Kicked out of office- now company wants help with passwords
I received a very good offer to leave and join another company. I gave my previous employer the opportunity to counter and they said they couldn’t even get close. We discussed a transition plan and things were professional. I went back to my desk and not five minutes later a VP came to my office and told me to leave my badge, keys, company car, cell phone etc., call an uber and that I was to leave immediately. Apparently the owner had some kind of freak out when he heard the news.
I asked if they were serious, put my pen down, and complied. I left all company property there and removed my personal belongings, called an uber and went home.
This was 12/23. I have emailed several times seeking my final paycheck (due 12/30), my 401k distribution options and my COBRA information. None have been provided. I’ve been told they’re all forthcoming, though no one even answered me until 1/3 and I’ve not seen any actual evidence they’re doing anything.
Now, they are emailing me asking for a password for my company phone. Again, I would have provided this BUT I was kicked out immediately, and frankly I left notes behind in which it should be accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort and look for the password.
With how they treated me, I’m not inclined to answer them. I’m not an employee and they owe me a significant amount of money and other information, and are well overdue per state law. Am I allowed to ignore this request?
Jobadvisor
That sounds like an incredibly jarring way to end your tenure, especially after you tried to handle the transition professionally. It is understandable that you feel no urge to rush to their aid while they are currently withholding your legally required pay and benefits.
Since you are in Pennsylvania, here is the breakdown of your rights and the leverage you have in this situation.
1. The Password Request
Technically, you are not "required" to provide labor (including technical support) once your employment has ended. However, there are two sides to this:
The Risk: In some cases, if a former employer is litigious, they could argue "breach of fiduciary duty" or "interference with business operations" if you intentionally withhold access to company property.
The Reality: Since you left notes and were physically escorted out, you have a strong defense that you were denied the opportunity to conduct an orderly handoff. You aren't "withholding" the password if you simply don't remember it or if it’s already in the office.
My suggestion: Don't ignore them entirely, as that can look like "malice." Instead, be brief and professional. You can reply with:
"Since I was required to leave the premises immediately on 12/23, I was unable to complete a formal handoff. The credentials you are looking for were included in the transition notes left at my desk. As I am no longer an employee, I am currently focused on resolving my outstanding final pay and COBRA documentation."
2. The Final Paycheck (PA Law)
In Pennsylvania, under the Wage Payment and Collection Law (WPCL), your final paycheck is due no later than the next regular payday on which the wages would have been paid.
If your payday was 12/30, they are already in violation of state law.
The WPCL allows for liquidated damages (an extra 25% of the total wages due) if the wages are withheld for more than 30 days past the regularly scheduled payday without a "good faith" dispute.
3. COBRA and 401k
COBRA: Employers generally have 30 days to notify the plan administrator of your departure, and the administrator has another 14 days to send you the election notice. Given you left 12/23, they are still within the federal window, but cutting it close.
401k: They cannot legally "hold" your 401k hostage, but the processing usually takes a few weeks after the final payroll cycle is closed.
Recommended Action Plan
The "Exchange" (Informal): You don't have to make it a literal "ransom" (e.g., "Pay me and I'll give the password"), but you can link the two in conversation. "I'm happy to try and recall that password for you once I've received my final paycheck and COBRA documents, as I'm currently prioritizing my financial and healthcare transition."
The Demand Letter: Send a formal email (and a certified letter if you want to be serious) stating that they are in violation of the PA Wage Payment and Collection Law. Mention that if the check is not received by a specific date (e.g., Friday), you will be filing a claim with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
File a Wage Claim: If they continue to stall, stop talking to them and file a formal complaint. The threat of a state investigation usually clears up "freak outs" from owners very quickly.
Honestly, I'm starting to get a little sick and tired of so many ladders being pulled from me by life as my patience as been running thin for the past several years
I've made a lot of stupid life choices in the past during my late teens-late 20s and eventually got my shit together during the last couple of years of my 20s by finally getting my long overdue college degree completed. I've tried being patient and persistent for the past several years hoping my life would get any better, but that clearly hasn't been working out for me anymore lately.
