<prompt> Human: Hey everyone, I need some advice on this issue Im facing... I want to protect my identity so I wont give out specifics, but here goes. Im a father of two kids working in my stable job for the last twenty years. In the past three years, the company I work at has been majorly downsizing and different departments are laying off people every year. My department recently had a lay off of about 15 employees last year. I never thought I would be laid off because I have been a valuable employee, until now I think Im next.The whole time, I had been put on a project to create something and I achieved something unprecedented that no one as of yet has been able to produce still to this day. I thought that this would give me job security, and it did. Until recently, my boss asked me to train lower level workers about this project and I know that I will be laid off next year if I abide. I got a new boss recentlyI want to quit, and take my achievement to my grave and give them a hard time, but Im worried too. I submitted progress reports and botched the methods so no one could learn them. Will they sue me if I quit and they realized they couldnt do what I was doing by following my progress reports? Please, I need advice here! Im really scared because I have never thought this would ever happen to me. I know that the methods are the property of the company I work at, but I am hoping to just quit and leave forever. Will they bother me if they find out I wrote something fallacious? The project Im responsible for is raking in tens of millions for my company. -anxious..UPDATE: Ok, I asked the boss about a contract regarding job security. He had no comment and just left it at that. I take it this is a bad sign. I dont think theyre interested in playing fair. I am leaning towards just doing as they say and getting laid off by the end of the year. Assistant: You have a choice, maintain integrity and go out on the up and up with a company that employed you for 20 years or to take a vindictive move for some satisfaction.This isnt a finance decision and even likely not a legal decision. This is really a person choice about what will be most satisfying for you, the type of personman you are, and the relationships you do or do not want to maintain.The one thing I can guarantee you, if anyone links the botched progress reports to you, it will be something they take with them wherever they end up as the firm continues to downsize. Do you work in a small industry? Tight nit? How does that harm future job prospects?Me personally, Im of the school of thought you need to always keep your integrity. You never know when things come back around. Human: the company is huge, but the department is sort smaller, about 20 employees. Im not too worried about my future job prospects, I just want to quit before they let go of me, while making them unable to fill my position.  <response>: If you have good job prospects, you should start looking for a new job right now, before they let you go and cause you a possible financial hardship.When you have a new job securely in hand, if you want to go back and improve your documentation, you can to avoid burning bridges. But if youre that sure that youre on the chopping block, dont waste time finding a better spot to land while theres places to go. You dont want to wait for the axe to fall and then find theres no openings for you. 