was what happened late last week. She gave me a list of new tasks I was supposed to start in a few weeks, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
    via vityya
  • This work was basically two jobs in one. She wanted me to manage the entire office on top of my current job, and also start giving financial compliance advice to her team, which I'm pretty sure is illegal since I don't have any certifications in that area.
    via vityya
  • And she offered me a $1.50 an hour raise for all of this. This offer was a literal insult.
    via vityya

  • When you're a child, the adults in your life will fail to inform you that it's safer to assume nobody has your best interest at heart, especially in the workforce. This is especially true on the topic of your work superiors. Teaching yourself young that it's a cut-throat world will make you bitter, yes, but it will also help you grow the much-needed backbone to stand up for yourself when you feel like there's not much left in you. Leave the niceties for your in-laws and your favorite local barista.

    This minuscule raise is offensive. A boss should be looking out for their subordinates, at least for the ones who actually complete their work promptly. More often than not, companies don't factor in merit raises into their budgets because they don't plan on a sizeable enough raise for it to actually matter in budget discussions. A dollar raise an hour is, in this employee's case, insulting. But, they could have told you that.

  • I was already being paid very little for my current responsibilities, $23 an hour. I handle the portfolios of several important clients, and I know for a fact that people in my same position at other companies make up to $38 for the same work.
    via vityya
  • Honestly, the work environment is very toxic and I've had enough of it, which is why I resigned at the beginning of this week.
    via vityya
  • businesswoman with glasses standing with her arms crossed
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • Now, she's asking me to create a complete, step-by- step guide for my replacement, detailing everything I do.
    via vityya
  • On top of that, she wants me to start doing the 'new tasks' she mentioned before I leave, all within my last 10 days of work.
    via vityya
  • This is while I'm also trying to finish my current projects and hand them over to someone else.
    via vityya
  • How do I professionally tell her that this is not going to happen, and that I will only focus on my current job duties in the time I have left?
    via vityya
  • I'll spend the next two weeks closing out my current projects and handing over accounts. No new work, no additional work.
    via vityya
  • I really don't know why managers behave the same way, and the strangest thing is that the same problems recur with different people, as if the world is a loop that repeats itself.
    via vityya
  • Searching for another job is not easy, of course, but I will take a short break to update my resume and start applying.
    via vityya
  • am not trying to burn any bridges, no matter how unfairly I am being treated. This is a good way to word it.
    via vityya
  • bb 4me1234 Coast through your next 2 weeks take it easy pretend to be busy..2 weeks your gone conserve your energy for your next job
    via bb*4me1234
  • Chodamaster You tell her the 2 weeks is a request, it can easily be today.
    via Chodamaster
  • blatentpoetry It's not a request. It's a courtesy and not at all required.
    via blatentpoetry
  • Tremble_Like_Flower Tell her to document/prioritize your work and work at a normal relaxed speed. Do not stress. Conserve your energy. I might even take time off.
    via Tremble_Like_Flower
  • Tzukiyomi Do what I do. I tell them that the period is for closing things out and handover and that I will not be accepting new tasks bc it makes no sense to start something I can't finish.
    via Tzukiyomi
  • Po zipper What are they going to do, fire you?
    via Po*zipper

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boss workplace-stories justice served resignation
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