Boss slashed a hardworking employee’s salary, so he handed lawyers the evidence to bring the whole company down
'The owner does every cheap thing to save a penny, so I can actually stick all these drawings along with an anonymous letter...'
When the owner deducted an employee's (u/jacmomfrey) salary, he decided to send lawyers evidence that could bring the whole company down. He shared his story on Reddit on October 27, 2025, to understand if his company could embroil him in legal issues, and received a wide range of responses online.
A few days after his salary was deducted, lawyers investigating a loophole in a project executed by the company contacted him. The company had apparently built some retaining walls incorrectly, and thus, the investigation was initiated. "I didn't say anything, but I actually have all the engineered drawings and the reports showing the failures to dig deep enough," he said. Moreover, he knew that the engineer had quit mid-project because they felt their plan wasn't being followed. "The owner does every cheap thing to save a penny, so I can actually stick all these drawings along with an anonymous letter explaining how the walls fail to meet standards," the employee wrote. Moving on, he said he is looking for another job and hopes that by the time the lawsuits roll out, he will have found a new opportunity. "Today I will mail out all four reports and my letter," he concluded.
Despite having all the evidence, the employee had never reported the company before his salary was deducted. While he had his reasons, research by Bloomsbury Square Employment Law found that the majority of workers in the UK are scared to expose their employers. They revealed that over half (51%) of the UK’s workforce would not feel safe disclosing to their employer if they believed the company was breaking any law. Reasons? While 45% feared losing their job, 39% were worried that they might be bullied or harassed by their company, and 36% worried about potential breaches of confidentiality.
When the man shared his story, some people supported his decision, while others suggested he must contact a lawyer before taking any step, as he could also be sued for hiding the truth. Reacting to the post, u/sportysue60 commented, "I would give lawyers everything! Can you imagine what will happen if the retaining wall falls and people are in the building? I would also look into whistleblower laws where you are. In some areas, you get money for doing that." Similarly, u/phreebeer suggested, "Ask the lawyers to pay you as a witness for your testimonial. Don't turn a money opportunity away. Think of it as making up for the lowered salary." u/hdjjc69 asked, "And why didn't you come forward earlier? You might be sued also."
u/puceeffoc said, "OP, you might be entitled to compensation; I would have a sit-down meeting with the lawyers. Bring the blueprints and mention your recent pay cut." u/ok-trainer3150 wrote, "This may not affect you unless your work fell under any licensing statutes and you were directly involved in the project. Definitely keep hold of stuff and focus on getting a new job. If the shit hits the fan, you'll be looking for one anyway. Legal action could bankrupt the company. The owners may decide to declare it preemptively. If they're professional engineers, I believe they're even personally liable. In any case, the reduction in salary tells me all is dicey there."
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