New hire refuses to comply with CEO's demand for a full return to the office after signing as remote employee: ‘I fell for a total bait and switch’

Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor

Sep 8, 2026 7:15 AM EDT

Have you ever heard of a company that stays true to its word?

It's fine if your answer is no, because honestly, we've never heard of a company like that either. Many companies thrive on the opportunity to say one thing to their employees, and then act completely differently. It is as if the more the higher-ups lie to the employees, the more powerful they feel.

When you are a seasoned employee at a workplace, you learn not to get too worked up when you find out that what you were promised a few weeks ago is never going to happen. It doesn't matter that your boss promised you this big bonus, or that they said that your promotion is right around the corner. You already fell for these kinds of promises enough times to know that nothing will be handed to you so simply.

But for a new hire, like the one who shared their experience on Reddit's r/jobs, the bait-and-switch they fell for felt completely out of the blue.

It started back in the interview process, when the potential employee was very clear when they said that they would not be able to come to the office whatsoever. The commute was too long, and they could not commit to it on a regular basis. The company, in response, assured them that the position would be fully remote. When the offer was made, they even put it in writing in the offer letter.

For the first month, things were great as the new hire worked fully from home, but then the CEO came with an announcement: all employees must return to the office for 4 days a week. At that moment, the new hire realized what we all know: that companies have absolutely no problem lying to get their way.

Now, they are debating whether they should suffer through the 4-hour commute a day, or fight to get what they were initially promised. Finding another job sounds like a distant dream, but that might be the only other option this employee has.

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via Vitaly Gariev

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Promised fully remote during interviews, now mandated 4 days in-office and i have a 2 hour commute

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Job offer letter.
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