How many times have you thought aboutquitting your job—even after confidently listing “works well under pressure,” “thrives on tight deadlines,” and “handles criticism like a pro” in your interview? Yeah, we thought so.But while some people only fantasize about walking out, theseRedditorsactually went through with it—no notice, no second thoughts, just done. And when you hear what finally pushed them over the edge, you might wonder why they didn’t do it sooner.Find some of their most outrageous stories below.This post may includeaffiliate links.
How many times have you thought aboutquitting your job—even after confidently listing “works well under pressure,” “thrives on tight deadlines,” and “handles criticism like a pro” in your interview? Yeah, we thought so.
But while some people only fantasize about walking out, theseRedditorsactually went through with it—no notice, no second thoughts, just done. And when you hear what finally pushed them over the edge, you might wonder why they didn’t do it sooner.
Find some of their most outrageous stories below.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
At last minute, owner/manager/CEO d****r revoked my Christmas leave. My wife was terminally ill, my daughter was about to move off to college, and it would be our last Christmas together, ever again. It’s the only time in my life I’ve ever said “Fk You!!” to a bosses face. .
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I got a call at work from the vet saying that my senior dog, who had been acting weird and weak for the last week, was actually bleeding out internally from an aggressive cancer that had ruptured his organs. The tech read the scan that morning (scan had been done late at night the day before) and immediately called my vet because it was that urgent.I had been at work all for an hour that day and immediately thought, “I need to go home and get him put down and spend his last hours with him.“I tried calling my boss (who was, per usual, not in the office) and she didn’t answer. I left a voicemail. I then sent her a text and email explaining and left. Everyone in the office, including the office manager, was like, “OMG, just go! Be with him!“I got a text on my drive home saying, “If you don’t have any calls or meetings today, that’s fine, but otherwise you need to stay to find someone to cover those for you.“I told her I had none. She then texts again, “Just so you know, you don’t get paid for today since you left early.”. First off, I’m salary so whatever. Secondly, that was so far on my list of concerns that I didn’t give a f**k.I arrived at my apartment and texted her from my parking lot that that’s fine, this isn’t working out, and we clearly have two very different communication styles which will make working together difficult in the future. She texts back immediately that my resignation is accepted immediately and she hopes I got all my stuff from my office.I then spent the next five hours curled up on the floor with my boy while waiting for his appointment to put him down. I adopted him when he was nine and we had five great years together before he passed away.I will never regret what I did. Hell, I had a new job the following Tuesday lined up to pay me $25k more than what my prior employer was, so it ended up better in the long run.So, Blue, if you’re out there, you’re always my boy!
They tried to have me come in and run the store literally as I was coming out of anesthesia from surgery for an injury I got working there.“Hey, I know you just had surgery and are still in post-op, I need you to close tonight. You don’t have an option.“I quit and let an attorney deal with it.
Quality and Health and Safety Manager here. Managing Director asked me to falsify a First Article Inspection Report for a product going to an aerospace company. I said I would not do that. He told me I would if I wanted to continue working there. I chose not to continue working there and reported him to the relevant agencies.
I worked for a photographer, and we were on a tight deadline schedule. Most of the office had been let go for the summer, so it was just me (the head of my department), one coworker, and the owner.I come in to discover the owner left town with his family on vacation.I hit my breaking point.I put my letter of resignation on his desk while he was gone. My only coworker left with me.The owner had no idea what had happened until he returned home to the letter, undone work on the counter, and zero employees.
I got told I wouldn’t be getting a raise because I asked for the raise. But apparently if I hadn’t asked I would have gotten it. My boss then said I was on the “s**t list” of the higher boss (for asking) and that I wouldn’t get a raise for at least a few months.Yeah I quit right there lol.
Head mechanic at a small but busy bicycle shop .Been there 5 years or so with no raises other then promised “soon"Owner showed up with a nice new car and started the same old spell about there not being enough money to offer a raise of any sort . Told him to get f****d walked out and down to the main competitor down the road .Better pay and better place to work. Once word got out I was there a lot of the cliental followed me there.Old place was out of business in 9 mths or so .
