Coworker Demands Ergonomic Chair Their Colleague Won in a Raffle, Won’t Take ‘No’ for an Answer

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jul 5, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

Should you have to give something up that you won in a raffle?

The person in this story, which was shared to the AITJ subreddit, was put in that position. He won something fair and square, and then was immediately asked to give it up. There was nothing fair about this. You know what they say, "ask, and ye shall receive." But that doesn't mean you should ask everything of everyone all of the time. That's not being assertive; that's being manipulative. But some people have a hard time learning that difference, and end up hurting people in the process. The woman in this story was one of those people who felt entitled to something for no good reason at all. Just because you want something doesn't mean you are entitled to get it. This is a hard lesson to learn, though, for some folks.

It's never a good look to ask things of other people that you don't deserve. The thing about generosity is that it's up to the giver to decide to give. You can't ask someone to just spontaneously decide to be generous to you, no matter how much you might want them to. You have to just treat people the way you'd like to be treated and then expect that you'll get the same treatment in kind. And if you're not generous to them, then how can you expect them to be generous to you?

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  • a young frustrated businessman talks on the phone at his desk
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    An employee looks frustrated at his desk with his colleagues behind him

    Subjects are models.

  • Am in the wrong for refusing to give my coworker the office chair I won in a raffle?

    My job had this little employee appreciation thing last Friday. Nothing crazy, just pizza, cheap cupcakes, and a raffle with random prizes. Most of it was stuff like mugs and gift cards, but the big prize was a really nice ergonomic chair that apparently used to be in a manager office before they remodeled. I won it.
    via Emergency-Baker-3715
  • My coworker immediately got weird about it because she has back pain and said she needed it more. I do feel bad for her, but the chair was a raffle prize, not a medical accommodation. I also work from home two days a week and my chair at home is terrible, so I was actually excited to take it. I've been wanting to spend some money on a new chair for myself for a while now.
    via Emergency-Baker-3715
  • She asked me in front of everyone if I would just give it to her. I laughed a little because I thought she was joking, but she wasn't. She said it was kind of selfish to keep it when she has actual pain. I told her she should talk to HR if she needs a special chair, but I'm not giving away something I won fairly. Now a few people at work are acting like I'm being cheap and dramatic over a chair.
    via Emergency-Baker-3715

  • Nobody wants to end up in an awkward situation with their coworkers. You likely have to see them all the time, and you don't want any bad vibes fogging up the room. It's best to have smooth sailing with your colleagues if you can help it. But you can't always help it, and the wrong coworker at the wrong time can mean you have a one-way ticket to awkward town whether you like it or not. That's the spot that this employee was in after they won an item in a raffle. Keep reading to see what you make of this story.

  • Commenters agreed that this was an out of line ask.

    JCannaday3 This is crazy. Take your chair home and ignore her.
    via JCannaday3
  • Icy_Paper_8118 Not only are you not the j for keeping something you won in a raffle. I'd say your co-worker IS the j for asking you for the chair in front of everyone.
    via Icy_Paper_8118
  • Witchy_Craft Nope, you're not the j you won it fair and square and under no obligation to give it to this coworker! Like you said, she should go get her own or keep her mouth shut! Congratulations
    via Witchy_Craft
  • A pair of people argue in the foreground while a colleague stands in the background
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    A pair of coworkers argue about something in front of a third coworker

    Subjects are models.

  • dandelionlemon NTJ, and I think you handled it perfectly. She, ideally anyway, should be able to get herself an ergonomic chair via the workplace if she has back pain. She really put you on the spot and I think she was very out of line.
    via dandelionlemon
  • jbenze NTA and you are right, she should definitely talk to HR or the ergonomics person (if your company has one, my last 3 companies did).
    via jbenze
  • Anceledon It's amazing how generous people are when it's not their stuff.
    via Anceledon
  • PlatypusSafe5189 She's ta, she purposely tried to put you in a position were you'd feel obligated to give it to her. When all she had to do was ask HR and not make a scene.
    via PlatypusSafe5189
  • Constant-Wanderer If only I could have everything I want by just asking for it in front of other people. NTJ, if they think she deserves a chair they can give her theirs.
    via Constant-Wanderer
  • AkkmanB NTJ. Take the chair home and enjoy it. She can go through the company to get a new chair. Strange she suddenly has back pain right after you won the chair!
    via AkkmanB
  • Icy-Mixture-995 NTA. She's acting like a tantrum-throwing sibling angry that her sister or brother got something from Mom and Dad that she didn't, and she wants to take it away. That might work out for her in a family but this is a workplace.
    via Icy-Mixture-995
  • LastEntertainment787 NTJ Tell her, again, to talk to HR. Tell her you needed a new chair at home, for yours. It's not your job. What would she be doing if there wasn't a chair? Just keep doing what she's been doing I'm sure. She thought you wouldn't be able to say no in front of everyone. But, you did
    via LastEntertainment787
  • megamum2000 NTJ. You're right to tell her to go to HR. She'll need to get a doctor's note requesting accommodation of an ergonomic chair. I had back sur ry and my doctor gave me a note for post op.
    via megamum2000
  • 1290_money NTA. You just didn't laugh hard enough when she asked you. That's absolutely ridiculous.
    via 1290_money
  • Annual_Government_80 Why are they not acting that she is being cheap and dramatic about a chair? You want it it's yours you can deal with it. What you want. I think people who have things that don't belong to them and try and demand them out of need or greed are acting entitled
    via Annual_Government_80
  • Next-Supermarket9538 Your company is a j for not getting the woman a chair that meets her needs and also stupid because they'll eventually end up paying out more for workers comp claim (assuming that's a thing where you are). But you are not the j here. You win a chair. Enjoy it.
    via Next-Supermarket9538
  • bananarepama The entitlement is kinda mind-boggling. I would say, though, if she's not getting paid enough to afford some basic pain management tools, that might be a conversation she'd like to have...with her boss...no?
    via bananarepama
  • DifficultStruggle420 Definitely NOT TJ!!! She was wayyyyyyyy off base giving you that sob story...not to mentioned an entitled "Karen"! Enjoy YOUR chair and don't feel a milligram of guilt!!!!!
    via DifficultStruggle420

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terrible coworkers chair office supplies raffle ergonomic chair coworkers office life colleague
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