When departing from any kind of group, you usually have two options: Leave on good terms or burn down bridges. Needless to say, the former is typically a lot more beneficial for everyone.

However, sometimes, avoiding the latter option is almost impossible, especially when discussing a company that shows no compassion toward its employees. For example, this woman shared how when her car burned down with her work clothes inside, her boss still demanded that she bring in the company’s belongings or else her paycheck would be cut short. Scroll down to learn what happened!

More info: Reddit

Some people really lack compassion, and this shows in its worst form when that person is your boss

Image credits: ameenfahmy (not the actual photo)

A woman’s car caught on fire together with her work clothes that she was supposed to return the next day

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

When she called her boss to inform her of the situation, she refused to listen to reason and demanded that the woman return the clothes anyway

Image credits: BILLERGIRLB***H

The woman complied maliciously and returned a zipped bag with ashes and dirt, together with a picture of her laundry basket melted in the burnt-down car

Around 10 years ago, the OP was a week away from starting her new job. She was driving home after doing shopping and laundry when her car suddenly caught on fire with her, her son, and many of her belongings inside.

The car wasn’t the only thing that burned. Inside it was the woman’s work clothes, which she was supposed to return the next day. She called her boss to inform her about the incident and that she wouldn’t be able to come in due to smoke inhalation or return clothes due to their condition.

The boss told her that she still needed to return the uniform or the money would be taken from her last paycheck. The OP replied that the clothes were now a pile of ash, but the boss didn’t budge.

The poster decided to comply maliciously. A day after she was supposed to come in for her last day, she arrived and presented her company with a ziplock filled with ashes and mud and a picture of her laundry basket melted in her burned car.

In the later post edits, the OP added that her wage was never reduced, assuming that they never could’ve legally done anything in the first place. She was also rejoicing in her decision to switch to her new job, saying that it was her best move ever.

In the comment section, Redditors applauded the woman for her actions, saying that this was a real malicious compliance story and it couldn’t have been handled any better than it was. They were also inquiring about her current job and sharing their own stories of horrible bosses.

Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

While, in the end, the situation turned out quite well for the OP, and her old company didn’t go through with any of its threats, we don’t know exactly why it happened and if this was for a good reason or just because of luck. 

But we can always learn more. That’s why Bored Panda contacted an Attorney at Law, Lori S. Murray. While she’s a personal injury and criminal defense lawyer, she’s not unfamiliar with employment law either, and so, using a combination of her knowledge, she was happy to provide us with her expertise. 

Knowing that she was going to be a lawyer since high school, Lori always said that she never chose law — the law chose her. The woman reminisced on her conversation with her dad when she once let someone jump in front of her at the store. “He said, ‘If you let people run over you now, they’ll run over you for the rest of your life.’ I took that to heart, and because of my empathetic nature, I decided I didn’t like when other people were being run over, either. And here we are.”

In addition to doing great work inside the court, Lori also shares her knowledge with the world on TikTok, where she has almost 600,000 followers and over 8.3 million likes. “I joined TikTok as a joke to embarrass my kids,” revealed the woman, adding that she’s still surprised by the popularity she achieved there.

Image credits: Riley Edwards (not the actual photo)

When asked whether the OP’s company could’ve taken any legal action against the story’s author in their situation, Lori answered that it depends on various factors. “If the company specifically stated the uniforms were their property and were to be returned to them upon the employee leaving, then yes. They are legally but not necessarily morally allowed to seek payment for the uniform.”

However, that doesn’t mean that the woman would’ve necessarily suffered any real financial damage even if the company’s actions were not in her favor. Lori explained that, in this case, the OP could’ve taken it up with her insurance company and possibly had them reimburse her for the costs of the damaged work clothes.

Some people take advantage of others whenever they can, and more often than not, this happens in places of employment. “I think the biggest travesty I’ve seen is in the service industry when tips and gratuities are run through the company, which will then take a cut to compensate kitchen staff who should be paid a regular wage instead of being supplemented with tips. There are also other methods such as unachievable sales goals, perks instead of raises, etc.,” said Lori, exclaiming that this is just her professional opinion because, after all, she’s a lawyer but not an employment one.

Still, regarding workers being taken advantage of in the workplace, the expert had some advice: “I’m a full believer in communication. But that comes with risks. Every worker must decide how much they’re willing to risk their job to push for what’s fair. But starting with communication with your supervisor is key.”

Ultimately, the OP’s situation was unfortunate, and the company’s response was absurd. But while her malicious compliance was executed wonderfully, and her story had a happy ending, it’s good to remember that if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, there are people who specialize in dealing with such cases. It’s always wise to ask them for advice before taking action.

How would you have acted if you found yourself in the author’s place? Do you have any similar stories of your own to share? Type away in the comments below!

The commenters loved the poster’s story and agreed that she dealt with the situation in the best way possible

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