Business, Betrayal, or Both? (1 Viewer)

Kain8

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2016 was a banner year for me both professionally and personally. The birth of my daughter in August was amazing to say the least and with my career going nowhere but up, the future was looking bright for my family. We were easily going to be able to afford my wife being a stay at home mom. Especially when I was approached by the bosses (in summer of 2016) at my firm if I was willing to take on more work for a pretty sizable raise. I couldn't say yes fast enough to provide even more for my family. The office was growing leaps and bounds, we hired 3 more people since my hiring back in 2014, so more and more opportunities were going to be possible!

The end of the year came and I got a bonus for exceeding sales projections that were laid out for me the year previous. Yearly evaluations were around the corner as well which meant another raise to make things even better for my family and I. I was called up to my evaluation during the first full week of January (or so I thought) at 4:50 on Monday. My manager and I went into the owner's office, sat down, and they dropped the bomb on me. They were firing me without cause, here's 6 weeks of severance, and be on your way.

I was crushed beyond words. I had a 4 month old daughter at home and a wife on maternity leave. That drive from the office to my home, I felt numb. My wife was nothing but supportive when I told her. We had a good amount of money saved up, plus my severance, and her maternity leave pay to top it all off. I decided to keep my ear to the ground and look for jobs, but also enjoy this unexpected time off to raise my daughter for a bit and spend time with her.

Interviews though were few and far between, but eventually 4 months after being let go, I got a position with another office. I had to take a bit of a pay cut, but should be back to where I was in a year or so.

This all leads up to what happened last night.

I got a text from a former co-worker of over 7 years ago, asking me how things were at my former office before being let go. I told her that things were good there and I was really sad to be fired. She then linked me to a posting showing me that my old office is hiring for my position and asked me if she should apply. I in turn texted a couple of my former co-workers at the office to ask them if someone got let go or if there was any shakeup there, and they both said nothing has happened.


So I pretty much see the writing on the wall and it affirmed my first suspicion when I was initially let go that I was, in the owner's eyes, "making too much". Even though it was them who asked me to take on more work and they gave me the raise in the first place.


I have a great position with a new company, but I can't help but feeling betrayed and treated like I was just a line on a balance sheet with my former employer. I get that people get dismissed or there are job cuts all the time, but this clearly isn't the case here when they're hiring again. Should I even care to begin with?



My thanks for reading up to this point. In gratitude, here's a picture of my daughter and I out for lunch last week. Needless to say, the future still looks bright!


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In reality, its all business, never personal (I guess it could be personal, but it doesn't sound like it was). Still, they coulda manned up and been straight with you. Maybe things changed behind the scenes and it freed up some money to rehire your position.
 
Wow dude that sucks, the only thing I have to add is you have a beautiful daughter, Family First, and keep up the good work.
 
So sorry you are going through this, Matthew.

Very interesting you post this now. My wife and I found our dream home a few weeks ago, put a deposit down, then she was fired the next day (immediately after receiving a promotion). In one moment, we lost a ton. A week later, her position was relisted. She feels completely and utterly betrayed, confidence is shaken, pondering taking a pay cut so we can get back in the house hunt. She's also going for her PhD so she's now doubting that. Just a ton of apprehension at the moment.

In the end, it's all about money. Of course you'll feel like dogshit, but it's not personal. Fuck that stupid ass company and move on. You certainly don't want to work for someone like that.

Your daughter is beautiful btw - fortunately she looks like her mother :p

Take care brother!
 
As much as it sucks, be glad you aren't working there anymore, and forget it. It was business to them, personal to you. F**k it and keep focused on your new gig. The last place obviously didn't value you and you will be better off for it.
 
I think John Steinbeck said something along these lines:

People like people to be honest, caring and compassionate. But those self same things that are admired in a person, are the very epitomes of failure in a business.
 
At least they gave you through Christmas.

It could have been a budget thing, or an org. structure thing, or some other thing that they didn't want to get into with you. Who knows?

If you're paying attention, getting canned should never be a complete surprise, but it happens. Bottom line, companies are loyal only to the bottom line.
 
Congratulations on your beautiful daughter. As for the job, I always tell my wife the same thing..."it's always the sturdiest at the bottom of the ladder". When you receive a raise and/or promotion, I believe you're trading in at least some stability. It's a trade-off and something to consider moving forward. Good luck.
 
I personally think it is business but also a business that wants robot employees and not loyal employees. I have been working for the same company for the last 32 years and have enjoyed being a part of a "family". Too often the companies of today do not care about employees and do not see the cost of high turnover. For many years I really enjoyed when a good employee was purchasing a car or a new home. That meant I had them for a longer time and new I would get an ROI with every raise or promotion that they were given.

I remember one of my "life students" asked me one time about, what if the company she worked for did not see her talents and she was worried if she would have a job. I told her that if she is working for a company that does not recognize her talents then maybe she is at the wrong company.

