A lot of bosses like to throw their weight around either from sheer entitlement or a desire to control. It’s probably often both.

But what happens when a boss crosses the line and tries to force an employee to work for free in order to keep their job? Should the employee comply or stand up for themselves, even if it means getting fired?

See what this worker is dealing with after saying no to her boss.

AITA for refusing to volunteer at an event my boss was attending?

This all started during a Zoom meeting with my boss.

We had just wrapped up the actual work we were scheduled to discuss when, out of nowhere, he asked me to volunteer to do the flowers for an event he’s on the board of directors for.

I had already been invited to the event and was planning to attend out of respect for him, even though it wasn’t really my scene.

Then she reconsidered.

But doing the flowers would’ve meant another three hours of unpaid labor.

I live two hours away, so altogether it would’ve been an 8-hour day, and I wouldn’t have gotten home until around 11:30 p.m.

On top of that, he expected me to get ready at his house, which I wasn’t comfortable with.

I told him I couldn’t commit to it—that my time is worth something and I wasn’t in a position to volunteer.

Her boss sounds horrible.

He pushed back, asking, “What else are you going to do to make money during that time?”

I tried to shift the conversation, but he kept pressing.

When I held firm, he slammed his laptop shut and ended the Zoom call.

Later, he messaged me saying he was “extremely disappointed,” that I didn’t “deserve to be at the event,” and that it was for people who “help others without being paid.” He told me not to come, to finish my current work and send it to someone else, and that he was giving something he had planned for me to “someone who would appreciate it.”

He also brought up that he had given me a work laptop and iPad—as if that meant I owed him free labor.

It’s unfortunate for a bunch of reasons.

Now I think I am fired even though I am a critical part of wrapping up a project. He hasn’t said it outright, but it feels like that’s where this is headed.

He’s on the verge of retirement and after nearly four years of working with him, I had hoped to leave on good terms and use him as a reference.

Here’s the kicker: I was supposed to take on a new project that I was really excited about, something I was going to lead under his supervision. That project aligned perfectly with my style and was honestly the only reason I was still committed to working with him.

But he emailed the clients late last night and backed out, saying he’s ready to retire.

So now I’m left wondering if I’m the jerk for setting boundaries, or if I just got caught in someone else’s burnout spiral. AITA?

She definitely shouldn’t feel like working for free is a requirement to keep her job. Her boss was out of line.

Here is what people are saying on Reddit.

Absolutely. I’m appalled.

HR needs to know ASAP.

I am SO glad she didn’t go to his house.

Exactly. This is quite the opposite.

Absolutely. You need to protect yourself and your career.

I hope he’s retired now.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons