Epic FU money stories

[jinga nation]

Sigh, yeah, it's frustrating when a coworker tries to tell you how to do your job when 1) it's not under their authority and 2) they're performing poorly at their own responsibilities.  There's someone like that at my work, and people are wondering why this person hasn't been fired yet.

The trick is to find a way to professionally say "this is my responsibility, stay in your lane"?

Problem with my situation is that until I showed up (my predecessor CFO was in the same remote office with the owner) the COO was basically the "Boss." He tries to control all information sent to ownership so he doesn't have to answer questions or can spin failures into why it wasn't his fault. He's gotten quite good at it after a decade or more operating this way.

Massive Red Flag.
Glad you've got that FU Money hammer ready to deploy if need be.
Looking forward to reading what happens....

[FIRE 20/20]

To answer many of your question, at this point I don't really want to keep working there. A friend of mine wants me to stay and has asked what could be done, but the more I think about it, the more the decision is made. I am going to finish out the fiscal year and be done. Maybe after my sabbatical I'll want to come back (assuming they'll want or need me then). But I really am looking forward to 3-to-6 months off of working with no deadline.

Let's see how long it takes me to get bored.

Now that we're within the 45-60 day window, I'm getting itchy for an update.  I will offer one piece of advice and that is to avoid making a major, life-altering decision when you're impaired.  While it may be more obvious if you're drunk or running on no sleep, being burned out can be just as impairing to making good decisions.  If/when you decide to hand in your notice, I wouldn't immediately reject any offers they put in front of you and I wouldn't burn any bridges if you can avoid it.  I'd just keep it to the facts - you're burned out, your request for a sabbatical was rejected, so leaving is the only option you have.  I wouldn't be surprised if they try to come up with a way to keep you and if they do I'd just tell them you're too burned out to make a good decision and you'll get back to them as soon as you can. 

[Dogastrophe]

To answer many of your question, at this point I don't really want to keep working there. A friend of mine wants me to stay and has asked what could be done, but the more I think about it, the more the decision is made. I am going to finish out the fiscal year and be done. Maybe after my sabbatical I'll want to come back (assuming they'll want or need me then). But I really am looking forward to 3-to-6 months off of working with no deadline.

Let's see how long it takes me to get bored.

Now that we're within the 45-60 day window, I'm getting itchy for an update.  I will offer one piece of advice and that is to avoid making a major, life-altering decision when you're impaired.  While it may be more obvious if you're drunk or running on no sleep, being burned out can be just as impairing to making good decisions.  If/when you decide to hand in your notice, I wouldn't immediately reject any offers they put in front of you and I wouldn't burn any bridges if you can avoid it.  I'd just keep it to the facts - you're burned out, your request for a sabbatical was rejected, so leaving is the only option you have.  I wouldn't be surprised if they try to come up with a way to keep you and if they do I'd just tell them you're too burned out to make a good decision and you'll get back to them as soon as you can.

Alcon835 posted in his journal yesterday: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/alcon835's-pausing-the-rat-race-accelerating-the-journey/msg3238392/#msg3238392

[TwoCommas]

To answer many of your question, at this point I don't really want to keep working there. A friend of mine wants me to stay and has asked what could be done, but the more I think about it, the more the decision is made. I am going to finish out the fiscal year and be done. Maybe after my sabbatical I'll want to come back (assuming they'll want or need me then). But I really am looking forward to 3-to-6 months off of working with no deadline.

Let's see how long it takes me to get bored.

Now that we're within the 45-60 day window, I'm getting itchy for an update.  I will offer one piece of advice and that is to avoid making a major, life-altering decision when you're impaired.  While it may be more obvious if you're drunk or running on no sleep, being burned out can be just as impairing to making good decisions.  If/when you decide to hand in your notice, I wouldn't immediately reject any offers they put in front of you and I wouldn't burn any bridges if you can avoid it.  I'd just keep it to the facts - you're burned out, your request for a sabbatical was rejected, so leaving is the only option you have.  I wouldn't be surprised if they try to come up with a way to keep you and if they do I'd just tell them you're too burned out to make a good decision and you'll get back to them as soon as you can.

