How One Employee’s Perfectly Timed Resignation Turned the Tables on a Toxic Boss
Toxic workplaces: most of us have been there. Maybe it’s the boss who plays favorites, the “us vs. them” mentality, or the endless parade of unfair decisions. But what if you could make your exit in a way that gives a not-so-subtle nudge to management, forcing them to face the consequences of their own dysfunction? Enter u/Brock2845, who shared a deliciously petty—yet oh-so-satisfying—revenge story on Reddit’s r/PettyRevenge: “Resigning with timing.”
This is a tale of favoritism, procedural lies, and one perfectly orchestrated resignation that left a toxic manager scrambling. Grab your popcorn. This is workplace drama at its finest.
The Setup: A Tale of Two Teams
Picture this: you’re working every other weekend, part of a split staff that’s been divided into “Team A” and “Team B”—and your manager makes it no secret who’s the favorite. Team A gets all the perks, from approved leave requests to management’s listening ear when conflicts arise. Team B? Ignored, dismissed, and, when things turn serious, outright silenced.
When a member of Team A decided they had it out for a coworker, they managed to get that person suspended. Team B tried to speak up, but the manager only listened to her chosen ones. The result? Morale in the gutter, trust obliterated, and a supervisor who’d rather bend the truth than fix the mess.
Plotting the Exit
Our hero, u/Brock2845, had already lined up a new opportunity and knew their days were numbered. But why give the manager an easy time? After all, this was a boss who refused to approve leave for Team B while rubber-stamping it for Team A. When Brock asked for leave without pay (LWOP), it was a quick “no.” Meanwhile, Team A’s requests sailed through. Classic.
But then, a mass exodus began: one friend resigned, another coworker’s pregnancy made them ineligible to work, and yet another took sick leave. In a 15-person team, four departures in a single month? That’s the kind of turnover that should make a manager sweat.
The Perfectly Timed Goodbye
Now here’s where the petty revenge sparkles. The manager, desperate to fill the growing vacancy, asked Brock to send their resignation ASAP—preferably through informal channels, which could have left Brock vulnerable. Instead, Brock waited, making full use of all remaining days off and resigning through official HR channels.
The kicker? Managers needed to submit job openings to HR by November 3rd. Brock’s resignation became official on November 6th—just after the deadline. The manager would now have to wait three months (or longer, given HR delays and endless posting cancellations) before even starting to refill the position. Oops.
And if the boss had approved LWOP? The position could have been filled for a full year with all the benefits for the replacement. Now, it’s just a short-term scramble, no benefits included.
Why This Works: Petty, Yes—But Also Powerful
Let’s be honest: this is the kind of “petty” that’s really just poetic justice. When management refuses to listen, doubles down on favoritism, and ignores the needs of half the staff, sometimes the only way to send a message is by hitting them where it hurts—the schedule.
Brock’s carefully calculated resignation doesn’t just inconvenience the toxic boss; it also highlights the dangers of fostering a divided, hostile work environment. When people are pushed out, they take their skills, institutional knowledge, and—if they’re clever—their sense of timing with them.
The Real Lesson: Don’t Underestimate the Quiet Ones
So what can we learn from Brock’s story? For managers: favoritism and toxic leadership don’t go unnoticed forever. For everyone else: sometimes, the best revenge is to leave on your own terms, with just enough finesse to make your absence felt.
Have you ever made a dramatic exit or stuck it to a bad boss in a subtle way? Share your stories in the comments—let’s keep the petty revenge spirit alive!
Workplace drama may be exhausting, but reading about a little well-earned payback? Always satisfying.
Original Reddit Post: Resigning with timing