‘I Just Never Do’: Reddit User Turns Former Boss’s Annual Retirement Account Reminders Into Years of Petty Revenge

A Reddit user has been getting petty revenge on a former boss for years after a bad experience at work. Sharing their story in r/pettyrevenge, u/Vgntrickstr explained how a difficult relationship with their office manager led them to quit and later suspect that the manager had interfered with a job reference. The post has received 5,900 upvotes and 117 comments.

“I worked for a smaller business in 2020. I was an assistant to the office manager and accounts payable manager. Both were clearly 1. old, 2. wanting to retire, and 3. a-------s,” they began.

The Redditor never expected to stay at the company long-term, especially given how difficult the two managers were to work with. The office manager was also planning to train a younger employee to eventually replace her or help with the transition when she retired.

“She was always ornery and always looking for problems, I got used to it,” the Redditor wrote.

One day, the manager called them into her office to discuss a report they had submitted. She began criticizing the numbers, but the Redditor soon realized she had misread the report.

After the employee explained what she had overlooked, the manager reportedly responded, “Ok, but if you HAD made that mistake it's like what even is the point of you working here.”

The Redditor was stunned. They had not made a mistake, yet their manager had questioned their value as an employee.

They returned to their office and packed their belongings, intending to leave without showing up for their next shift. Ultimately, however, they decided to remain professional and give two weeks' notice.

The accounts payable manager surprisingly offered to provide a reference. But when the Redditor later applied for jobs in a new city and contacted her, she said company policy prevented her from providing one.

The Redditor suspected their former office manager was behind the decision, pointing out that the company had no human resources department and, in their view, no such policy.

That was when their petty revenge began.

“Anyways, I had a retirement account with them. OM told me to roll it over or withdraw. I said I would. I never have,” they explained.

Reddit users debate whether the years-long revenge could come with a cost

The Redditor said their former office manager contacted them again a year later, asking them to roll over or withdraw the money. They agreed but once again did not follow through.

According to the post, this has continued every year since they left the company. The Redditor receives letters about the company's investments, which they say are sent to everyone with a 401(k) through the company. Each time, the former office manager reaches out to remind them to move the money, and each time, the Redditor leaves the account untouched.

Some commenters wondered whether leaving the retirement account where it is could result in fees or other financial complications over time. While the arrangement may frustrate the former boss, the Redditor may also want to consider the account’s terms and any potential costs.

Others saw the story as a classic example of the kind of petty revenge the subreddit was created to celebrate. Some cheered the Redditor on, suggesting that sometimes small acts of retaliation can be satisfying.

How long could this potentially go on? That remains the burning question following this Reddit tale. For now, the Redditor appears content to let the annual reminders continue, turning an unpleasant experience with a former boss into a long-running act of petty revenge.