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An employee says managers repeatedly warned that if they resign a specific coworker will lose their job, raising concerns of pressure tactics and a toxic workplace dynamic online
Claims of “quit and coworker gets fired” spark concern and confusion over intent. (Representative image)
An employee has sparked a discussion online after sharing a troubling claim about their workplace. According to the post, managers repeatedly told them that if they quit, a specific coworker would lose their job as well.
The employee said the issue had been brought up by multiple leaders over the years. Now, as they think about leaving because of what they described as a dysfunctional work environment, they say the warning has made the decision much harder.
The Employee Shared A Troubling Claim
The Reddit post was titled, “My employer told me if I leave they will fire one of my coworkers.”
The employee wrote, “In the past five years, three different leaders at my workplace have told me that if I were to step down, then a specific coworker would be let go.”
They explained that they had been happy with the job until recently, but things had changed. The employee added that the coworker in question was good at their job and would be deeply affected if they lost it.
“Until recently I was happy with my job, so I didn’t think too much of this. Now I am thinking of leaving because of how dysfunctional the place has become, and it’s hard not to weigh this into my decision making. This person is genuinely good at their job and I know would be devastated to lose it,” the post read.
The Reason Behind It Remains Unclear
According to the employee, they and the coworker are the only two people in the company who live out of state. They guessed the issue could be related to taxes, but said a former supervisor had told them the plan would only be carried out if they quit.
The employee wrote, “We are the only two employees that live out of state, so I assume this has something to do with taxes. But according to a past supervisor, their plan was only if I quit. If the other person quit, they wouldn’t get rid of me.”
They also said they wanted to ask current management about it, but did not want anyone to suspect they were planning to leave.
Social Media Users Call The Situation Toxic
The post drew strong reactions from other Reddit users. A person wrote, “Give the employee a heads up and leave.” Another said, “I am almost certain this is illegal in the States. It is literally blackmail.”
Some pointed out that under at-will employment laws, companies can fire workers for many reasons, provided they do not violate protected categories or whistleblower rules. Others criticised the company’s approach.
One user wrote, “Amazing how many employers believe they can get any meaningful performance out of employees by treating them as literal hostages.”
Another commented, “Get out now. If they will do it to another coworker, they will do it to you. Leave and leave loudly.” A different user added, “They are just guilt tripping you so they do not have to backfill the role. You are not responsible for their staffing mess.”
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