Alcon835 posted in his journal yesterday: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/alcon835's-pausing-the-rat-race-accelerating-the-journey/msg3238392/#msg3238392

Thanks for sharing this!

[alcon835]

To answer many of your question, at this point I don't really want to keep working there. A friend of mine wants me to stay and has asked what could be done, but the more I think about it, the more the decision is made. I am going to finish out the fiscal year and be done. Maybe after my sabbatical I'll want to come back (assuming they'll want or need me then). But I really am looking forward to 3-to-6 months off of working with no deadline.

Let's see how long it takes me to get bored.

Now that we're within the 45-60 day window, I'm getting itchy for an update.  I will offer one piece of advice and that is to avoid making a major, life-altering decision when you're impaired.  While it may be more obvious if you're drunk or running on no sleep, being burned out can be just as impairing to making good decisions.  If/when you decide to hand in your notice, I wouldn't immediately reject any offers they put in front of you and I wouldn't burn any bridges if you can avoid it.  I'd just keep it to the facts - you're burned out, your request for a sabbatical was rejected, so leaving is the only option you have.  I wouldn't be surprised if they try to come up with a way to keep you and if they do I'd just tell them you're too burned out to make a good decision and you'll get back to them as soon as you can.

Alcon835 posted in his journal yesterday: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/alcon835's-pausing-the-rat-race-accelerating-the-journey/msg3238392/#msg3238392

Thanks for sharing this!

Yes, more regular updates in my journal, a bigger update here once I'm away from work a bit more clear headed. But, as a very small update, my last day is this coming Friday, March 15th!

[Dicey]

Ooh, way to embrace the Ides of March! Congratulations!

[Must_ache]

I told my boss (who 99% of the time is reasonable) that I will quit in six months.  I'm the only person doing my job, so a transition to some newly-hired person would be ideal.  A brief email exchange:

Me: I might be amenable to a short part-time transition if it turns out that the timing of the hiring of my eventual replacement were near my end date.  During a short transition I wouldn’t plan on getting involved in Task X, although I could be involved in doing just about anything else.

Boss: If the company is going to continue paying you, then you aren’t going to decide when you want to work and what projects you will work on.

Me: In the event of a short-term transition, there will be conditions on what projects I work on.  Only one condition really, I just stated it (Task X).  If you don’t like it, obviously there won’t be a short-term transition.  Both parties have to agree.

Boss: There has to be interest on your end and there has to be an offer on my end.  So lets just ignore this part time hypothetical until we get there.

So last Monday the boss called with the bonus numbers and I told him that as promised I was then ready to give notice to quit 3/15 when the bonus pays out.  He asked me to stay for the rest of the month, and I was happy to do so.  I'm currently only "working" less than 1/2 the time at this point. 

Today he showed up in my office and asked if I would like to be an hourly employee.  I said yes, as that is something that interests me and is probably beneficial to both.  They still need me around for some projects this year, but hopefully with flexibility to work when needed and to not work when not needed.  We haven't worked out any details yet, but I have every reason to think it will work out well for me. 

[LennStar]

Sounds good. Flexibility is great.

I will be reducing my hours in the middle of the year to have a movable free day every 2 weeks.

[Turtle]

I told my boss (who 99% of the time is reasonable) that I will quit in six months.  I'm the only person doing my job, so a transition to some newly-hired person would be ideal.  A brief email exchange:

Me: I might be amenable to a short part-time transition if it turns out that the timing of the hiring of my eventual replacement were near my end date.  During a short transition I wouldn’t plan on getting involved in Task X, although I could be involved in doing just about anything else.

Boss: If the company is going to continue paying you, then you aren’t going to decide when you want to work and what projects you will work on.

Me: In the event of a short-term transition, there will be conditions on what projects I work on.  Only one condition really, I just stated it (Task X).  If you don’t like it, obviously there won’t be a short-term transition.  Both parties have to agree.