My boss had me riding in the same vehicle as someone he knew had a high infectious illness and it was our job to go into homes of both infants and elderly people.
I was denied promotion for the third time in 4 years.Always great performance reviews. Max score. “Example to others”.First time it was “too soon” as I only been in the Company for 10 months but of those 10, 5 were a complete crisis where management gave up/burned out and I had to save the dat.Second time the acting manager convinced his buddy to run for promotion as well so he could pick him but I was made “high potential” without any benefits or raise or projects or training,…Third time they didn’t even post the job internally, when I asked for a reason I was called into the HR manager who said “you stayed at home for 2 weeks in the first covid lockdown which showed lack of commitment”. I was working an extra day on overtime for 3 years on that Point. At least 20 days a year.I told her I would be taking up all my paid overtime and send in my resignation at the end of the day and that I Will also be requesting a formal exit-conversation with the VP (he knew me from my first year when I had to save the ship).S**t hit the fan real fast after that.
Had a supervisor who was really unprofessional and disrespectful. When I turned in my two weeks I also left a personal note for my manager telling them exactly why I was quitting, and that I refused to work any more shifts with the supervisor during my exit period. First week was fine, but I walked in one day and there was supervisor. Gave them a chance but they quickly pulled some c**p, so I walked out and skipped my remaining shifts. No spectacle, but I’m still proud that I stood up for myself.
I worked for Homegoods as my first job, and i always had to get the carts. I applied at Shop Rite and interviewed for a stocking position. I made it very clear in my interview with the manager i just didn’t want to have to get carts anymore and would literally do anything else.Second day on the job. Cart guy calls out. The same manager who interviewed me asked me to get carts.I gave him my apron, walked out, and applied at the pizza place next store. They didn’t have any carts. It was a fun job.
I had a verbal agreement with my manager that she’d reduce my hours so I could continue working during the school year. She put me on for 40 hours per week on the first school time schedule.I spoke to her about it and reminded her of her word. She stonewalled and denied everything. I apologized and walked out of her office.I graduated and got a good job writing software. 30 years later KMART no longer exists.F**k you Beth.
Newly in the field in my own, early 20s and no prior experience being up high on ladders.Believe it was my third day out. Cable install tech. Got to the site and it was a midspan drop - meaning along the wire on the pole, midway between poles. And right in the way we’re trees and bushes making it next to impossible for me to get the ladder correctly positioned.I tried for a good while and then called dispatch. They complained about my complaint, and basically told me to suck it up and figure it out.So I tried again, getting the ladder hooked but nearly vertical. I got the best angle I could on it and climbed up a couple of rungs but the ladder tipped back. A few more repositions later and now I have the ladder against a tree but there’s limbs and bushes poking thru the rungs. I start to climb and maybe 4 or 5 rungs up the whole ladder shifts sideways and I nearly went tumbling.Called dispatch and they more or less told me I was to stay there until I had the job done. So instead I packed everything up, told the customer I couldn’t help them, and went back to the warehouse, dropped all the equipment and cable boxes and such that I had, and left. Didn’t even say a word to anyone there.
The first time I was accused of stealing from a small family owned restaurant I worked at. I was under so much stress, I was only 15, my mom had just passed away, I had just gotten home from working a shift that broke child labor laws, and then I get a call from my boss (the manager) saying my register was short about $100. She said she was checking the camera and would call the police. I said go ahead. Ten minutes pass. She’s blowing up my phone apologizing and begging me to come back the next day. The cameras showed the owners wife coming in and taking money directly out of the register before I even came in for the day.
