Workers Divulge The Most Unethical Request Their Boss Ever Made

Most large corporations are built on a ‘leadership’ model that borrows heavily from the military idea of Chain of Command.

The top gives orders, which are followed with increasing levels of detail the further down the chain one goes.

The trouble is that the orders aren’t always proper – or even, in some cases, legal.

Non-disclosure agreements and general embarrassment often keep people from telling these stories but Redditor SethmAR15 decided to use the anonymity of Reddit to ask:

“What’s the most unethical thing a boss has ever asked you to do?”

Someone needed a break.

“Many, many years ago I was working as a part-time mechanic for a guy selling ‘restored cars’.”

“He called me in for an emergency brake repair on a TR-4.”

“One of the rear wheel cylinders had failed and he needed it fixed ASAP.”

“He had a buyer lined up with cash.”

“Instead of having me hone and rebuild the cylinder properly (I had the tools and the kit to do so) he wanted me to cut the pipe to the rear brakes and just crimp it over onto itself, enough to stop the leak.”

“He was in a hurry and wanted it fixed before the customer saw anything.”

“I fixed it properly anyway, so that no one would die, and then rolled my toolbox out of there that very night.” ~ limeycars

The benefit of the doubt.

“Also at Dollar Tree, most of my cashiers were teenagers or dipshits that never showed up for work so this older Korean woman kept getting called in to work the register.”

“She was pretty much getting 40+ hours every week and open season for benefits was getting ready to start.”

“My district manager called me and told me I had to convince her to not get any benefits or else.”

“I told him that else better be him doing that shit himself because I’m not about to do his dirty work.” ~Sol-Blackguy

An executive decision.

“Not me but my dad’s story.”

“1980’s.”

“My dad worked at a small mid-western bank as an executive.”

“One day a fellow executive comes in with several loan applications and says he needs them all approved.”

“My dad looks over them quickly and immediately realizes none of the applicants qualified.”

“If they approved them the loans would go into default within three months and these people would lose their farms.”

“My dad said it wasn’t possible.”

“The other exec says ‘well if you just fudge the numbers it is.’ My father tells him that’s impossible because other exec never walked into his office and they never had this conversation.”

“The other exec nods and takes the papers back.”

“Six months later the FBI raids the bank.”

“My father was the only exec who didn’t go to prison for fraud.” ~ BlackStarCorona

We’re trying to contact you about your car’s extended warranty.

“Similar but different.”

“As a teen, I worked at a car dealership in the service department.”

“At the time, there was a major recall for transmission repairs.”

“They would do fake warranty repair orders on cars that did not need it and came in for other reasons, and bill the manufacturer accordingly.”

“They had to order replacement parts to continue the fraud, and would tell me to take them to a storage room above the parts department.”

“It so happened on my last day there, an auditor was on site for routine audit stuff.”

“In the break room I told him what I knew and left.”

“Fast forward 3 months and the dealership was closed.”

“I probably wouldn’t have said anything if my boss hadn’t been such a dick when I asked for time off to attend my grandfather’s funeral.”

“He thought I was lying and I had to bring in the obit (pre-internet) to keep my job.” ~ RunMelba

Dollar Tree doesn’t play around!

“My old boss at dollar tree would make me drive her to the bank in my car every night.”

“And she would have me park like 10 feet back from the ATM while she walked up to it.”

“She told me that if someone ever tried to run up on her while she was depositing the money I had to run them over.”

“She said if they were too close to her to just hit her as well.”

“She was incredibly adamant that I absolutely HAD to do this and very serious.” ~ durkinbrowns

Expiration dates are suggestions, right?

“Back in a butcher shop portion of a grocery store I worked at.”

“The supervisor asked me to change the date on some burger that wasn’t selling.”

“The day she asked me to do this was the sell-by-date.”

“I even asked her if that was safe/legal.”

“She just tapped her name tag that said supervisor on it and said that was the only thing I needed to worry about.”

“I put new tags on all of the packages while she was there but I didn’t put them on the shelves.”

“After she left for the night I found the store manager and showed him.”

“I showed him the old tags, which were just under the new tags so it was easy to pull them back and prove it. He had me toss the burger down the trash chute and my supervisor was gone from the store by the end of the week.” ~ Nerdfatha

There are always more workers.

“Keep people at work when there was a chemical leak from the car painting shop next door, and people were getting sick.”

“The boss wasn’t on-site (almost never was), I tried calling him and got no answer, and I was the most senior worker on-site so I sent everyone home.”

“When I was almost home (1h+ commute) he called me back.”

“He had gotten my voicemail where I explained the situation and he was not happy.”

“Apparently we should have waited it out or I should have arranged for everyone to work from home (not possible).”

“The guy was a dickhead but this one still makes me angry when I think about it.” ~ipakookapi

Seeing is believing?

“Branch Manager (Banking) asked me to pose in a picture, showing a lot of cleavage, to use on his construction loan website for his builders.”

“He wanted them to ‘see’ who they would be working with in a daily basis so he could get more business.” ~ Hchel25

This sounds like an episode of the Sopranos.

“I had a boss ask to me take a bunch of stock from the warehouse to his personal storage unit, and not to ask any questions …” ~ TJDigital_

What’s a little illegal dumping between coworkers?

“Loaded unknown chemicals into the nose of tractor trailers for out of state transport.”

“I’m sure it was all illegally dumped. Just out of HS I had no idea the scope of what was happening.”

“Nothing was labeled, containers, trailers and manifests all claimed empty containers.” ~ Reddit

It can be very easy to just do what you’re told, to just follow the orders.