Boss: There has to be interest on your end and there has to be an offer on my end.  So lets just ignore this part time hypothetical until we get there.

So last Monday the boss called with the bonus numbers and I told him that as promised I was then ready to give notice to quit 3/15 when the bonus pays out.  He asked me to stay for the rest of the month, and I was happy to do so.  I'm currently only "working" less than 1/2 the time at this point. 

Today he showed up in my office and asked if I would like to be an hourly employee.  I said yes, as that is something that interests me and is probably beneficial to both.  They still need me around for some projects this year, but hopefully with flexibility to work when needed and to not work when not needed.  We haven't worked out any details yet, but I have every reason to think it will work out well for me.

Congratulations!  I hope it works out well for you!

[NY Texan]

Here’s my latest FU money story from yesterday:

First some background:  I left full time employment in Feb 2023 when I was 55 and reached the point where we have enough money (FI) and no longer needed to work.  My wife continues to work, but only because she wants to, she’s 6 years younger than me, and work is an important social outlet for her.

Five months ago:  A local technology company got my contact info from a mutual friend and called me from out of the blue, asking if I would help out with a project.  I met with them, they have a small, cohesive team, so I said yes to part time work.  The work they had for me was ‘easy’ compared to my previous career(s), it was winter in upstate NY, and it was a chance to make some unexpected income.

Three weeks ago:  My small, but talented team, has been making excellent progress on our design effort.  A recently hired project manager was making his way through the larger team and finally got to us.  Started asking lots of questions (well within his rights), but his tone and demeanor were very off-putting to me and other team members.  I thought he would leave us alone since it felt like we were making good progress.  But he kept coming back.  After I showed him our ‘work plan’, which we were about 2/3 complete, he insisted that we adopt his work plan.  Clearly, he wanted to ‘get in our business’ and start micro-managing us with silly and distracting tasks.  I tried to explain why I wanted to keep on the original plan, that we were ready to start ordering prototype hardware, and his plan would slow our progress.  At this point, it all hit the fan, and he was very upset with me.

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Lessons learned:
1.   Things can go from really good to really bad in an incredibly short amount of time.
2.   FU money is the enabler that allows you to step away when it’s no longer fun/interesting.
3.   Initially I was not sure how I’d feel about contract work, but in general, I enjoyed the engagement and the opportunity to do some engineering on a part time basis…definitely not interested in full time. 

[okits]

Congratulations NY Texan!  Sounds satisfying without an excess of conflict.

Lessons learned:
1.   Things can go from really good to really bad in an incredibly short amount of time.

This is incredibly true.  One new hire in the right spot can overturn the entire balance.  I hope the rest of your team does okay with the new project manager.

[SwordGuy]

Lessons learned:
1.   Things can go from really good to really bad in an incredibly short amount of time.

There are 3 layers of management over most people.  Regardless, the (up to) three people above you will have the most effect on job quality and satisfaction.  Regarding this, I present to you:

Wendelken's Law of Management Quality:

   Over a 5 year span of time, it's almost certain one of them will be a moron, nasty, and/or evil.   

Plan your career and ability to change jobs accordingly.

[jrhampt]

Lessons learned:
1.   Things can go from really good to really bad in an incredibly short amount of time.

There are 3 layers of management over most people.  Regardless, the (up to) three people above you will have the most effect on job quality and satisfaction.  Regarding this, I present to you:

Wendelken's Law of Management Quality:

   Over a 5 year span of time, it's almost certain one of them will be a moron, nasty, and/or evil.   

Plan your career and ability to change jobs accordingly.

This is so true.

[RWD]

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Crazy that he was aware of the issues but didn't fire the project manager...

[NorthernIkigai]

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Crazy that he was aware of the issues but didn't fire the project manager...

Maybe we found the moron.

[Kris]

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Crazy that he was aware of the issues but didn't fire the project manager...

Right? That’s where I expected the story to go. I guess I was too optimistic…

[ATtiny85]

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Crazy that he was aware of the issues but didn't fire the project manager...

