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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/everybodys-therapist on 2024-10-08 18:49:15+00:00.
This happened a couple of years ago, but I was thinking about it recently.
I worked for a company doing their media design (graphic design, photography, live event AV, video editing, ect.). This company held big events and over my years at the company I was given more and more unrelated responsibilities until I was doing the jobs of at least 4 people. They also never helped pay for any materials so all of the necessary media equipment was paid for out of pocket. All of them had my name on them to make sure that it wouldn't get lost if I lent it out. Over the years I had accumulated a pretty impressive supply through second hand purchases and watching for deals.
By the time I hit my 5th year there I had thousands of dollars in high end equipment that was used for almost every part of the organization's promotion and event production. I think you can see where this is going.
One day I was brought into my boss's office and told that they would be downsizing and had found someone fresh out of college (with no real life experience) that will be taking over my job(s) as well as a few others. I was completely caught off guard. They then had one of the people from corporate follow me to my office to assist in cleaning out my stuff. He specifically said "take everything that is yours. you won't be coming back". So that's what I did.
They clearly expected the usual paper box full of some photos and a plant, but instead I had them hauling crate after crate of our media and event supplies to my car. I had a 2004 Ford Explorer at the time and by the time I left it was filled to the brim. With every box that we took out to my car my boss began to get more and more panicked. At one time he said "you can only take things that are yours" and through my sadness and anger I was able to find it in me to kindly tell him that every single thing I was taking was mine and that I kept all receipts if he wanted proof.
The final nail in the coffin was when I told him that I would need access to the arena's AV Booth and the catwalk. I still remember the fear in his eyes. We went and I unplugged all of my cameras that I had been lending to my events team, all of which were clearly marked with my name. I felt like the Grinch just walking around and taking all the random things in the building that had my name on them.
Driving away I was heartbroken that a company I had given 200% to in every way had picked someone younger and fresh out of college to replace me, but I won't lie, the smugness of watching their face as I stripped the place bare was worth it. Looking back on it, that was the worst and most toxic job I've ever had.
The company only lasted another year before they folded entirely and I like to believe that I had a hand in that.
And to think, if they had just compensated me fairly and purchased the necessary things themselves instead of forcing me to provide my team with things, they wouldn't have had to start from scratch.