Remember though that actions have consequences and to be wary of anyone trying to slide those consequences off their shoulders—and on to yours.

People Explain Which Unwritten Rules They Always Abide By

Standards for a life well-lived will obviously vary for everyone.

Though the internet will tell you there’s a few simple rules to follow—Don’t be a dick, Support one another, etc…—there can be those unspoken laws which you live your life by that no one else follows.

The silent credo you keep in your mind, guiding you towards being the best version of yourself.

Most of the time.

Self-preservation also seems to be a common theme among these rules.

Reddit user, Embarrassed_Age_8463, wanted to know what lifestyle rules to follow when they asked:

“What is an unwritten law you abide by ?”

You Live In A City, So Act Like It

“When walking in a busy part of the city or transit hub go with the flow of foot traffic, even if you’re lost, don’t abruptly stop. Step to the side where it’s convenient for everyone else, not just you!!” ~ VincentVanGoghst

Everything Gets Kept And Nothing Goes Away

“Assume anything you tell anyone will be repeated!” ~ Appropriate-Rough563

“To build on this, assume anything you put in writing could be read in front of a jury. Paper, text, email? Imagine what you’re about to hit send on gets read aloud to a courtroom before you hit send” ~ AdjNounNumbers

It’s Not That Hard

“Always let the people on the elevator get off before you get in.” ~ littlemisspuppy

“Same for buses” ~ vrettossss

“And trains.” ~ EmeraldMoose12

“And airplanes” ~ wessoflo

“Those people who stand right in the f-cking doorway when I’m trying to get off the bus make me so goddamn mad I’m scared one day I’m just gonna snap and shove them on their ass.” ~ SpookyVoidCat

Protect Your Kids

“Don’t let your kids be a nuisance to other people when in public. I’m not talking about babies and toddlers, but kids running around in restaurants or going ham kicking plane seats.” ~ Grumblegrumblehiss

“Not even just for others’ sake, but for their sake, too. I worked in a restaurant, and some parents would just let their toddlers and sh-t wander around while they stayed seated at their table. I remember when I found a 3-4 year old waddling around a room away from his mom in a packed restaurant and almost lost my mind.”

“I can’t tell you how many times my instinct to swoop them up and scold the parent/s almost took over, but I had to remain professional. I don’t mind a little rowdiness, but for the kids’ sake, stop being inattentive.” ~ MyLifeHurtsRightNow

Start High. Be Ready To Rescind. 

“Respect is given”

“Disrespect is earned” ~ Rocky1963

“I agree that respecting someone as a person should be given. But people shouldn’t expect you to “respect their authority” just because their old or in a position of power. That type of respect needs to be earned.” ~ xxx148

It Makes So Much Sense

“Rechts stehen, links gehen.”

“Which is the German term for our unwritten rule that when you use an escalator, you use the right side if you want to just stand around and take a chilled ride, and that you use the left side if you’re in a hurry and want to speed up the ride by additionally walking up-/downwards.”

“They tried to officially abolish it in Munich, but we aren‘t having it. We Germans love our escalator rules.” ~ freakinandout

“London has this too, and as an American, I love it. When I go to the malls here, it makes me sad Americans don’t tend to follow the same idea” ~ olympusarc

Be Aware Of Your Surroundings

“If they didn’t extend an invite, I don’t ask to come. I know a few people who unknowingly try to intrude on trips/activities in situations it’s obvious that they 100% should not” ~ Burdturds

“Same. However, the flip side is don’t talk about group activities in front of people who aren’t invited.”

“Obviously, there is a difference between something coming up briefly and discussing it at length. “I’ll see you at the show next week.” Is different from “I can’t wait to go to the show next week. What are you wearing?” The second one is rude to do in front of people who aren’t invited.” ~ Zula13

Listen To People Who Show You Who They Are

Don’t trust anyone who backstabs others in front of you” ~ Hoxtoful

This was kind of a big thing in the military. There’s this presence of the idea that we’re all best friends and brothers and sisters and inseparable and will die for every one around us. I literally can’t count the number of guys I’d see hit the pier overseas and take their rings off then head into town.”

“Same guys would blow all their money, then come back to the ship asking for loans, “we’re boys right?!?!”. No dude, your own wife can’t trust you. I don’t believe a f-cking thing you say.” ~ aDrunkSailor82

What Kind Of Moral Character Do You Possess?

“Put the f-cking cart in the f-cking cart return like a decent human being.” ~ Whatsa-Throwaway

There’s actually a shopping cart theory: ” The theory posits that the decision to return a cart is the ultimate test of moral character and a person’s capacity to be self-governing.” ~ MrEvetbody

Appreciate Your Fans, Confuse Your Enemies

“Always say thank you and please , even to asshole people, it works like a sarcasm to them . Edit 1 – Thanks everyone for the upvotes.” ~ _Virtual-Life_

“Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #76: Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.” ~ AzraelleWormser

If Only Everybody Followed This

“Be kind if at all possible” ~ Basic_genXer

“Practice random acts of kindness when you are able to.” ~ Newstargirl

“But don’t brag about it. If it comes up in conversation that’s fine but I know someone who puts everything on Facebook for the likes” ~ SnooCapers9313

Be Honest With Yourself

“The real you is who you are when nobody is watching” ~ Unicorn_Boots

“But that doesn’t matter to anyone. In other people’s reality, the only ‘you’ they know is the one you show them.” ~ XxuruzxX

Do your best to stick to the unwritten laws you’ve set up for yourself.

It can only lead to success and a peaceful life.