Boss Reduces Vacation Days, Worker’s Response Has Him Coughing Up $1M

He Deserved More

He had given the company forty years of his life without complaining. In his opinion, it was because of his hard work and dedication that the doors were still open.

It was reasonable to expect that the new management at least give him credit for all his hard work. However, it became apparent that it was too much to ask from them. He knew what he deserved, and he knew he needed to put them in their place.

Passion Was Important

Malcolm was an engineer that resided in Cincinnati. He graduated from university in the early 80s, and he had no idea what was next for him. However, he was lucky enough to stumble upon a job with an electrical startup company.

The company was still in its beginning, and Malcolm quickly befriended the manager. The most important thing for him was to do work that excited him. However, he got more than what he bargained for with this company.

Doing The Most

Malcolm expected that working for such a young company would be easy, but he was terribly mistaken. He had to work overtime every day and was constantly stretching himself too thin due to the limited number of staff members.

It felt like the universe was determined to let the company fail, but this motivated Malcolm and the team to push even harder. Their aim was to be one of the leading companies in the industry at the beginning of the 90s digital era. They had no clue what was in store for them.

The Best Of The Best

Malcolm instantly stood out from the rest of the team. He was the most skilled in the company’s systems, and he was filled with creativity and innovation.

His manager instantly picked up on his potential and began mentoring Malcolm in the months that followed. Over time, they improved their product, rising through the ranks of the city to become a powerful force in their industry.

Climbing The Corporate Ladder

Malcolm established a name for himself within the company as the years flew by. At every opportunity the company presented, he proved himself. By constantly refining and reworking the existing ideas, he continuously improved them. 

All of his hard work and dedication paid off in the form of numerous awards, and he quickly climbed the ladder to become the head of the technology unit. From there, however, things would only get worse.

She Trusted Him

There was never a moment where Malcolm didn’t give his absolute best at work. Malcolm’s manager saw his dedication and placed her trust in him by sharing critical company designs with him.

These were complex products. Malcolm dealt with patented company assets, which were the main reason for their relevance in the city. The company was reliant on him for its survival.  

Remaining Consistent

Malcolm was a professional, and he only produced top-quality work. His manager realized that he deserved to be promoted to the head of engineering. He gladly accepted the promotion, knowing that it brought him one step closer to the life of his dreams.

The promotion brought on new challenges, but it motivated him to work even harder. He had no idea that his job would eventually cause a particular set of problems.

Attention To Detail

Malcolm placed a lot of pride in his new job title. His work was the reason why so many people became clients of the company. They were impressed with Malcolm’s work and detail-oriented designs.

However, these designs were intricate, and the only people who knew how to build them were Malcolm and the CEO. However, the company dynamic would soon change for the worst.

Saying Goodbye

After four decades, the CEO shared the news that caused a stir within the company. The CEO decided it was time to retire, and she was looking into selling the company to a well-known electronics developer.

She reassured the employees that she would ensure the management style remained the same. The company meant a lot to her, and she wanted nothing but the best for it. However, her retirement set off the biggest cascade of events to ever affect the business.

Who They Really Were

Malcolm’s boss said goodbye to the company, and the new management took over. They gave a good first impression and were considerate enough to check if everyone was okay to work with them going forward.

As the months went by, it became clear who they truly were. Malcolm ignored it initially; he trusted his previous boss and didn’t want to believe that she left them in incapable hands. Over time, however, things began to become clearer.  

They Loved It There

The company’s new management fell on Malcolm and his workmates like a storm in the middle of the ocean. Before, the company’s employees had enjoyed several benefits, including generous amounts of paid vacation that accumulated to ten weeks. 

For Malcolm and everybody else in the company, the benefits had been some of the reasons why they loved working with their old boss. She cared for them and was never shy to show it. Then came the new owners.

New Rules Of Engagement 

The first thing the new management did was to strip down the vacation weeks from ten to four. They also started going after anyone close to retirement, firing them without discussion.

Malcolm saw everything that was happening while in the confines of his office. He saw several people who’d spent decades in the company get fired, and he knew he had to step in. 

The New Manager  

Malcolm went to the new manager to talk the situation out. “Most of these people you are firing were here when this company was a baby,” he said. 

“Well,” said the manager as he leaned forward on his desk, “The company is no longer a baby, is it?” Malcolm only smiled at him and left. He didn’t know he’d just shaken the hornet’s nest.

