WIBTA If I Quit My Parent’s Struggling Company?

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Family Business or Financial Stability?

In a heart-wrenching dilemma, a woman grapples with the fallout of working for her struggling parents’ company, where late paychecks and mounting debt threaten her family’s stability. Despite her loyalty and sacrifices, she faces emotional manipulation and public humiliation from her parents, leaving her torn between familial duty and the need to provide for her three young children. As she contemplates leaving the job to seek better opportunities, the potential fallout could sever her already fragile relationship with her parents. This relatable struggle highlights the complexities of family dynamics and the harsh realities of financial insecurity that many Americans face today.

Family Drama and Conflict Resolution: A Difficult Decision

In a challenging family situation, a woman finds herself caught between her job at her parents’ struggling company and the financial needs of her own family. Here’s a summary of the events leading to her difficult decision:

Background: The woman’s parents, aged 51 and 53, own a niche company that has been facing significant financial difficulties over the past few years. Their business model relies on a subscription service, but they have been losing clients rapidly.
Employment Situation: The woman has worked for her parents for four years. Recently, she has not received a paycheck for over a month, which has put her family in a precarious financial position.
Family Financial Strain: Her husband, aged 32, provides some income, covering essential expenses like healthcare and mortgage. However, they are struggling with debt and have depleted their savings, making it difficult to manage their finances, especially with three young children.
Workplace Tension: The woman has faced increasing rudeness and blame from her parents at work. Despite her loyalty, they have scolded her for issues beyond her control, leading to a toxic work environment.
Emotional Conflict: After a public reprimand from her father, the woman expressed her frustrations to her mother, who responded with guilt, suggesting that she might harm herself if the woman left the company.
Decision-Making Dilemma: The woman feels torn between her job, which offers decent pay and benefits, and the deteriorating relationship with her parents. She worries that leaving the company could sever family ties and impact her mother’s mental health.
Historical Context: The woman’s older brother had a similar experience in 2013, leaving the company due to financial struggles. His departure did not significantly impact the business, but the woman fears hers might be the final blow.

After considering her options, the woman decided to propose a part-time arrangement with her parents, allowing her to seek additional income elsewhere. However, her parents responded with insults and effectively terminated her employment, leading her to cut ties with them for the foreseeable future.

This situation highlights the complexities of family dynamics, especially when intertwined with business. The woman is now faced with the challenge of finding a new job while navigating the emotional fallout of her decision.

This is Original story from Reddit

Image credit: Pixabay (This is example image – Not the actual photo)

Story: Edit

Update thank you everyone for the advice. I decided to meet them in the middle and tell them I could continue to work part-time for them, so that I would be able to get a part-time job on the side to at least generate SOME income so I could pay my bills. I told them as soon as they were back on their feet, I’d be happy to come back full time.

They decided to respond back with insults, laughing at me for being dramatic about the situation, and essentially firing me, okay???. So that’s done, and they’ve been cut out of my life for the foreseeable future.

Will try to keep this as short as possible.

My parents, 51M and 53F, own a company in a pretty niche industry. Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, the company has been struggling. Their business model relies on having active clients that pay into a subscription service, and the company has been losing customers quite drastically.

I have worked for this company for 4 years now, and sometimes my paycheck would come a little late; however, it has officially been a month since I’ve received a paycheck. Thankfully, my husband, 32M, works and brings in enough income to cover the basic essentials: healthcare, mortgage, and utilities.

But we have quite a bit of debt that includes monthly payments. I have already drained through a majority of our savings as it has been rough lately with expenses, and we never really had the opportunity to build up our savings again since using it all for a down payment to buy a house. Not to mention, we also have 3 young kids. Not a great situation to be in.

If I don’t start earning money, our credit will likely be destroyed, lots of stuff will go to collections, and any little discretionary income will disappear. To top things off, they have been incredibly frustrated at the whole situation and have been beyond rude to me.

