An employee refused to pay $120 for an office Christmas party she wasn’t attending and discovered the fee had been deducted from her paycheck without consent. When she asked HR for a refund, she was told paying was part of “mandatory team spirit,” and later felt publicly singled out in a company-wide email.
Now labeled the “office Grinch,” she’s standing her ground, arguing it’s about principle, not money. Her story highlights a common workplace issue: forced participation in social events and how “team culture” is sometimes used to justify unfair pressure.
