An Expert-Approved Guide to Getting Your Boss Fired

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Learn to build a case against your boss

Co-authored by Lyle Solomon, JD

Last Updated: June 14, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Observing & Documenting Your Boss
|
• Securing Your Job
|
• Finalizing Your Case
|
• Expert Q&A

|Show more |Show less

Whether you have a cranky supervisor or one who crosses the workplace line, finding a way to get your boss fired can be tricky business. One reason you must act cautiously is because your actions could ultimately get you fired. The best way to shed light on your boss is to strategically build a case against them, but sometimes it is a bit hard getting people to believe you; that is why you always need proof.

Things You Should Know

• Document instances where your boss has behaved poorly, and contact trusted coworkers to learn if they’ve had similar experiences.
• Assemble a professional report with documentation and factual paperwork to support your claim.
• Provide your findings to HR, and look for alternate jobs in the meantime. You deserve to work somewhere where you feel comfortable and supported.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Observing & Documenting Your Boss

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1. 1
   Observe how your boss treats employees. Your boss is on grounds of being dismissed if they disrespect or steal from employees. There needs to be several employees to testify to the truth of this type of disrespect. Inappropriate behavior towards employees includes the following:

   • Racial or sexual discrimination/“jokes.” Do you work for someone who calls you by a derogatory name or constantly cracks inappropriate jokes about your race, gender, and/or religion? These actions are against the law and are concrete grounds for termination.
   • Abusive behavior. Does your boss drag you into their office (or out in the middle of the office) to scream and berate you when you make an error? There is no room for abusive behavior in the workplace. Everyone should be respected.
   • Unfair management practices. Does your boss play favorites and leave out opportunities for other staff members? Are you and your co-workers given the shaft for certain promotional advances when you are more qualified than the boss’s pet?
   • Intellectual theft, or stealing another employee’s ideas and passing them off as their own. Stealing material items isn't the only grounds for theft.
2. 2
   Stay organized. In your planning stages, you must take preventative steps in ensuring no one finds out what you are doing. Many corporate computers run on a shared network that your boss has access to. Plan to keep all documentation off your work computer and out of sight.

   • Depending on how bad the case is, which it should be since you’re making a case, you’ll need pen and paper, an audio recorder, a video camera, and a folder or journal.
   • You may not need the video camera since most offices contain a security camera that could be used in an investigation.
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3. 3
   Document the behavior. Prove that the boss needs to get the heave ho to human resources by meticulously documenting every infraction as they occur.

   • Obtain a journal and write down the time, date and incident following the encounter.
   • Gather factual evidence such as receipts or records that demonstrate the boss doing something wrong or illegal.
   • Get photographic or video evidence by placing a hidden camera in the area of the office where you could nab evidence. Keep in mind, however, that taping someone against their knowledge may not be used in a court of law. Having this type of documentation on video or photos will support other evidence.
4. 4
   Practice stealth. You shouldn't bring a tripod and professional grade equipment into work. If you need to photograph or record an incident, use a smartphone. You have all the spy capabilities in your pocket. Smartphones can record video, audio, and take pictures.

   • Write down details of your boss' actions in private.
5. 5
   Reflect on your boss’ actions. What is your boss doing that would warrant being fired? Having a bad personality can't be grounds to get someone fired. Talk to a trusted colleague or friend about your feelings. Do everything you can to avoid your boss from finding out your thoughts.

   • Consider looking for another job. It may not be worth the hassle and emotional strain of building a case against your boss.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Securing Your Job

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1. 1
   Identify (a) trusted co-worker(s). It is vital that you find someone you can trust and include them in on your plan. Take the divide and conquer approach because two heads (or more) are better than one. For example, if you’ve been the butt of numerous sexist jokes, confide in a trusted same sex colleague to see if they have experienced something similar.

   • Start the conversation off without admitting anything. You need to determine if your colleague also feels the same way about your boss as you do. If they admit uneasy feelings about your boss, proceed in including them into your scheme.
2. 2
   Be the best employee you can be. Don’t spend all your time invested in your clandestine operation. It is important that you still do the job you’re supposed to do. Make it your mission to be the best employee you can be so no one can point the blame on you. You may even have a boss that decides to try to dig up some dirt on you.

   • Don’t lose sight that you are being paid to work and must fulfill this commitment you made.
3. 3
   Be prepared for the worst outcome. Even in a slam-dunk situation where the boss has been blatantly violating numerous codes or violations, your manager may not go away overnight, or even at all. The boss may know what you’ve been up to, or may suspect it, so they may have already tried to cover evidence.