They Come For Him

Malcolm was sure his position in the company would protect him from the massive layoffs that had plagued the company for a month now. But one day, the new manager walked in with a letter in hand. 

In a short conversation with Malcolm, he informed him they were bringing in a younger person for him to train in building the company’s unique equipment. Malcolm’s mouth fell open. 

The New Hire

Malcolm sat on his workbench long after working hours were over that day. The new management was bringing in someone for him to train, which could only mean one thing. It was getting rid of him.

Malcolm’s hands formed fists, and fury burned within him. After all he and his fellow workmates had built, they were being hurled out of the company like they meant nothing. He walked back to his desk and sat down. What could he do now?

Rage 

Throughout Malcolm’s stay in the company, he’d never butted heads with his superiors. And now, less than a year of new management, he was ready to walk into his new manager’s office and give him a piece of his mind. 

But Malcolm breathed out the rage. There is always more than one way to skin a fish, he said to himself. A smile spread across his face. He knew what he needed to do.     

Ten Weeks Of Vacation

Malcolm had accumulated ten weeks of vacation that year. The new management had agreed that any week past the fourth week would go unpaid. Malcolm didn’t care.

He showed up the following day with his vacation request but didn’t hand it in yet. He made sure the day he’d leave for vacation coincided with the day the new hire he was to train would come, then handed the request to his boss. 

The Response

Although his boss seemed infuriated, he couldn’t do anything about the vacation. Malcolm left immediately, knowing a wildfire was about to consume the company. 

As he left, Malcolm called his old boss and explained everything. She informed him that she’d gotten several calls from other employees who’d been fired and was sorry that it’d happened. When Malcolm told her what he’d done, she proposed something that made his lips curl. 

She Comes To Their Rescue 

“Do you plan on going back?” Malcolm’s old boss asked, to which he said no. She told him that the new management would need the parts he used to create, or the company wouldn’t survive past the ten weeks he was on vacation.  

“I will teach them a lesson,” Malcolm’s old boss said. She wished Malcolm a good vacation and asked him to call her when he felt like getting back to work.

His Boss Visits

While spending time with his wife and kids at home, Malcolm’s old boss visited. She informed him that the company had reached out to her, asking if she could come in to train the new hire.

“They ran through all the reserve equipment you left and couldn’t build others,” she said. “I charged them $1.2 million to train their new hire,” she added. But that wasn’t the best thing she said that evening.

Happy Endings

“A close friend of mine has a similar business in the city,” she said. “I know you’re soon to retire, but would you mind going in as a consultant? The pay is good, and the job is less demanding than the one you had.” 

Seeing that he was a few years from retirement, Malcolm agreed and went to the new job as a consultant. Little did he know the mountain of trouble waiting for him. 

A Different Job 

Malcolm’s days as a consultant were way different than what he was used to. His new company was making similar products to his previous one. 

Although he didn’t make it his life mission to undermine the other company, he couldn’t help but want to create a better product than what he’d been producing for the last four decades. He hadn’t been at the company for a year when his workmates noticed a change in their productivity. 

Profits

Malcolm’s presence as a consultant became a boon to the company. Together with the young minds of his department, he renovated the formulas he once knew, creating entirely new and better products. 

It wasn’t long before his company began racking in considerable numbers in terms of profits. But of course, this success would bring in unwanted eyes to Malcolm and all he’d achieved so far.

Keeping Tabs

Malcolm’s old company kept an eye on his achievements and couldn’t believe he was working for a company that was quickly putting them out of business. 

It began a thorough dissection of all the products Malcolm’s company was releasing into the market, looking for any patent infringement. It wouldn’t be long until they found something worth going after.

They’re Furious 

Malcolm’s position as a consultant ensured he had ample time from work innovating on the systems and products he’d once known. 

But what his company was selling was far more than the same product he’d been used to over the years. Still, his previous company was furious after losing so much and still losing after he left. It was out to get him. 

They Come For Him

Malcolm’s previous company finally amassed enough evidence to prove what he was helping his current company produce was an infringement of its product patent.

It sent out the best of its lawyers after Malcolm, hoping it would muddy his credibility as an engineer and ruin whatever working years he had left before retiring. It had no idea what grave it was digging for itself. 

Legal Team, Assemble!

Although relatively young people ran Malcolm’s current company, it had one of the best legal teams on the eastern seaboard. They formed a protective wall around Malcolm, letting the other company doom itself before finally pouncing.  

On the other hand, the other company went to court with their list of evidence. They were sure they would win the case when everything started turning sour.