Maybe we found the moron.

That’s funny!

Awesome story, thanks for sharing it with us.

[Warlord1986]

That was a good story. Glad I got to read it.

[AlanStache]

Yesterday:  I woke up early, typed a friendly/professional resignation letter and sent it to the president of the company.  The president immediately called me, said he predicted that this was going to happen (he was aware of the recent tensions), but understood completely.

Crazy that he was aware of the issues but didn't fire the project manager...

Right? That’s where I expected the story to go. I guess I was too optimistic…

Gosh knows what management was incentivized to produce or achieve.  People (even pointy haired bosses) can be sort of rational but often have "interesting" incentives to do what may not be the nice thing for employees or the obvious thing for a company... Or then can be lazy and think people could not possibly just peace out... 

Or keeping NY Texan would be the presidents problem but hiring the replacement would be HRs problem.  <shaking head>

[johndoe]

Out of curiosity NW Texan, did you consider trying to ally with the other team to resist this new PM?  Obviously I don't know the details,  but I feel like quitting would be the "nuclear option" and I'd much rather really hash it out with team / PM / president.  Is the work such that the PM has final say on everything?

When I get FI-money and if I have "bad boss" I feel like I'd be willing to stick around and try to improve outcomes.  I won't care about "performance reviews" so what's the worst they can do to me?  Fire me?  How is that any worse than quitting?  The project/widget outcome is the same.  Why not "play chicken" with PM and hope they go down rather than you?

[AlanStache]

When I get FI-money and if I have "bad boss" I feel like I'd be willing to stick around and try to improve outcomes.  I won't care about "performance reviews" so what's the worst they can do to me?  Fire me?  How is that any worse than quitting?  The project/widget outcome is the same.  Why not "play chicken" with PM and hope they go down rather than you?

Sounds good in theory...  in my final +6 months I was vocal in pointing out problems and when I finally turned in my letter of resignation I think management was relieved that I was going away and the guy saying "yo the v2.0 of our core product is sort of shit" was going away and they would not have to hear that anymore.  Turns out two others in similar to my role left shortly after me in a company of 25-30 people, the core of the engineering department was cut in ~half over 3 months. 
See my journal for more of "dude you can fire me but like this product will still be crap" - link in my signature. 

[SwordGuy]

When I get FI-money and if I have "bad boss" I feel like I'd be willing to stick around and try to improve outcomes.  I won't care about "performance reviews" so what's the worst they can do to me?  Fire me?  How is that any worse than quitting?  The project/widget outcome is the same.  Why not "play chicken" with PM and hope they go down rather than you?

Sounds good in theory...  in my final +6 months I was vocal in pointing out problems and when I finally turned in my letter of resignation I think management was relieved that I was going away and the guy saying "yo the v2.0 of our core product is sort of shit" was going away and they would not have to hear that anymore.  Turns out two others in similar to my role left shortly after me in a company of 25-30 people, the core of the engineering department was cut in ~half over 3 months. 
See my journal for more of "dude you can fire me but like this product will still be crap" - link in my signature.

I present to you, Wendelken's Law of Management Expectations:

The universe is full of limits and boundaries. However, there is no known or theoretical upper limit to managers' ability to believe what they want to believe, despite all facts or evidence to the contrary.

[TimCFJ40]

When I get FI-money and if I have "bad boss" I feel like I'd be willing to stick around and try to improve outcomes.  I won't care about "performance reviews" so what's the worst they can do to me?  Fire me?  How is that any worse than quitting?  The project/widget outcome is the same.  Why not "play chicken" with PM and hope they go down rather than you?

That seems great in theory, sucks in practice.
I've done this twice with bad bosses and I wasn't completely FI, just secure enough and had enough options for other employment that I could afford to risk my job to do the right thing.  Don't underestimate the level of arrogance and narcissism that can and do exist in the upper levels of management in a lot of places.  It's way easier for them (upper management) to believe that "their guy" is awesome and you're wrong,  than it is for you to take down a bad leader, especially if all of the business metrics look good.  In both cases I gave it a year of hard fought work to try and make things right, and eventually gave up and moved on.  Both bad bosses are now gone (one got a ridiculous promotion to VP that nobody can explain), but they stuck around longer than I was willing to fight. 