I know it is hard sometimes but "don not worry about the things that you are not able change". This usually takes your mind off of focusing on how to resolve the issue you are dealing with. Much easier said than done but once you get it, life is great!

Good Luck
 
I agree with what others have said, you're probably better off. You may even find that it turns out for the better.

I've never been in that position before though, so I'm curios. When you say they fired you without cause, I assume you asked why. What did they say? Did they say say they didn't have a reason, or that they weren't telling you what is was? Did you try to negotiate to keep your job? I hope it's not prying to ask, it just boggles my mind that they would say nothing about their reasoning.
 
Based on your side of the story it is hard to say that it was strictly business. It could have been anything.

On your side, learn what you can and move on. Don't worry about things out of your control.

From an administrator's standpoint this is a red flag. It sounds like they need to refer to their organizational effectiveness and corporate systems courses from their MBA days. Just hearing your side of the story, it is very possible they don't know exactly why they let you go.

"How did we end up paying him so much?"

"I don't know... If we terminate him then it's not my fault and I can keep my job I'm no good at..."

Broken systems are bad business. Problems will recur.
 
I agree with what others have said, you're probably better off. You may even find that it turns out for the better.

I've never been in that position before though, so I'm curios. When you say they fired you without cause, I assume you asked why. What did they say? Did they say say they didn't have a reason, or that they weren't telling you what is was? Did you try to negotiate to keep your job? I hope it's not prying to ask, it just boggles my mind that they would say nothing about their reasoning.

I tried asking again and again but they would not give me an answer. It's probably due to the fact that if they do give me a reason, and it's not related to my job performance, I can take them to court and dispute my dismissal.
 
Several things come to mind . . .

You may have legal recourse. It may or not be wise to seek legal redress. Don't hesitate if you want to take the legal route as the statute of limitations can be very short (or even already expired). I lean towards letting this slide based on the limited facts at hand.

There is no chance I would recommend that position / company to anyone who had kept up with me for seven+ years. However, do not be anything more than factual if you do explain your situation - there must be some risk that harsh words could come back to bite you.

If the company was closely held, or just run by an extended family, there is often a risk of getting dumped. Maybe to make room for "Jr.". Maybe you insulted / offended some part of the extended family. Maybe you ended up making more than some family member and had to go. This doesn't always happen, but it happens a lot more than folks might think.

The story is rather strange. This isn't a case where you instigated the situation - they came to you. It is boom times. Firing a known successful seasoned hand in the middle of a growth phase seems foolhardy and counter productive. I can't help but think there are critical things we are missing. Not that the issue couldn't be you "made too much" however that is the sort of thing I might expect when time got tight, budgets got cut and managers were looking for ways to make ends meet.

Bottom line for me is let it go. The time has come and gone to worry about this. We see this is poker too - - - something went wrong in a hand that ended up costing us part of our stack. While you want to learn and improve, sometimes the right answer is to just let go and focus on the current hand.

This is now "small stuff" You're winning the game of life, enjoy it -=- DrStrange
 
Several things come to mind . . .

You may have legal recourse. It may or not be wise to seek legal redress. Don't hesitate if you want to take the legal route as the statute of limitations can be very short (or even already expired). I lean towards letting this slide based on the limited facts at hand.

There is no chance I would recommend that position / company to anyone who had kept up with me for seven+ years. However, do not be anything more than factual if you do explain your situation - there must be some risk that harsh words could come back to bite you.

If the company was closely held, or just run by an extended family, there is often a risk of getting dumped. Maybe to make room for "Jr.". Maybe you insulted / offended some part of the extended family. Maybe you ended up making more than some family member and had to go. This doesn't always happen, but it happens a lot more than folks might think.

The story is rather strange. This isn't a case where you instigated the situation - they came to you. It is boom times. Firing a known successful seasoned hand in the middle of a growth phase seems foolhardy and counter productive. I can't help but think there are critical things we are missing. Not that the issue couldn't be you "made too much" however that is the sort of thing I might expect when time got tight, budgets got cut and managers were looking for ways to make ends meet.

Bottom line for me is let it go. The time has come and gone to worry about this. We see this is poker too - - - something went wrong in a hand that ended up costing us part of our stack. While you want to learn and improve, sometimes the right answer is to just let go and focus on the current hand.

This is now "small stuff" You're winning the game of life, enjoy it -=- DrStrange


Equating my position in life to poker analogies, well said. I was only at that office for 2.5 years, the co-worker from 7 years ago was from the office prior two times over.

I did have a lawyer friend look into for me, but she ultimately said to take the severance and let it go. So while I have moved on professionally, it's just a gut punch when shady stuff like this occurs.
 
