The original poster (OP) recently lost their job three months ago. The company framed the departure as a layoff, stating they needed a higher-level director instead of a senior manager. The OP suspected this was not the real reason, especially after noticing they were replaced by a junior employee who was trained for the role.
During the final two weeks of employment, the boss avoided direct contact, delegating all communication to Human Resources and skipping any formal exit process. Three months after leaving, the former boss contacted the OP asking for a two-step verification code sent to the OP’s phone, necessary for him to access a company system. After initially ignoring the request, the OP is now unsure if they should have provided the code.
AITA if I don’t provide the code my boss needs after they fired me?
As renowned security expert Bruce Schneier explains, ‘Security is a process, not a product.’ This principle applies directly to access control, where the integrity of verification steps must be maintained even after an employment relationship ends.
The former boss’s behavior—avoiding communication during the exit and then unilaterally requesting access three months later—suggests a disregard for professional boundaries and potentially poor organizational security hygiene. The OP was laid off and is no longer obligated to facilitate system access, especially given the abrupt and disrespectful manner of their departure. Providing the two-factor authentication code compromises security by granting access to someone who is no longer an authorized user, placing the onus of responsibility back onto the former employee.
The OP’s action of ignoring the request was appropriate given the context. Moving forward, when a former employee is asked to assist with system access, the constructive approach is to politely decline and direct the individual to the company’s formal IT or HR department to reset credentials. This shifts the responsibility back to the organization where it belongs.
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The central conflict revolves around the OP’s feelings regarding their abrupt departure and their right to maintain separation from their former employer, contrasted with the former boss’s expectation that the OP should assist with his system access.
Should the OP have provided the access code to their former boss after being laid off under questionable circumstances, or was ignoring the request the correct way to maintain professional distance and security?