I won't ever violate my own ethics, and I won't do anything to harm my team or co-workers.   But running headlong into bad leadership to try to save the rest of the org is a losing fight unless you have some very clear violations of company policy and support from above the bad leader. 

Now I'm close enough to FI that if I were presented with that situation, I'd keep my head down, get my affairs in order and be ready to pull the rip cord if needed. 

[crocheted_stache]

DH currently works for a subsidiary of an out-of-state headquarters that bought up a few different loosely related businesses before he arrived. So, HQ and the Seven Subsidiaries. (I have no idea how many subsidiaries there really are.) He's generally happy with his work and his immediate coworkers. He's in biking distance of work. I wasn't expecting to have occasion to post in this thread.

Lately, HQ has been getting more involved with the operations of DH's subsidiary. Lesser nuisances are things like attempts to consolidate what used to be multiple different parts databases. It's a reasonable goal, except that inept implementation has left DH's subsidiary scrambling, having to struggle to use existing parts and to add new ones. This kind of hassle just takes away from time that should be spent developing their products.

DH's work is very hands-on, so he did the return-to-office thing sooner and more consistently than most. Still, he's getting the emails to everyone that say that execs from HQ visited here last week and didn't see enough butts in seats, and to please come in more. They do not sell butts in seats. It's unlikely that he's the intended audience for this email, being at the workplace most days unless there's some specific appointment, but it's still bugging him. He still wonders if his was one of the empty chairs they saw, because a busy day for him includes running around doing tests on their products. He's irritated but not worried. In the unlikely event that anyone challenges him on it, there's a badge record and plenty of people to attest to his presence.

The one that bugged us most was when, toward the end of February, they decreed that everyone needed to take 40 hours of PTO by the end of March to reduce the amount on the books. We don't think this is a harbinger of collapse. More likely, it's a ham-handed attempt to polish up lackluster numbers in advance of the quarterly or annual report—the bookkeeping equivalent of stuffing all the clutter in the closet before the guests arrive.

The problem is, we've had plans for some time for a longer trip in summer. Our destination is far enough from home that we want to spend enough time there to make the plane tickets and the jet lag worth it and to be able to see what and whom we're going there to see. The PTO decree means that he won't have the days accrued by the time the trip is scheduled, and apparently there's no mechanism for taking PTO that has yet to accrue.

I reminded him that we're FI. Not only does he not need that job, he doesn't need any job.

So DH, who's as mild-mannered as they come, pushed back on the PTO decree. He may be the only one they allowed to make an exception. I think they might have picked up on his frustration, too, because they came back with a bonus and some additional equity compensation.

We have our plane tickets. We'll see how the work stuff develops. If it gets worse, he doesn't need to stick around while the equity compensation vests.

His victory is not quite so epic or dramatic as some of the others in this thread, but it was absolutely made possible by FU money.

[NorthernIkigai]

So DH, who's as mild-mannered as they come, pushed back on the PTO decree. He may be the only one they allowed to make an exception. I think they might have picked up on his frustration, too, because they came back with a bonus and some additional equity compensation.

So he has money, and simply wants to be able to take his earned time off when he wants to. And they try to placate him with more money. Hah!

[NorthernIkigai]

Regarding trying to stick around and improving a situation where one boss or the whole management sucks: Askamanager.org is full of stories where people have done this, and ended up depressed, burnt out, having their perceptions and norms warped, being yelled at by management, colleagues, or customers, and/or had their professional reputations tarnished.

I get that one sometimes wants to try to help non-FI colleagues or save what's left of a formerly great organization or product, but the likelihood of any one sane cog in the machinery making a difference is often low, and one's personal risk is not zero even when FI.

