Unemployed in 30 days

[godlessgael]

I was called in to the HR office last Thursday. Waiting on speaker phone was my boss who had just left for a two week vacation. The director of HR was in the room with me. They informed me that my last day will be in 30 days. On the one hand, I appreciate the advanced notice. On the other, getting fired via speaker phone by a person on vacation sucks.... a lot.

This is the first time I have ever been fired or let go from a job. I was tasked two years ago to build up a specific area of our business. I did so with flying colors, and now they are selling that part of the business. For reward, I get fired. Awesome!

What are you worst getting fired stories?

 

[perrazi]

it's the new economy. whenever something makes money,sell it,don't try to make it last. just get the money and run.btw,your boss firing you by speakerphone, is about most classless thing i have heard of in a long time. typical if a lot of people these days, no guts whatever.

 

[zercool]

Originally posted by perrazi:
your boss firing you by speakerphone, is about most classless thing i have heard of in a long time

Right up there with termination via email, which I have also heard of, but not experienced.

 

[Class III]

August 1, 1991. I was hired away from a company that I had been with for thirteen years. The company that hired me was based out of my home town and at the time I was living about 1200 miles from "Home". Long story short. I was the Director of Marketing, reporting to the President of Sales and Marketing for a major food distributor covering the S/E & S/W US and Carribean Islands. I had an employment contract with the new company for a three year period. During the first ninety days, by contract, they could fire me for any reason or no reason. On my 97th day I get called into the new corporate presidents office and instructed to fire everyone in the marketing department since these jobs are now redundent since the company has just bought out there major competition. I inform the big guy that I will NOT go in and fire the entire department, since it seems that I am also going to be out of work. I tell him that HE should go fire everyone. I go back to my office and start to pack up my desk. Everyone wants to know what is going on. I inform them that I was instructed to fire everyone and refused since I was going to be let go also.

Court battle ensues: I was legally owed three years salary since I was terminated on my 97th day. I took off a year and filed a law suit. Guess What? I won

. $XXX,XXX.XX (Mid six figures, of which my attorney only took $25,000.00, family friend that just happened to practive employment and contract law).

The BEST part is, the company that fired me went belly up about three years after I was fired.

Class III

 

[badam0112]

I am sorry to hear you will be laid off. I think they did you a favor giving you 30 days advanced notice. Put it to good use and start looking immediately.

 

[godlessgael]

The BEST part is, the company that fired me went belly up about three years after I was fired.

like a person, a company built on integrity can withstand just about anything. but one built on doing things the quick and easy way, don't seem to stay around too long. the worst is seeing a great company crumble due to leadership changes.

 

[Class III]

Originally posted by godlessgael:

like a person, a company built on integrity can withstand just about anything. but one built on doing things the quick and easy way, don't seem to stay around too long. the worst is seeing a great company crumble due to leadership changes.

I checked them out before making the leap and found that it was a really good company to work for. After the buyout of the competition they lost so many good people that saw the hand writing on the wall. Marketing dept. gone, the next was outside sales department. The competition that they bought out had very few outside sales people and relied primarily on a telephone sales force to generate sales. Next was relocation of the corp. offices to the offices of the competition they had bought out. Moved the whole shooting match 600 miles and only transferred about 25 people. A year later they (and I mean everyone) were out of work and the warehouse and office doors were chained closed. Trying to take a short cut in business usually ends up being the long way around. Bad business decisions can ruin a great company.

Class III

 

[ingmansinc]

This is not exactly what you ask, but I think it may be of value. During my working career I never held an employee back that found something they would rather be doing, but rather wished them the best and gave them the reference that they deserved. I always expected that an employee give me their best effort while they worked for me and I always paid them on time. Beyond that it was business. Don't dwell on the method that your employer chose to terminate you, but rather look to the future and may I wish you the very best of luck in finding what you want out there in the job market.

 

[Marshall 357]

I agree with you,It sucks. Over the phone on vacation?!! Come on? good luck finding another job.

 

[gunsmith11]

I think I knew I was going to get fired, when I told the new boss, too kiss my A((, we did not hit it off from the beginning,,,it is always hard to have it done, it also was a relief,,, so i just retired.

