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PC Gamer
PC Gamer
Jorge Jimenez

Worst boss ever? Tech CEO applauds employee for selling family dog for the good of the company

Clearlink CEO

Look, we know all about slipping a Hearthstone game in now and then while working from home, but that doesn't mean we're not working hard. Some tech bosses, however, are convinced that their work-from-home employees are conspiring against them in ridiculous ways.

James Clarke, CEO of a digital marketing firm in Utah called Clearlink, recently held a virtual town hall to address concerns about the company's forced return-to-office policy. He accused many of his employees of "quiet-quitting," took a shot at working moms for spending time with their kids, and told employees they need to make sacrifices, like selling their dogs.

This policy reversal came after the company had assured employees in October that no one would be forced to return to the office, according to internal emails read by Motherboard (via Gizmodo). The new policy will require all employees living within 50 miles of its Draper, Utah offices to show up four days a week.

The video was posted online, but Clearlink took it down after filing a copyright complaint. Motherboard did acquire the video and re-posted an edit with all the wild highlights, including the CEO telling his employees, "I challenge any one of you to outwork me, but you won't," or him being upset after being compared to a "Wall Street felon."

"I've sacrificed, and those of you that are here have sacrificed greatly to be here as well—to be away from your family," Clarke said in the town hall. "I learned from one of our leaders that, in the midst of hearing this message, went out and sold their family dog." 

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