I was a floor nurse at the time. My Boss promised me that if I worked thanksgiving eve and thanksgiving day, Halloween eve and hallween day, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day that I could have New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day off (my favorite holiday).I agreed and did it (the halloweens and the thanksgivings dates). Out of nowhere, She revoked that promise like the first week of December saying we all needed to “be part of a team” and that she couldn’t honor that promise and that I was expected to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I didn’t quit on the spot, but I gave a week’s notice 2 days later that I’m leaving.I didn’t cover Christmas/Christmas eve and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day!!!!!her fg face was priceless!!! She was like I cannot believe you’re doing this to me at a busy time like this!!!Last thing I heard about her is that a lot of the nurses ended up leaving and she is no longer a manager, she is a simple floor nurse herself now!! :) she was fuxking crazy, she wouldn’t even allow us to drink coffee! She took away our coffee maker saying it’s unhygienic to have this in a hospital! Not even the nurses lounge! Fg crazy!
I was working for a major video game company back in 2003.We were in crunch time, working from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. 6 days a week. Right before lunch, our supervisor walks in and says"Good news everyone, we get to come in on Sundays now, but it’s only a half day!“The moment he was done with his speech, I walked over to his desk and told him I was quitting immediately.He warned me that I would never work in the game industry again. I didn’t give a proper 2 weeks, I told him that was fine and finished my day.I ended up working in the industry for another 3 years until I freaked out and quit for good!Never again.
I already had another job lined up. So when I got push back from my district manager about my almost 3 week notice I just handed over my store keys and left.
I got a writeup at my call center sales job, albeit being the #1 performer for the past 4 consecutive months, between 100+ employees. Even 6 years after my year at that job, my coworker said nobody has achieved my stats. Anyways, I protested my write up and told them straight up that they had no idea what they were doing, and that an efficiency consultant would consider them dead weight and give me a management position. The corporate latte drinkers/clock watchers were offended, and gave me a final warning. I talked to my team lead about it; Laid it all out and explained why I was walking off the job. He agreed with me and walked too. We got Costco hot dogs afterwards, and joined a class action lawsuit against the company later on (for other reasons).
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Ab*sive a*****e owner/boss with serious anger issues. He left the building one day after yelling at me. I told my colleague I’d had enough and walked before my boss returned. I have never felt such relief.
During a hectic sales event, I was part of the fulfillment team. Background, I’m bipolar type 2 (lack of sleep makes me manic) HR & management were aware. A teammate dropped the ball on an order, no follow up with the shipper, no communication with the rest of us. When the customer called us freaking out, she pretended like it wasn’t her issue, so we were all yelled at. Another associate and I got it figured out, shipping confirmed and called the customer with management approval to offer a partial refund. They happily accepted, thanking us.When tracked it back to the lazy teammate, but she had been whispering to HR that we were ganging up on her, because we didn’t like her. HR person took us (8 in total) into a meeting room, reaming us for making up stories and lying about whose order it was. Talking about how we are all a team and we should all be responsible for each other. Now we were salary and no overtime working 60+ a week to complete orders, while lazy used the excuse that she had kids at home (everyone else did too ) so she could not work over 40 hours. Then the HR person pointed at me and called me delusional for thinking that anyone would take my word over lazy associates because “we all know you’re crazy anyway.“The record stopped right, I stood up and told her thank you. I walked to my desk and sent a company wide email thanking all the friends I made and the owner for being awesome, Fridays the owner catered breakfast lunch and dinner to the office as a thank you, pay was good, just long hours away from the family. I said I just couldn’t work at a company where laziness was rewarded and HR used personal information against us. All hell broke loose because company wide goes to the owner and his lawyer.This has gotten long so to end…I was taken care of very well after this and HR rep was demoted to the customer service team.