They have scolded me for my work when it is not deserved, such as blaming me for things that are not my fault, and have been very passive-aggressive just in general. At the very least, I would have expected them to be grateful that I remain working even though I am now two paychecks behind. I see little hope for recovery with this company too.

They are in massive trouble with the IRS and owe a lot of back taxes to both federal and state. I expressed some of my frustrations with the whole situation the other day to my mom, after my dad publicly shamed me in front of the other employees for something I didn’t even do.

I won’t go into too much detail as I’m trying to keep this situation as anonymous as possible, as I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on Reddit. She then tried to guilt trip me and told me that if I left the company, she wouldn’t blame me but would probably shoot herself.

I feel so morally conflicted. On one hand, the job, when it pays, offers some good benefits. The pay is decent, especially for the state in which we live, and I am able to work from home, which helps with flexibility with the young kids.

On the other hand, it is absolutely ruining any relationship I have with my parents. I am already starting to resent them. I feel like I am at the end of my rope.

If I leave the company, it will probably end any relationship I have with them. Also, I am worried about my mom’s mental state. But I also want to be able to feed my kids and not lose our car, house, etc.

A little bit of backstory, and maybe a bit too revealing of details: My older brother used to work for their company in 2013, and the same thing happened to him because the company struggled badly during that time period too; it has had many ups and downs. He left the company after being unable to make rent.

But his position wasn’t nearly as integral as mine is. Him leaving wouldn’t hurt the company. Me leaving may be the final nail.

TL;DR: I’m screwed.

View the Original Reddit Post Here

Summary of Reddit Comments

The top Reddit comments indicate a strong consensus that the individual should prioritize their own well-being and that of their children over the family business. Many users emphasize the importance of seeking stable employment and highlight the unprofessional behavior of the parents, suggesting that the individual should quit the family business and potentially pursue legal action for unpaid wages. Overall, the comments reflect a clear stance that family obligations should not come at the expense of personal and financial stability.

Verdict: NTA

Expert Advice for Resolving Family Conflict

Family dynamics can be incredibly complex, especially when intertwined with business. Here are some practical steps for both the woman and her parents to consider in resolving their conflict while prioritizing emotional and financial well-being.

For the Woman

Prioritize Your Well-Being: Focus on securing stable employment that meets your family’s financial needs. This may involve updating your resume, networking, and applying for jobs that align with your skills.
Set Boundaries: Clearly communicate your decision to leave the family business. Establish boundaries to protect your emotional health and maintain a healthy distance from the toxic work environment.
Seek Support: Consider talking to a therapist or counselor to process your feelings about the situation. Support groups for individuals in similar situations can also provide valuable insights and encouragement.
Document Everything: Keep records of any unpaid wages and communications with your parents regarding your employment. This documentation may be useful if you decide to pursue legal action for unpaid wages.
Focus on Family Relationships: After some time has passed, consider reaching out to your parents to discuss your feelings and the possibility of rebuilding your relationship. Approach the conversation with empathy and a willingness to listen.

For the Parents

Reflect on Business Practices: Take a step back to evaluate the business model and consider seeking professional advice on how to improve the company’s financial situation. This may involve consulting with a business advisor or exploring new strategies.
Communicate Openly: Engage in honest conversations with your daughter about the challenges the business is facing. Acknowledge her contributions and the difficulties she has experienced while working for you.
Address Emotional Concerns: If your daughter expresses concerns about your mental health, take these seriously. Consider seeking professional help for yourselves to navigate the emotional aspects of the business and family dynamics.
Apologize and Rebuild Trust: If you recognize that your behavior has been unprofessional or hurtful, offer a sincere apology. Acknowledging past mistakes can be a crucial step in rebuilding trust and repairing the relationship.
Explore Alternative Solutions: Instead of terminating your daughter’s employment, consider discussing flexible work arrangements that could benefit both parties. This could include part-time work or a temporary leave of absence while she seeks other opportunities.

Ultimately, both sides should aim for open communication and mutual respect. While the situation is undoubtedly challenging, taking these steps can help foster understanding and potentially lead to a healthier family dynamic moving forward.