Now, just barely being in my 30s for only a few months, I'm stuck in my life where I really don't want to be in. The job market is too crappy for me to even use my software engineering bachelor's degree to get any specific entry-level jobs I aim to get because now so many of them demand senior-level experience for entry-level salary, so I'm stuck living with my parents making too low of an income to move out. On top of that, my mother recently starting having a serious health issue that will require a costly operation to save her life, which will put my father in a lot of debt. I will likely never be able move out of my parents any time soon because of all of this shit being piled onto me, on top of my own debt.
I'll take ownership for many past mistakes I've made that I do have control over, but holy fuck is life so awfully unforgiving of them. I may just have to swallow bitter pill and accept that the loans I've taken out to get my software engineering degree is all in vain and I'll end up never getting a more ideal job out of it in this shitty job market while stuck living with immediate family to continue dealing with even more drama over money.
Jobadvisor
It sounds like you are being hit from every possible direction right now. It is completely valid to feel exhausted and bitter when you’ve finally put in the work to turn your life around, only to have the "reward" be a historically bad job market and a family crisis.
That "bitter pill" feeling is real, but before you conclude the degree was in vain, let’s look at the tactical leverage you have in Pennsylvania (PA) and the tech industry to help stop the bleeding.
1. Immediate Financial Relief: The Hospital "Secret"
Since you are in PA, your parents have a massive safety net that hospitals rarely advertise. Under the Affordable Care Act and PA State Law, non-profit hospitals (which most are, like UPMC, Penn Medicine, or Lehigh Valley) must offer Financial Assistance/Charity Care.
The 300% Rule: Most PA hospital systems (like UPMC and Main Line Health) offer 100% debt forgiveness if the household income is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a household of two or three, this covers a significant income range.
The Action: Do not let your father put this on a credit card or take a high-interest loan yet. Call the hospital’s Financial Counselor or Patient Advocate immediately and ask for the "Financial Assistance Application." They can often wipe out the bill entirely or reduce it to a fraction of the cost based on their current hardship.
2. The Software Engineering Reality (2026 Edition)
The market for "Entry Level" has shifted from "can you code?" to "can you solve business problems with AI and cloud tools?" Since you have the degree, you are already ahead of the bootcamp crowd, but you may need to pivot your strategy:
Avoid the Front Door: LinkedIn "Easy Apply" for entry-level roles is currently a black hole. In 2026, the demand is moving toward Industry-Specific Tech. Instead of "Software Engineer," look for:
HealthTech/BioTech Support: Given your mother's situation, you may find roles in hospital systems or medical software companies. They often hire "Implementation Specialists" or "Application Analysts"—these roles pay better than retail, use your degree, and often lead directly into internal dev roles.
Government/Defense Contracting: PA has a lot of this. These roles are "boring" but stable, pay well, and often have lower bars for "senior experience" than Silicon Valley startups.
The "AI-Plus" Stack: Ensure your resume mentions experience with LLM integration (APIs) and Cloud (AWS/Azure). In today's market, a junior who can automate a workflow using Python and an AI agent is more hireable than one who just knows React.
3. Your Wage Claim is Your "Quick Cash"
Referring back to your previous employer: They owe you money. In PA, if they haven't paid you, you are entitled to the wages plus 25% liquidated damages.
That money belongs to you. It won't solve everything, but it's a "win" you are legally owed. Don't let them keep it while you're struggling to help your parents.
Moving Forward
You aren't "stuck" because of your past mistakes anymore; you're stuck because of a sequence of external "black swan" events (the market, your mom's health). The degree is a tool—it doesn't expire. If you have to work a non-ideal job for six months to stabilize the family, that doesn't mean the career is over.
I feel like im wasting my life away (25M)
It's a bit weird talking about this, as i have kept it for myself, but i thought it is better to get some Perspectives from other people. (Sorry for my bad english, it's not my first language).