[former player]

Regarding trying to stick around and improving a situation where one boss or the whole management sucks: Askamanager.org is full of stories where people have done this, and ended up depressed, burnt out, having their perceptions and norms warped, being yelled at by management, colleagues, or customers, and/or had their professional reputations tarnished.

I get that one sometimes wants to try to help non-FI colleagues or save what's left of a formerly great organization or product, but the likelihood of any one sane cog in the machinery making a difference is often low, and one's personal risk is not zero even when FI.

Yes.

Before I retired I was a trades union official (elected, part-time, part of my official duties) and negotiated with management over terms and conditions and on individual cases.  Won some, lost some, but the inevitable result of an individual case involving line management would be someone moving.  Sometimes within the organisation, sometimes out of it.  Sometimes the employee moved and sometimes the manager.  But if a simple "here's a problem, this is the solution" doesn't work immediately and a formal grievance case results then there is basically no way back to the status quo.

[jinga nation]

So DH, who's as mild-mannered as they come, pushed back on the PTO decree. He may be the only one they allowed to make an exception. I think they might have picked up on his frustration, too, because they came back with a bonus and some additional equity compensation.

So he has money, and simply wants to be able to take his earned time off when he wants to. And they try to placate him with more money. Hah!

Upcoming Mustachian People Problem (MPP)  ;-p

[crocheted_stache]

So DH, who's as mild-mannered as they come, pushed back on the PTO decree. He may be the only one they allowed to make an exception. I think they might have picked up on his frustration, too, because they came back with a bonus and some additional equity compensation.

So he has money, and simply wants to be able to take his earned time off when he wants to. And they try to placate him with more money. Hah!

Upcoming Mustachian People Problem (MPP)  ;-p

Here you go:

DH just got a pretty nice bonus and a stock grant amounting to about an extra year's salary, vesting over three years. We're FI and then some already, and not RE mainly because it's tough to leave with the fire hose still gushing, and his employer just cranked it up. Time to top up the DAF, I guess.

[dandarc]

Love It!

[WFUDEAC]

Update:

I got a pesky 10% raise/bonus offer = $14,000 when I've identified and/or realized savings of $350,000 - $430,000 (only $80,000 is one-time, rest will be annual recurring savings) since being hired 18 months ago. I don't think I've ever felt more undervalued/appreciated in my career.

Alright.....so I would love input on the situation I have found myself. I feel like having FU money has allowed me to stand my ground.

I am late 30s, and have been the top finance person (CFO, VP Finance, Controller) of all the small private firms I have worked for since I left public accounting. I've changed roles a few times over the past 7 years because, start-up, company sold, company sold, and in my current role that started 18 months ago I will either help the company get sold or I could participate in a management buyout. Ownership is somewhat absentee as they live thousands of miles away and have relied on the COO to run the day-to-day operations.

COO has only ever worked for this company and it's predecessor organization.....meaning he's been there for 50+ years. This past week he has started to try and bully me because he disagrees with my approach on a certain thing(s). I naively listened to his opinions at the beginning but after this situation realized I need to go direct to the owner (whom I report to) and allow COO to be involved if owner wants.

COO has managed the organization poorly since COVID, from my observations, and sees me as a threat to revealing his shortcomings to ownership.

I've found a way to legally and ethically save the company $100K+ annually but we have to change insurance brokers. If you know anything about small businesses you know these relationships can be hard to change. I stupidly listened to COO and didn't go to the owner with this opportunity and went about it in a more round about way trying to be 100% sure of the opportunity first. Well COO gets mad, even though I ran it by him, and tries to order me to stop what I am doing. I determine it's in the best of the company to ignore this command and call the owner. COO then tries to tell me I cant talk to the owner without his permission and if I disagree with him then we call the owner together. I agree in principle that this is the correct path, but since he is being a bully I basically say not going to happen since the owner is my boss not COO. Needless to say I don't think he took too kindly to me standing up to him.

60 minutes after this exchange, COO and Owner are on the phone and Owner is telling us both how insurance broker is saying they shouldn't be mad at me because I am just doing my job.

