Sometimes the people who shout the loudest about being irreplaceable forget who actually keeps things running.

So when one employee was warned she couldn’t possibly handle her boss’s duties when she went on leave, a brand-new hire was brought in to take charge — and immediately crumbled under the pressure.

But when she refused to take back the work, her boss’ hubris came back to bite her hard.

Keep reading for the full story.

You are not capable of doing my job. Ok.

So earlier this year, my boss took three months off to have some surgery and recover. I have been working for 28 years in my field, and I’m pretty capable of my job.

So when her boss went on leave, she had some very strong words for her.

My boss is a highly strung woman who believes only she knows how to do anything.

Before my boss took her extended leave, I asked about filling in her role while she was on leave, and she told me, “You are not capable of doing my job. No one here is.”

The boss seemed to scare off several other employees from stepping up.

I asked again in an email and was told the same thing. I sent the email to all my work colleagues.

When they advertised to fill in my boss’s role, no one applied.

When management asked everyone why no one applied, they all said they were not capable.

So the company decided to go with a new hire.

There are over 40 staff who did not apply. Someone from another site did apply.

He had just completed his new graduate year. They appointed Bob, who was 24.

It quickly became clear that Bob was not up to the task.

Bob emailed me after a week directing me to do all his work. There were multiple links and documents, stock orders, meeting agendas, etc.

I replied I was happy to do this when I get a free moment. I did nothing.

It was clear within a week that Bob had no idea how to be boss, and things were going wrong very quickly.

Soon HR tries to force her into taking the work.

I was called to an HR meeting and asked why I wasn’t doing Bob’s work he instructed me to do.

I informed him that I already have a full-time job doing my work; how can I do Bob’s as well?

She tells HR that there’s no way she’s taking it on.

Secondly, I showed the email that said no one is capable of doing my boss’s job.

I was left alone after this. Bob basically did nothing for three months.

So when the boss returned, she was in for quite the shock.

My boss returned blowing up about how much work she had to do. She tried to blame the workers on the ground for not being helpful enough.

I sent her back her email where she stated that neither I nor any staff was capable of doing her work.

We didn’t see her leave her office for months.

Sounds like this boss got exactly what she deserved.

What did Reddit think?

Apparently this sort of thing is more common than one might think.

When companies mess with their employees, they often lose big.

Sometimes pettiness is a defense mechanism.

Other times, you just have to outwit a micromanager.

The boss said no one was capable, and the team made sure to prove her right.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.