Spent a year fixing things, hired a team, the system started generating real pnl, the boss who fd everything up started to re-engage as the situation turned around , making stupid suggestions a burning valuable time . We had a meeting where he was going on and on and I remarked that it was counter productive. He calls me after the meeting and says “what the f**k was that???” I responded that it was becoming “unpleasant, with the meetings and change of course”. He said “if you don’t like it leave” and I said “ok” and walked out. Everyone stood there shocked as I left. Fast forward a year later and everything was fd up again …
I was told when I was hired that I would be on probation for a year and then I would get full benefits. I made it clear when they hired me that I had a two week honeymoon I was going on and gave them the dates I would be gone. I worked that job for 9 months and then when my honeymoon came around they informed me that two straight weeks off wasn’t possible and that they had to fire me and rehire me and then I’d be on probation and earning less without full benefits for another year. I walked into back offices where the assistant managers and the general manager were and started yelling. The general manager started yelling back at me that they weren’t going to change the rules for me. I had a performance review at 6 months into the job and I got an excellent review. I yelled at the dude and threatened to sue him. Then I told him how smal he was (he was 6'7”) in height but I meant as a person. I told him he could shove the job up his a*s and walked out. I don’t regret it.
The manager had me do training on a computer, but forgot they locked the door. I was stuck inside a room for hours (I think 4hrs?), and for the first time, I started having a panic attack due to claustrophobia.I remember screaming for help, even opening the window from the second floor for that. Sadly, it was in the middle of winter and was snowing a lot, so nobody were just standing outside. I even debated jumping off the window (was still pretty high).When they finally came back and unlocked the door, they laughed, and acted as if nothing happened.I regretted not quitting immediately, but went through the day of work to seem “professional”. When I got home the next day, I cried a LOT for calling up and saying I don’t want the job. I felt disappointed in myself, but also the workplace genuinely scarred me for a bit just in that moment.
I was in high school and was working my first job at a gas station that had a coffee place inside of it. Because of high school, I was part time and my shift was 4-9 pm. One of my classes was a theatre class that we essentially did the production side of the school musical that year. When I booked the day of the musical off, my boss told me that if I couldn’t find coverage, I would have to work. There were only two other workers on the coffee shop side apart from the owner (my boss). I asked both, the only one who could cover me said that I had to take her day shift instead… on a school day. Since I needed to be at the musical to pass the class, I skipped school that day to work at the coffee place. One of my teachers of the class that I was skipping ended up getting coffee that day and recognized me working during school hours. I cried like I got caught doing something wrong, and the owner told me I was holding up the line so I left. I left the whole line and walked home in my uniform.That experience has coloured every job I’ve ever had. I ALWAYS remember that bosses will do whatever it takes for you to make their job easier, even if it’s knowingly keeping a 15 year old out of school.
My boss said something EXTREMELY rude to me while I was trying to talk to him abiut my cross training for another position. I happened to be wearing a company shirt with a tank underneath. I began unbuttoning the shirt and thanking him for the opportunity and then telling him to never speak to me like that while raising my voice and finishing with a hearty “fk this job and fk you too” as I threw my shirt at him.I walked outside with my stuff and a woman who worked down the hall came running outside and talked with me. We’ve became friends and ended up living together a couple times. It’s been almost 20 years and I’m going to visit her (i moved away) and go to a concert in 2 weeks.
This job I worked at years ago had a habit of telling people “oh there’s no work atm have a few days off and we’ll let you know when to come back” then just… never call people back, because they didn’t want to have to actually fire the person.They did it to me after a job got messed up when I was following my supervisor’s directions. I asked him multiple times, “are you sure? (Thing we don’t want) will likely happen if we do it” and he kept telling me to. Then when the customer complained, he suddenly blamed it on me. The next day they pulled the ‘hey there’s no work right now’ thing.Except they did actually call me back the next week when they realised nobody else knew how to do my job and they were floundering. I came in to my office to find it a mess, and this guy I got along with came in and was surprised to see me there. Told me how management said they let me go, and had him doing my job but he had no idea what to do. I was pretty pissed then, so I walked to the office, handed over my high vis vest and walked out. The manager was being really arrogant… then about 5 mins later as I was driving away, she realised they still had nobody who knew how to do my job and started spam calling me. When I wouldn’t answer, she started texting me begging me to call her back to work this out.F**k that place. Never went back. Also about 6 months later that manager was fired. A year after that the company was bought out.
I worked at a factory that made cakes. It was a fast pace work place and throughout the day you’d get switch to a different station. I was eventually put at the oven station where I had to keep shoving trays of cake into a commercial oven. The trays were slightly hot and all they gave me was a vinyl glove. After 30mins of shoving hot trays into the oven I had a blister. There was no lead around so I talked with another coworker who seem to know one of the lead. That coworker gave me another extra pair of vinyl glove. I shoved trays for a few minutes and walked out.
My manager was intentionally trying to sabotage me and write me up for BS things because I challenged her at times (I was the assistant manager). Didn’t want to get fired, so I just told her I’m done and walked out.
Quit two times due to unfortunate urgent family scenarios.1st time, my grandmother lived in the states alone. Had fallen down the stairs and laid at the bottom of the stairs for 3 days. No one could get ahold her (not uncommon but we had a “feeling”) so we rushed over. Cracked her skull and had a 5% survival rate and survived. Called my boss and he told me I have to come in… young and feisty, I told him to eat a d*ck and never showed back up.The 2nd time… my father had surgery for his cancer, which we found out was way more advanced than we or the doctors had thought. Spent two weeks traveling back and forth out of town to be with him. Got a call he had fallen and went into the icu and we needed to get there now, mind you the hospital was 2 hours away. I call my boss and tell him I can’t make it and that my father’s situation is bleak and he tells me that that’s on me and I had to figure it out because I can’t leave them hanging. All I could say was “you gotta be kidding me, did you not hear what I just said?” Hung up, waited for the next manager and called back to tell him “hey, so and so said this but uh, my dads dying and I have to make the decision the pull the plug. so and so can get wrecked and I quit”. He apologized, could tell he was baffled and gave me two weeks pay.
I remember taking a management job with a company that i had to go through 3 in person interviews to get. It seemed like a pretty good job, money was acceptable, but I wasn’t in love with the job or anything.My first day I show up and THEN they tell me I’m expected to not have a beard. I’ve had a beard since my early 20s.I ask the person doing my first day orientation why wasn’t this mentioned anytime during the interview process and she says “I mean, it’s just common sense”. I said common sense would be to put appearance expectations in the job description or mention policies during the interviews.She said she didn’t see the big deal, and I said “oh it’s not a big deal, good luck with everything” and walked out.Two weeks later I got a check for an hours work.
First day on the job at a shop and they told me to clean the toilets because someone had taken a st on the floor.I was like fk that and walked out. Helps that I was a teenager at the time with no responsibility.
The equivalent of the assistant manager of where I worked told me I was too sensitive about a bullying incident and I told him he was probably right, to go f**k himself and handed back my keys and got escorted out.Best thing I ever did tbh.
I was a lifeguard at an indoor pool. At the same pool I had started as a swim teacher, which was kind of a private contractor type deal. It was less hours, but I made about 400% more per hour, so I was already planning to quit my lifeguarding job.The boss didn’t like the way I did something and so he told me I had to spend the rest of my shift in the warm pool where the temperature of the room was about 90 degrees and very humid. We normally rotated out every 30 minutes. I stayed in there for an hour, then went back into the regular rotation, hoping he’d forget.He saw me and said, “If you don’t get in there right now, you can go home.“I just said “Alright, you want me to come back tomorrow?” When my next shift was.“If you’re walking out the door, don’t ever come back.” was his reply.I said, “Cool,” and handed him my rescue buoy and left.I had a leisurely lunch and then showed back up two hours later when my lifeguarding shift would have ended because I scheduled some lessons at that time and walked right past him saying hi on the way into the pool. He was furious, but because I was technically a private contractor in that position which fell under a different manager’s purview, he couldn’t do anything about it.I’m pretty sure he thought I was effectively quitting or threatening to quit entirely.Anyway we eventually ended up getting along okay after that. Hope you’re doing well, Rodney!
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Work & Money