So yeah, basically I have a peer trying to tell me how to run the CFO office and prevent me from saving the company $100K+ and since I have FU money I don't have to be complicit with his old school bullying management style.

It'll be interesting to see what happens Monday and if he tries to push me out or accepts that I actually know what I am doing...

[grantmeaname]

Ugh. That's awful. They've told you how little they value what you're doing. Hope you quickly find a better fit and land somewhere that sees your value.

[LightTripper]

I'm sorry too.  It's amazing how often people will let the "path of least resistance" guide them, even when they are the one in charge and the path of least resistance is that because it's being laid out by a bully!  Hopefully the owner will at least recognise the value you've added enough to give you a good reference - and it means you don't have to deal with the bully COO any more.  Fingers crossed you find a better fit that will appreciate your value added really soon.

[johndoe]

Update:

I got a pesky 10% raise/bonus offer = $14,000 when I've identified and/or realized savings of $350,000 - $430,000 (only $80,000 is one-time, rest will be annual recurring savings) since being hired 18 months ago. I don't think I've ever felt more undervalued/appreciated in my career.

I may not be fully understanding the story, but if it makes you feel better: as a public employee, I've saved taxpayers probably ~$3M over my career and received exactly $0 in bonuses.  Maybe that makes you feel better about your $14k!

[badger1988]

Update:

I got a pesky 10% raise/bonus offer = $14,000 when I've identified and/or realized savings of $350,000 - $430,000 (only $80,000 is one-time, rest will be annual recurring savings) since being hired 18 months ago. I don't think I've ever felt more undervalued/appreciated in my career.

I may not be fully understanding the story, but if it makes you feel better: as a public employee, I've saved taxpayers probably ~$3M over my career and received exactly $0 in bonuses.  Maybe that makes you feel better about your $14k!

I was thinking along the same lines. I've "saved" my company millions of dollars. Its what I'm paid to do. If I weren't there they'd hire someone else to do it.

How much of the 10% is a permanent raise vs. one-time bonus? I'd love to get a 10% raise.

[Dicey]

I tend to agree with @John Dough and @badger1988. It sounds like you expected to receive a much larger percentage of what you saved. Giving more to you would diminish the value of the savings you've discovered, so why would they want to do that?

That 10% costs them a lot more when you consider SS and all the other mostly unseen add-ons.

Keep digging for treasure, lather, rinse, repeat.

[markbike528CBX]

Update:

I got a pesky 10% raise/bonus offer = $14,000 when I've identified and/or realized savings of $350,000 - $430,000 (only $80,000 is one-time, rest will be annual recurring savings) since being hired 18 months ago. I don't think I've ever felt more undervalued/appreciated in my career.

I may not be fully understanding the story, but if it makes you feel better: as a public employee, I've saved taxpayers probably ~$3M over my career and received exactly $0 in bonuses.  Maybe that makes you feel better about your $14k!

I got $333 for a patent potentially worth millions in future revenue. Irritating, but part of the job.
The patent was not defended so now worthless, but I still got $333 plus regular salary, and an educational experience.
Who knew that you could patent “motherhood and apple pie”?

[LennStar]

You can patent nearly everything. If you try to patent a machine for human transportation on two wheels powered by leg power transmitted by a chain, they might OK it.
I mean someone managed to patent a coffe machine where you not use coffee powder that you pressed into (half) ball form (old), but where a factory pressed the the coffee to balls before (new, exiting, and a lot more profitable).

[Nederstash]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

[SwordGuy]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

That deserves a TRIPLE WELL DONE!   One for your anniversary, one for getting the FU money to ignore their shit-for-brains comments, and one for getting a better job!

[Nederstash]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

That deserves a TRIPLE WELL DONE!   One for your anniversary, one for getting the FU money to ignore their shit-for-brains comments, and one for getting a better job!

Thank you 🥺 I really needed to hear that.

[Malossi792]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

That deserves a TRIPLE WELL DONE!   One for your anniversary, one for getting the FU money to ignore their shit-for-brains comments, and one for getting a better job!

