Boss ignores employee giving 2 weeks' notice after rejecting $5.50/hr raise, gets surprised when they leave: 'I didn't answer any of the calls'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 14, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

Since when is denial a good business strategy?

There comes a time in the career of every employee who knows their worth has no choice but to walk away from a job. Perhaps they get an opportunity elsewhere that they would be foolish to refuse, or things simply got so bad at their workplace that unemployment actually felt like a better alternative. Whatever the scenario, there is almost always a good reason behind somebody putting their livelihood at risk in a way such as this.

Almost all companies will expect an employee who is leaving of their own accord to give them a notice period before they go. Ultimately, though, this is more a courtesy to the former employer than something that is an absolute necessity if someone wants to leave their job. Also, the awkward thing about giving notice is the chance that a manager or HR department might not meet it with the response that an employee hopes for. This can make the already difficult process of quitting a job into a greater ordeal than it needs to be. When you leave a role, you want to be focused on your professional future, not the hang-ups of the past.

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  • An office worker walks outside while holding her phone and listening to music on headphones.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    An office worker walks outside while holding her phone and listening to music on headphones. Not actual story subjects.
     

  • A data processing worker was disappointed by their company when they asked for a $5.50/hour raise after several years in their job. The employer instead offered a $1.25 raise.

    They took this as a sign to move on, and gave their 2 weeks' notice to their manager. However, the boss refused to accept their letter and was not entertaining their repeated reminders that they would soon be leaving. He thought that they would be happy to have another discussion about pay at a later date, but that could not be further from the truth.

  • The manager rejected my resignation, so I left anyway

    Fourteen days ago, I gave my manager notice that I would be leaving in two weeks. I'm responsible for data processing, as well as some imports and exports through a custom system that is very difficult to understand unless you've used it for a while. I'm the only person who does this job, and after nearly four years, I still make about $18 an hour, with annual raises of only around 25 cents.
    via juggler_plaid
  • A few months ago, I asked for my pay to be increased to $23.50. They refused and offered me $19.25 instead, so I resigned. My manager told me that this offer alone was more than all the raises I had previously received combined, and said he would not accept my resignation letter. We usually have a good relationship, and maybe that made him think that simply telling me no would put an end to it.
    via juggler_plaid
  • Almost every day after that, I reminded him that Friday would be my last day. His response was always that my leaving would put the rest of the department in a very difficult position and cost the company a lot of money. He also hinted that we could discuss my pay again later in the year, and said that I would be expected to train the person replacing me even after I left. At one point, he said there could be legal consequences if I refused to help.
    via juggler_plaid

  • Reality hit quickly.

    On my last day, I stopped bringing it up, finished my work, and went home. I woke up this morning and saw that he had called me 11 times. I didn't answer any of the calls.
    via juggler_plaid
  • They can't seriously take legal action. against me over this, right? My manager received the notice two weeks ago, but I didn't send a copy of it directly to HR until six days ago, and no one responded to me.
    via juggler_plaid
  • An office worker answers a call outside while holding a folder under her arm.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    An office worker answers a call outside while holding a folder under her arm. Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.
     

  • He was the problem, not the former employee.

    Dav2310675 I'd like to reframe your manager's claim that your leaving would put your department in a difficult position and cost the company a lot of money - his inability to secure your requested raise is what is going to cause those issues. Not you leaving. Don't own his mistake.
    via Dav2310675
  • The older I get, the more jaded I am when managers make these sort of crop claims - so I don't wear it. Good on you - but this is on him, far more than its on you. Hints and promises don't pay bills.
    via Dav2310675
  • Jassida 11 calls is harassment where I live.
    via Jassida

  • The company should have invested.

    ninernetneepneep "more than all previous raises combined" That's because they were sh. lol. If the departure of an $18 an hour employee can cost the company a lot of money, your original request was more than fair. Congrats on calling their bluff.
    via ninernetneepneep
  • Resident-Mine-4987 He told you there would be legal action taken because he was trying to scare you into staying. You are not legally obliged to work somewhere.
    via Resident-Mine-4987
  • sskoog Only thing you should have done differently is to send HR the resignation letter on the same day (the first day) you submitted resignation to your boss. But, since you did eventually send HR the letter, you're clear.
    via sskoog
  • Remaining question is: why was the boss repeatedly calling you? To come in and do extra post- resignation work, like training your replacement? Or as a last-ditch "okay I'll give you more money" concession? I still think you're better off not answering the phone.
    via sskoog

  • They missed out on a deal.

    Velvet Samurai Weird, it's going to cost the company a lot of money if you leave? Is it more or less than $5 an hour? Keeping you on for $23.50 could be the bargain of the year.
    via Velvet_Samurai
  • formerdgstm Unless you had a signed contract stating your specific time frame(example for working ("Must work until // when a new contract will be needed")... then no your boss is an idiot and didnt believe you would leave. 2 week notices arent mandatory, they are courtesy.
    via formerdgstm
  • If it was me, i still would have called him back and said that "I told you it was my last day, but you were to arrogantand stupid to believe. Good luck training someone else. And OH, by the way you saying the offer of $19.25 was more than all my other raises wasnt the flex you thought it was, It just inspired me to leave that such sooner."
    via formerdgstm

  • The employee did all they could.

    RockNRollNBluesNJazz You resigned and gave the required notice. That's it, there's nothing more to that. If manager didn't want to keep you (by giving the requested raise) and didn't hire a new person, it's their own personal fault. Not yours.
    via RockNRollNBluesNJazz

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satisfying quitting story pay raise workplace bad bosses
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