   • In the worst situation, your boss may cook up a story that would prove you wrong.
   • In the event that it looks like your manager may not get fired, consider if you can stand to continue work at the company.
4. 4
   Look for other jobs. While being on top of your current position will help secure your job, you might be happier working somewhere else. Search the internet for job listings calling for your position. Even if you choose not to apply, having the options could ease the tensions at work. It never hurts to look and you might find a better opportunity.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finalizing Your Case

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1. 1
   Finalize your evidence. Assemble a professional report that includes documentation and factual paperwork to back up your claim. Don’t hand the higher ups or human resources a fist full of scribbled cocktail napkins and sticky notes. Transfer all of your written notes into a typed and cohesive report.

   • If you have receipts, video, or photographic evidence, present them in a binder or folder. Making a professional presentation will send a message that this is serious and goes well beyond your boss having a bad day.
2. 2
   Request to meet with your HR. Meet with the human resources manager to present your report. When you make your appointment, let the manager know why you want to meet with them. Ask about confidentiality and whether you can submit your findings anonymously.

   • Try to leave emotions at the door when you meet with human resources. Try to divorce yourself from the situation and approach it as if you are presenting the material on the behalf of someone else.
   • Don’t name call. During the meeting, be as professional as possible. Never say that your manager is simply a “bad person” or “evil,” but instead lay the facts out and your report in a calm, confident manner.
   • Thank the human resources manager for their time. Be gracious with regard to the meeting. Be sure the human resource professional knows that you are thankful that your case is being heard.
3. 3
   Follow the chain of command. If you work for a smaller firm that doesn’t have an HR department, you’ll need to talk to the next best thing. In many cases of a small, family run business, there chances of your boss being fired are slim. Most businesses consist of this type of structure: top-level managers, middle managers, first-level managers, and then the staff.

   • A likely hierarchy of a small company may be the owner, manager, department manager, supervisor, and then the staff.
   • Talk to someone in the chain of command who is higher than your boss. If your supervisor is repeatedly out of line, try talking to their manager.
   • When dealing with smaller firms, you must insist that your hearing be confidential.
4. 4
   Contact the EEOC. If you're uncomfortable talking to your company about a boss, contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This is a federal organization responsible for employment and anti-discrimination laws. This can include incidents of managerial abuse that violates anti-discrimination laws.

   • You'll need to file a claim with the EEOC that will include the research and reports you've prepared.
   • The EEOC will contact you with further steps that may include a lawsuit against the company.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do you escape a toxic boss?

  

  Jeffrey Fermin
  Employee Relations Expert

  Jeffrey Fermin is an Employee Relations Expert based in Miami, Florida. He currently works as Head of Demand Generation for AllVoices, a platform that manages employee relations issues. Through his work, he has developed extensive experience with understanding human behavior and the intricacies of work life. He’s also the Founder of a full-service marketing company called New Theory. He has more than 13 years of experience in B2B SaaS marketing, and has specifically focused on human resources technology, digital marketing, and content creation. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education from Florida International University. Jeffrey has won a Microsoft Octas Innovation Award and is a TechCrunch Disrupt Runner-Up.

  

  Jeffrey Fermin

  Employee Relations Expert

  Expert Answer

  Document your boss's toxic incidents and reach out to an HR rep or another senior employee. If the situation calls for it, try talking to your boss directly about their behavior and see if there are ways to address it outside of the workplace. Make sure that you're prepared for any potential repercussions from reporting your boss—be aware of any rights that may protect you and any possible legal action that could be taken.

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  Not Helpful 2 Helpful 5
• Question

  How do I get my boss fired when they commit fraud?

  

  Community Answer

  Get yourself proof of what they've done and then go to their superiors with it.

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• Question

  Can I get my boss fired if he offers other employees opportunities that are not offered to me?

  

  Community Answer

  That is extremely unlikely. You would need to prove that there was discrimination of some kind (even if it's just a personal dislike of you) involved in your boss's decisions, and that would be a tremendous uphill battle. You boss could say the other workers are more qualified, more dependable, harder working, or just a better fit for the position. These claims may or may not be true, but without documented evidence of some kind to dispute them, there are certainly no grounds for your boss's dismissal.

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Tips

• Determine if your claim against your boss can be confidential. If not, consider if you are prepared to go up against your boss, face to face in a human resources meeting.
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• Be organized and deliberate with your documentation and delivery with the HR professional.
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Warnings

• No matter how much you want your boss to disappear, never plant evidence or make something up to expedite the process.
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• If your boss is making sexual advances toward you and is not taking “no” for an answer, go directly to human resources and possibly law enforcement if nothing changes in at least one business day.
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