 

[Spotteddog]

Your gonna' be havin' an awful lot of company here right quick G/G! I'm out for the summer (at least?) unknown how things will unfold for a lot of folks this time? There aren't the traditional trades and recovery segments like there were in the past anylonger. And with DC weighting it's favorite side of the economic scales as it sees fit, no way to judge what will come back first? It's a whole new ball game for sure!

 

[pawncop]

Mine may not worse but I had been the director of my department for nearly twenty (20) years when I was demoted and my department was broken up into several sections. The hospital called it re-engineering. After two months, I was called in and told that I was creating more work for my new director and I was given the opportunity to resign but if I chose not to then the administrator had another piece of paper in her desk and I would be terminated. This was on Dec 5th.

I resigned and got a two month severance package and also had just over two months PTO accumulated.

I had a job the next day with a temporary staffing agency and had a full time job the next June that has turned out to be a dream come true.

Your termination has far less class but at least you have some time to plan and prepare.

I would venture that as sorry as that was, you are probably better off, it just won't feel that way right now.

Best of luck with new employment, I know things are not so good right now.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

Sorry to hear this G/G. I agree that your boss is a balless coward. I hope this becomes an open door to something better for you.

WG840

 

[oldRoger]

Having been caught in these traps before, I would venture a guess that your boss did not like it either. When these decisions are made (found under a wet rock?) someone on high outlines how it is too be done. Legal and HR at the highest levels lays it out and final blessing are given by the CEO or division manager.
At that point your boss was contacted told the way it would be and given a script. She was probably told it had to be now because of the 30 days.

In fairness to all, you can see why Legal especially would want to be very careful (see Class III post above).
If all are being furloughed or terminated it's one thing, if some are being retained it becomes very tricky, you are asked to read the exact words as written.
In all it's extremely unpleasant for every one involved.

 

[11B Lifer]

Get on line and look at state jobs. Most states will facilitate on-line applications. Also, veterans receive at least some special consideration. Look at federal jobs in your area. Military installations (all branches)are hiring for all sorts of jobs. Again, vets. have some advantage. You can send out four or five resumes on-line every day. Have some reliable folks look at your resume. Tailor it for positions you are after. Plan on getting hired at something low level and do a good job while you are putting out applications.If you are able-go to school-a degree can give you the edge. Study up on quality management programs-Covey, Six Sigma and so on. Network-thru church, clubs, etc. You probably have talent in areas you have never considered. I retired from the Infantry and became an expert in medical quality management. Now I'm working for the Dept. of the Army-all because I was layed off at a job-and I'm doin exactly what I want to do. You may very well end up the winner in the whole thing. Oh, and when you are in charge-remember what it felt like to be a member of the chain gang. Be a leader.

 

[Filbird]

I was laid off three months ago. Had been with the company over 20 years. I never met the manager who told me that my position was gone.

Hope I never do.

Fortunately, they have a good severance program, I have some good possibilities brewing, and I live cheap. One of the benefits of being raised by New Englanders...

 

[BobsSmith]

Sorry to hear about your job loss. Your boss waited until he was on vacation, classless. At least you did get some notice.

I have a lot of headaches on my job. Just hope that I can stay employed.

Best wishes to you

Bob

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Very lacking in class but unfortunately rather typical today. A common corporate practice is to hire an outsider as CEO or whatever to be a hatchet man. When he fires people they are just names on a computer printout.

 

[Whitwolf508]

I worked for an employer for the last 6 years but took an offer of a county job as a 911 dispatcher that paid $10,000 more and offered a pension as well as decent vacation time. I had problems with the trainer right from the start and was told that I should consider another job as the younger trainees were catching on easier. All of the people in my agfe group were referred to as the geritol generation and were said to be over the hill.At one point the triner threatened to hit me if I cleared my throat. Later, I saw her slapping a person who did somwething she did not like. When I complained, I was told that I should be a man and not a rat and not complain. After that, her treatment of me got worse and I was fired on 4/17.

The funny thing is that I have done the particular job part time for 25 years. I believe that they got rid of me because of my age and that there was a friend they wanted to bring in. I am in the process of hiring an attorney to see what can be done about this.

Best of luck..been there, done that

 

[Maddog 521]

I have been a Union Millwright for the past 38 years. I have been laid-off several hundred times. When the job is finished everyone is through. I am used to getting laid off and sometimes happy when it happens. There is always another job in another location, somewhere. Sign up for unemployment, enjoy your time off and then go get another job. Good luck and have fun.