It’s a far too common story at work – you’re the low man on the totem pole, so you have to defer to those who have been there longer, even if you’ve already surpassed their abilities in the workplace.

One of OP’s first jobs had him working in a warehouse where television and television components were assembled.

His single coworker had been there longer but pretty much did nothing at all.

A long time ago I worked (eventually) in the warehouse for a major TV manufacturer.

I was aided (in no way, shape, or form) by a woman who while having the same job as me just sat and stared into the middle distance.

I was young, didn’t want to rock the boat so I just got on with it.

One day he had the nerve to answer a question from management, after which he was told to direct all management questions to her.

Early on a manager stopped me to ask something, I helped and they went away happy.

I got hissed orders from her that any managers should be directed to her.

Sure.

The next time something went down, he did as she asked…and she gave the wrong answer.

So one day a major kerfuffle happened and a delivery of required boards didn’t arrive and the line ground to a halt.

Manager arrives desperate for a miracle and she sadly shrugs and says there’s nothing to be done.

“You’ve checked the logs? we don’t have any of these board in stock at all”

Now she didn’t know squat and only had a cursory look at the bay logs and confirmed that there were no boards of that type.

Manager stomps away frustrated.

The day was going from bad to worse, but the coworker refused to help a second time and OP couldn’t stand it.

HIGHER UP MANAGER comes an hour later and asks me, and before I can get 5 words out, she pipes up from her corner and calls the HUM over.

He stomps away frustrated (the factory is losing thousands every hour)

So, he spoke up and earned himself a pat on the back and a little bonus – and the other employee earned a pink slip.

I stop him as he passes and explain that while we don’t have the board, two smaller component boards combine to make that board.

Orders me to get the palette truck and get the lines going.

Previous manager comes round and asks why I didn’t say this earlier and I explain I was ordered to direct all questions to the “senior” worker.

End result was factory got going, Hundreds of thousands of pounds were saved, I got a £10 M&S gift card, and she got the boot as they finally noticed she did sweet FA.

Too bad, huh?

The top commenter says OP scored a hat trick.

This is a rule to live by.

Others were stuck on the pittance of a gift card.

Because you know they could have afforded more.

They said the woman should have committed fully!

This moment could have gone either way.

Because if he would have done nothing, at least everyone would have gotten a break.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.