Thank you 🥺 I really needed to hear that.

+1 for not succumbing to peer pressure. Arguably the biggest one

[LennStar]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

That deserves a TRIPLE WELL DONE!   One for your anniversary, one for getting the FU money to ignore their shit-for-brains comments, and one for getting a better job!

Yes, that is so shit! Stupid addicts! Slipping someone something, whatever it is, is instant asshole tag. Not to mention to a pregnant woman.

May I direct you to this German word: Backpfeifengesicht

the meaning of Backpfeifengesicht: it’s a face that’s crying out for a slap, or a punch, or… well, you get it. Not because they’re ugly or hard to look at, but because they’re very, very annoying.

Maybe it’s that guy at the office who tells lewd jokes and expects everyone to laugh.

https://www.iamexpat.de/education/education-news/german-words-expats-should-know-backpfeifengesicht

[Ladychips]

Way to go @Nederstash !!

[DeniseNJ]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

You are AWESOME!  Take care of yourself.  Don't let bullies push you around.  Good for you!!!  Congrats on the new baby and on being sober for 7 years!  Congrats on the new job and on having the financial and mental resources to bail on a bad situation.  You are doing great!

[Nederstash]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

You are AWESOME!  Take care of yourself.  Don't let bullies push you around.  Good for you!!!  Congrats on the new baby and on being sober for 7 years!  Congrats on the new job and on having the financial and mental resources to bail on a bad situation.  You are doing great!

Oh god I completely worded that wrong... I meant people would joke I must be pregnant if I'm not drinking. Also a thing not to joke about...

[Taran Wanderer]

@Nederstash - congratulations on being true to yourself.  I can’t believe they’d be so awful.

[Warlord1986]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

I am so sorry you went through that, and I'm so happy you are leaving those awful people behind. Rooting for you!

[rantk81]

And these are lawyers?  This definitely sounds like harassment, of the hostile-work-environment variety.
And if someone did "slip you some alcohol", they would be committing a crime.

[crocheted_stache]

Today marks 7 years sober. Trying to hold back tears at the office. My colleagues are hard drinking attorneys who have ridiculed me for being sober, ask me if I'm "some sort of alcoholic", joke about me being pregnant, wheedle at every work function why I can't just have one because it's boring if I don't drink. They've joked about slipping me alcohol. Said I'd be so fun if I drink.
 
In two months time, I'm changing jobs and I can't wait. I'm taking a 2k/month paycut but some things are worth it.

Bravo!

As a lifelong teetotaler, I cannot imagine the struggle that addiction and recovery must be, but I've occasionally been to functions where there's an attitude of, "surely we can get you something," and a (usually unspoken) undertone of, "what kind of uptight prude* doesn't drink even a little bit?" So far, nobody's ever gotten aggressive about it to me, but it pisses me off that it's remotely okay to pressure someone into drinking who has indicated that they choose not to, or to judge someone for not drinking.

I hope you never need to endure assholes like those again, but I wonder if you could have "convinced' them with a doctor's note, and whether doing so would have tipped their behavior into illegal harassment, if it somehow wasn't already. I suppose it would still be tough to prove verbal harassment by a bunch of lawyers. Sigh.

Good on you for getting out of there by whatever means necessary, and for persevering in the meantime.

*This isn't even my reason, although some people seem to assume it is. I just can't stand the taste or smell, and I've never seen the point of trying to "acquire" the taste for something expensive and unhealthy. Lately, my mustachian approach is to say I'm sticking to water because I biked there, which I usually did, and which somehow still astonishes everybody else in my car-centric suburb. It's always overzealous "friends" who push to the point where there needs to be an excuse, anyway. Bartenders and servers will generally take, "I won't be drinking," at face value the first time, and cooperate by serving something else. Indeed, getting the staff on my side at the beginning is a good defense against pushy companions. (Someday, I mean to up my game on ordering a drink to look the part and serve as a decoy, but I also don't much care for most of the alternatives.)