Im atm 25 years old and finished my Bachelors degree in June last year in a game related Bachelor (which basically doesn't land you a job, as it is more for you to found a start up and become a indie developer).
My parents where never to happy about my choice, as they wanted me to do something that gives me realistic job chances, so i could land a decent job and dont have to worry about my future.
Problem is that i never really knew what i wanted to do with my life in the first place and just did things, because i didn't knew what else i could do.
When i was a teenager and i was Hospitalized because of cancer, i always dreamed of working in the game industry (which was also the reason i choosed a game related Bachelor), but now im missing the drive that i had back then and it feels meaningless because getting a job in the industry is just not really possible where i live.
It wouldn't be a Problem for me to move to another country if i would actually get a job in the field, but i feel like with my Knowledge it doesn't really help me to get a job in the industry in the first place.
I always wanted to go into the narrative design, but at the end i didn't even write a book till now, as i feel like it's meaningless and also never really tried to do something else like Programming for example.
And now i decided to do a work and travel to japan for half a year (i will be going in 2 months). I wanted to do this, because i always wanted to go to japan and make a big trip on my own in another country and as i learned a bit of japanese, it felt like a good idea.
All my friends are supporting me and happy for me and also my family says that it's a good way to get some clarity for my future, but i feel like im just running away from my responsibilities, just so i dont have to think about my future for a bit.
Jobadvisor
First, I want to acknowledge how much weight you are carrying. You are a cancer survivor who chased a dream that got you through your darkest days. That isn't "wasting time"—that is incredible resilience.
At 25, it is very common to feel like you’re "behind," but the reality is that you are in a transition phase. Here is a perspective shift to help you process your upcoming trip and your career path.
1. Japan is a "Pattern Interrupt," Not an Escape
You feel like you’re running away, but in psychology, we often call this a pattern interrupt. When you are stuck in a cycle of feeling "meaningless," staying in the same room, in the same city, with the same expectations from your parents will not help you find clarity.
The Responsibility Myth: At 25, your only real responsibility is to figure out who you are becoming. Spending six months in Japan is a productive way to test your independence, practice a new language, and gain the "drive" you feel you’ve lost.
The Narrative Angle: You want to be a narrative designer. How can you write great stories if you haven't lived one yet? Use this trip as "field research."
2. The "Game Degree" Trap
Many people feel their degree was a mistake because it didn't lead directly to a desk job. However, the skills you learned (project management, design thinking, software familiarity) are transferable.
The Industry Reality: Narrative design is one of the hardest roles to land because it requires a portfolio. If you haven't written a book or a script, you aren't a "failed" narrative designer—you just haven't started yet.
Technical Pivot: You mentioned you haven't tried programming. While in Japan, or when you return, consider the "Technical Narrative" path. Learning basic scripting (like C# for Unity or Blueprints for Unreal) makes you 10x more employable than someone who "just writes stories."
3. Comparing Your "Internal" to Others' "External"
You see your friends and feel they are moving forward while you are drifting. But you are comparing your internal messy feelings to their polished external lives.
| Instead of thinking... | Try thinking... |
| "I'm running away from my future." | "I am investing in my mental health and global perspective before a 40-year career." |
| "My degree was a waste of time." | "I finished something difficult despite my health history, and I have a foundation in tech." |
| "I have no drive." | "I am recovering from the burnout of trying to meet everyone else's expectations." |
A Different Way to Look at Your Trip
Don't go to Japan to "find your career." Go to Japan to be 25. If you spend the whole trip feeling guilty, you will return feeling just as lost. If you give yourself permission to enjoy it, you’ll likely find that the "drive" you’re missing comes back naturally when the pressure is removed.
Small Steps for the Next 2 Months:
Write 500 words of "nothing": Don't try to write a book. Write a description of a character you might meet in Japan. Low pressure.
Define one "win" for Japan: Maybe it’s just "Having a 5-minute conversation in Japanese."
Audit your skills: Look at your degree modules. Forget the word "Games"—did you learn UI/UX? Did you learn Team Coordination? Those are the words you put on a CV for "realistic" jobs later.