'[I was] awarded a 12 cent raise': 15+ Employees who quit their jobs for good reasons

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 6, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

What are the reasons that would push an employee to quit their job? 

Just let these people explain what happened at their workplaces, and you'll get it. 

If you've never experienced working at a job you really dislike, these employees can tell you all about it. Your 8-hour shift feels like it takes 8 weeks to complete. You spot your micromanaging boss and have to breath deeply so you don't lose your cool. Having awesome coworkers can certainly help to move the day along, but some people don't even get along with their coworkers. 

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  • Restaurant works goof around outside their job together, in a depiction by models.
    via Josué Sánchez

    Restaurant works goof around outside their job together, in a depiction by models.

  • There are many factors that can motivate a person to quit, but having a bad manager is the main one. 

    Another big reason is the pay. It can be worse to work for a place that gives you a teeny tiny raise, rather than a place that just doesn't give you a raise at all. It can feel like a punchline, rather than an improvement on ones' quality of life. 

    Like that person who was offered a 12 cent raise: they were obviously right to quit, correct? If your company thinks your contributions are worth an extra $4.80 per week, which can't even buy you a coffee these days, they're out of their minds. 

    Other people had worse realizations: one person was told they were getting more responsibilities, with zero raise in sight. With a mandate like that, it's time to peace out and find your next (and better) job. 

  • Having to train your own replacement must take a heavy toll on a worker

    Googoobeff When my supervisor was fired and not replaced, I did all her work and got no raise, then they hired a 'receptionist' that was secretly my replacement and I had to train her.
    via Googoobeff
  • Woman grins while telling boss that she's quitting her job, as shown in a representation by a model.
    via Getty Images

    Woman grins while telling boss that she's quitting her job, as shown in a representation by a model.

  • When they string you along, it's time to rethink why you're sticking around for that kind of treatment

    Xioddda I asked about a raise, and they kept saying "we'll talk about it next time", "yes it's coming soon", etc for over a year or two
    via Xioddda
  • adamjkeith I worked for Greggs, a UK based fast food bakery. All the time I was shouted at to do deep cleans incase a health inspector was going. to visit. One day I did a deep clean while the front of the shop was empty. I was then shouted at for doing it instead of helping the person at the front serve
    via adamjkeith
  • customers (like what customers). Then when I put in my resignation due to them not following their own standards and accusing me of sitting on the job because I couldnt make 80 sandwiches (packing and putting them out downstairs too) in 90 minutes. They proceeded to tell me to do a super deep clean of the
    via adamjkeith
  • Grocery store worker stocks produce while looking unhappy about his work situation, in a representation by a model.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Grocery store worker stocks produce while looking unhappy about his work situation, in a representation by a model.

  • entire shop on my hands and knees with a sponge and bucket of water. I stood up and said "I quit" then walked out. They shouted verbal abe at me as I left. Worse place to work ever
    via adamjkeith

  • It's an extra $240 a year to line their pockets with, by the way

    Leinheart Being awarded a 12 cent raise.
    via Leinheart

    That could pay for perhaps one year of a TV subscription, or maybe a couple week's worth of gas… It's not enough to make a significant dent at all. And we're assuming that they meant 12 cents an hour, but if it was just 12 cents period, that is beyond insulting to their capabilities as an employee. 

  • haunting_arugula_405 Was working on Al tools in education that quickly became a way to replace creative writing and drawing with computer-generated writing and drawing......for middle schoolers. I'd rather be unemployed than directly contribute to an illiterate population.
    via adamjkeith

  • Sometimes your body knows you have to leave a bad job before your mind figures it out

    octopusnoises Panic attack while driving on the thruway, never made it back into the classroom after that.
    via octopusnoises
  • Delivery driver thinks about leaving his job while delivering packages and bags, in a representation from a model.
    via Getty Images

    Delivery driver thinks about leaving his job while delivering packages and bags, in a representation from a model.

  • Absolutely insane request from the boss

    hilhilbean Ironically when my office space was removed and I was going to be primarily working from home. That sounds great in theory. But in actuality the owner of the company wanted to come to my home and inspect it.
    via hilhilbean

    Who would ever allow such a thing? 

  • He was an over-the-top neat freak and I was already mentally struggling with a job that didn't pay enough, had me on call 24x7 and I was putting in 80 hours a week for. The last thing I wanted was that lunatic coming to inspect my house to confirm I could *checks notes* work from a laptop at home.
    via hilhilbean
  • There was SO much more, but that was just the straw that broke the camel's back. (sidenote: I've been WFH for the past eight years with another company and love it. lol)
    via hilhilbean
  • gettysburggatsby My boss threw something at me and was being hostile personally. Later found out he had been trying to get me to quit for weeks, so my dad (the former business owner) didn't realize what a bad state the company was
    via gettysburggatsby
  • in. As a type A person it was beyond stressful knowing someone wasn't happy with me when it was in no way related to my work performance.
    via gettysburggatsby

  • This boss joked about it and found out he was wrong

    therobshow I got a 2% raise and complained about it. My over 60 year old and completely out of touch supervisor told me not to complain and that "everyone says the other companies pay more and they don't."
    via therobshow
  • So i checked. They in fact paid more. A lot more. I left. And got a hefty raise to do so. They hired 2 people to replace me.
    via therobshow
  • Detlionfan3420 Toxic coworkers at every job I've ever had. Quit multiple jobs with no 2 week notice, didn't care either, was always relieved.
    via Detlionfan3420

  • Sounds tiresome

    Kodakomp OCD boss making his own fires to put out all day.
    via Kodakomp
  • Green-Agency4812 My manger's bad manner
    via Green-Agency4812

  • This worker just walked out

    dirtyllama720 When I realized I was the Atlas of that specific branch, yet they constantly turned down raises. Did them dirty and quit on the job, just straight up walked off and suddenly they could pay me more. Didn't care, left anyways and everything worked out for me. They were f ed for about a year. I was the only one with
    via dirtyllama720
  • training on most of the equipment and had the work ethic to take on basically any job they got.
    via dirtyllama720

  • Never run yourself into the ground for a job that would replace you tomorrow if they wanted to

    nihilisticblackhole being so overworked i could barely take care of myself or be a friend to others (i haven't quit yet)
    via nihilisticblackhole
  • Worker gives a look of frustration while enduring difficult.
    via Getty Images

    Worker gives a look of frustration while enduring difficult, in a depiction by a model. 

  • Hydramy More work, more responsibilities, same pay.
    via Hydramy

  • The old bait and switch

    Hello-World-Python They changed the job too much to something I didn't want to do.
    via Hello-World-Python

  • So many retail establishments operate this way

    ducktastelikechicken I worked full-time hours but was a "part-time" worker so I couldn't get benefits. I asked to be full-time and manager said no so I quit
    via ducktastelikechicken

    If you work more than 40 hours per week, the company is required to give you benefits. Many cheap companies do not want to give that to their employees. So they'll offer them like, 35 hours instead. Anything under 40 is fine. And in reality, they now have an employee who works for them basically full time, but either has to get a second job, or needs to pay for their own expensive insurance out of pocket to get by. It's an unkind practice, and I hope that regulations against this type of thing are enacted someday. 

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