Kain, I feel your pain and your excitement regarding your child. I've been let go from 4 different jobs over the very few years I've worked, none of them "for cause", but two of those resulted in long term unemployments. Heck, I just lost one of my part time jobs about 2 months ago because I no am qualified to teach the course I'd been teaching for several years for them. Did I mention I wrote the curriculum that they use? Pretty LOL, but again, what can you do? The two long term unmployments were brutal from a financial and emotional standpoint so I know how you feel. In the end, I am thankful, to the degree anyone can be, for having gone through them as they have made me a better person in the end.

Working from the administrative side after having dealt with these issues made me realize how difficult it was to tell someone else that they will no longer have a job and the pain it will cause them. Therefore, I did not do it lightly, like some other employers. I also try to maintain more than one job at any given time as it gives me some flexibility and options should my primary employer "no longer need my services." As such, I'm also not overly loyal to anyone company and would change jobs at the same rate of speed employers seem to turn over employees.

Ultimately, try to focus on the positives in your life with your daughter and your wife.
 
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Heck, I just lost one of my part time jobs about 2 months ago because I no am qualified to teach the course I'd been teaching for several years for them. Did I mention I wrote the curriculum that they use?

So... business school is in session! This is a great example of organizational over-socialization. Of course you want people to follow rules and culture in an organization but when it disrupts a working system an exception often needs to be made. Case by case obviously.

Example: 10 minute loitering law (time varies by jurisdiction). A physically disabled elderly lady's electric wheel chair breaks down on a sidewalk. She calls the police. 15 minutes later they arrive, ask her how long she's been waiting. After she responds, "15 minutes," they write her a loitering ticket. This is a case the judge would most likely side with the disabled lady.

If strict enforcement of a rule is going to hurt your business/organization you NEED to make some competent high-level decisions.
 
I tried asking again and again but they would not give me an answer. It's probably due to the fact that if they do give me a reason, and it's not related to my job performance, I can take them to court and dispute my dismissal.

This right here is the problem with right to work. You are a person and persons deserve reasons.
 
I had 13 years in at my former employer.
Promoted to management.
7 AM to 6 PM was a standard day.
Let go due to company's poor financial performance and upper level ass covering.

Shit happens.

Let it go and move on.

Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it.
 
Very glad to hear that you have an emergency savings and supportive wife to sustain you through the rough patch. And your daughter is beautiful and hopefully will never feel any impact from this setback. Way too many people living this same damn story.

The story that changed my life's trajectory sadly went the same sort of way, as my sudden layoff followed very closely behind my being given a new assignment which called for more work, more hours and even a new wardrobe. The company I worked for was a mom and pop business that had grown beyond the scope of the owner's abilities and facilities. People were burned out, talking in the hallways and cafeteria, loudly and angrily, about what was once a very familial work environment and now closer to a sweatshop. The company grew and succeeded simply by accepting more volume and expecting the existing staff to work 80 hour weeks and weekends to make the magic happen. I actually started working there just in time to see the transition unfold daily. It was terrible to watch, but I had been hired as "new blood" to come in, make changes and make a difference.

A mega-corporation was solicited by ownership to appraise the business. In August of 2013, the auditors and consultants arrived. In November, my manager, the COO who hired me, called me into his office and gave me a branded chocolate bar because it was my first anniversary working there and this was the company's custom, dating back to the owner's father, the original owner, making sure every employee got chocolate and a handshake on their anniversary of employment since 1920. My manager shook his head and told me I was likely the last person that would get a chocolate bar.

Day by day, employees of the company, some there as many as 40+ years, were let go without cause. An extra paycheck and an apology. 60 and 70 year old men and women, skilled tradespeople, forced into "retirement" or God knows what. I didn't think I had anything to worry about, because I was "new blood" and wore many hats from day one. I was assured that I wasn't going anywhere, even when my chief responsibility became redundant. I was reassigned to an administrative department and began right away. Hit the ground running. I even worked a month of weekends during our system transition, even helping to clean and install new workstations. The following Tuesday afternoon at 4pm, I got called in by HR, handed a Manila envelope with an extra paycheck and a signed recommendation letter from the new ownership and was let go without cause. What a sucker punch. The parent company basically bought the brand name and assets, then let go of most of its employees and absorbed operations into their existing infrastructure. My daughter was one year old and we were still living month to month after buying a small home six months earlier. No savings and no backup plan. Longest bus ride home I've ever taken. Changed me in so many ways.

My wife supported us and I got to care for our baby full time, saving us babysitting salary, while going right back to school. I'm a year from my Masters and already teaching in public schools. Crazy scary times, but they make us who we are and lead us to what we really want. In my heart, I believe this is the new American story though.
 
Bounce off this and come back stronger. Living well is always the best revenge.

The way you've told your story says much about you. Your concern was primarily to provide for your family, with no mention of your own effort or sacrifice.

I think is is a tactic these days. You get too close to the top (or the top of your pay grade) and you are next to go. Posting your former job just means they wanted to hire someone for less.
 

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