Employee Iced Out by ‘Passive-Aggressive’ Co-Workers After Not Pitching In for Boss’s Retirement Gift

An office employee is feeling iced out by their co-workers after refusing to chip in to buy their boss a retirement gift. 

"My co-workers decided to pitch in for a group gift for our bosses upcoming retirement. They suggested a fancy watch and set a budget of $50 per person. While I respect our boss and appreciate the idea, I felt $50 was too steep for me right now, especially with the holidays coming up and my own financial priorities," they began on Reddit.

Prioritizing their finances, they "politely" declined to participate in the group gift.

"Well, apparently that wasn’t an option. They told me I needed to contribute because it 'would look bad' if I didn’t, especially since everyone else in the department agreed to chip in. When I still declined, they got irritated and said I was being 'cheap' and 'ungrateful,' considering our boss has been so good to us over the years," they continued.

Although the employee's co-workers aren't being "outright rude," they've noticed the "vibe in the office is weird."

"People are being short with me or making passive-aggressive comments about 'teamwork' and 'support.' It’s making me question if I should’ve just paid the $50 to keep the peace," they concluded their post.

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Users in the comments section rallied behind the office employee for not giving into pressure from their co-workers.

"You set a clear boundary and you have every right to decide how you spend your money. Participating in a group gift should be optional, not mandatory. Just because everyone else agreed doesn’t mean you’re obligated to do the same, especially if $50 feels like too much for you right now," one person wrote.

"I would explain that there are financial burdens they are unaware of and you are glad they are not in that boat where $50 is a big deal, but for you, right now, it is a big deal and you aren’t going to have your water turned off because they want to buy a fancy watch," another commented.

"What looks bad is that your boss’s employer isn’t getting him a nice gift like a gold watch. That’s not your role as his team member and your co-workers are out of line," someone else weighed in.