reprisal

Definition

Corporate revenge served cold, usually in the form of passive-aggressive performance reviews or mysterious project reassignments. The art of professionally getting even without technically breaking any rules. Think of it as workplace karma with a paper trail.

Example Usage

After Sarah reported the expense fraud, she experienced subtle reprisals like being excluded from key meetings and losing her corner desk.

Source: Legal and HR terminology

Related Terms

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red-circled

An employee whose salary exceeds the maximum of their pay range, usually protected but not eligible for raises until the range catches up. Congratulations, you've hit the salary ceiling!

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non-compete agreement

A contract restricting employees from joining competitors or starting competing businesses for a specified period after leaving. Increasingly unenforceable legally but still used to intimidate departing employees.

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job rotation

A development practice where employees temporarily move between different roles or departments to build broader skills and understanding. Cross-training disguised as career development.

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The corporate ritual of exchanging money for human labor, dressed up with multiple interview rounds and culture-fit assessments. In HR and recruitment, hiring is the art of finding someone qualified who'll accept your salary range and tolerate your company culture. It's what happens after weeks of ghosting candidates and making them complete unpaid 'projects' to prove their worth.

👥 Human Resources

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