I got screwed

[*PhilHos*]

And not in the good way.

Nearly 3 years ago, I was forced to switch careers. It's a long story and I'm not getting into it. Suffice it to say, that I found myself with a pretty good job working at a bank. The pay was decent and I had an excellent group of coworkers.

Now, I didn't want to stay a bank teller forever (nothing wrong with the job, just wanted more from my career) so I would periodically look for jobs both within the company (which I really liked) and outside the company. I had some issues in December that really pushed me to look outside the company (the issues weren't with the company but rather personal). Earlier this month, I found what I thought I was looking for. It was a job with a different company but it paid more, the hours were better for my wife and I, and there were some other perks that made the job ideal for me. I basically gave my now former job a little over 2 weeks notice.

I started this past Monday and things seemed to be okay. I wasn't doing much but I was getting paid for a full day. Turns out they had hired 2 other people but they didn't start til next week so the plan was basically for me to just shadow someone, learn what I can and then start my official training next week.

This morning, I went in (5 minutes early like always) and was taken aside and told that even though everyone liked me, I was being let go. On my 4th day there, I was let go. They gave me some bullshit excuse that I had body order issues, told me they'd pay for the full day, but that I was being let go. I was too stunned to really say or do anything so I just said OK and left.

I immediately went to my former manager and told him what happened. He was understandably confused because he never had that problem with me not to mention that it's sort of a flimsy excuse to fire someone ON THEIR 4TH F***ING DAY! He's not sure if he can get me my old job back but he said he'd look into seeing what he can do. After that, I then immediately filed for unemployement but even if I qualify (which I'm reasonably certain I do), I have to wait 4 weeks before getting any benefits.

I did hear from one of the "talent acquisition advisors" from my previous employer and she told me about a couple opportunities that are available which I've now applied for so there's a little bit of hope. But, I can't believe this crap I find myself in. I've NEVER been let go before. And now, I have to find something quickly because I don't know if unemployment compensation will be enough to cover my bills (my wife does have a job, FYI, but still).

I really want to know the REAL reason I was let go. I'm like 99.9% positive I did nothing fire worthy (and I KNOW I don't have BO; I'm a big man and I know the issues us big guys have to worry about when it comes to BO so I make SURE that I never leave the house smelling badly) and yet, here I sit trying to understand what the hell's going on.

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant and giving me any hopes, thoughts, prayers and money you can spare.

UPDATE: I finally got offered a job. It's a supervisory position with a new company (meaning I'm not going back to my old company) but the rate of pay is what I was making at my last job (not the one that screwed me over). I am going to check tomorrow with the talent acquisition person from my old job to see if the 2 positions I applied and interviewed for will offer me the job because I'd rather work for my old company, but I at least have a job.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Yeah, seems like the manager's friend or someone needed a job and you were punted; happened to my wife, 6 years ago.

She was at a Centre (childcare) and everything was running SO WELL; she got hired in March and probation was done on the first week of June.

I went to Italy during the second week of May and while I was there, the owner/manager/whatever of the centre, had a friend who recently got laid off, so she hired her immediately.

Immediately, my wife started being treated differently and she sensed something was up. Come the last Friday in May, she gets asked into the owner's office and she's told that she's being let go, for a bullshit reason as well.

The fact is, that probation period protects employers and allows them to terminate you in ANY way. If probation was up, you'd have immense grounds for wrongful dismissal.

I'll pray for the best; if joy really comes in the morning time, then sit back and wait until the next sunrise.

[grampahol]

I once got a job in the advertising department at Rikes in Dayton. My dad had worked there for over 20 years and they hired me where everything was going just great. Well, the old man finally moved on to a better job elsewhere and the people still there asked me to train a new person and I was supposed to get promoted to do stuff I knew I was well qualified to do. But instead they had me train this person and fired me just as soon as I taught them the basics right before Christmas with a newborn baby on the way. Ever since then I refused to train anyone to take my place. I never played that game again and still wouldn't even if I had to..
I began relying on self employment several years after that and never looked back. At least with self employment nobody can fire you after training some twat for your job. True, when things go south  times can be tough and you might even starve, but you starve on your own time, not some other schmuck's time..

[Benton]

(02-27-2020, 10:02 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Yeah, seems like the manager's friend or someone needed a job and you were punted; happened to my wife, 6 years ago.

Seems like it.

Depending on the size of the company, could also be a "oops, we hired wrong." Whoever does the hiring goes with a candidate they like, but the manager or whoever was looking for something else. So when you get introduced and don't fit their mental image, you get booted. I had that problem with a company I worked for. I did the hiring for my department, but after the first dozen I noticed a trend. Young people just out of college with too much crippling debt for kids or a life were fine; retirees were fine; anyone middle aged (presumably with kids and a life) I was told they weren't meeting numbers or whatever. Nobody told me to fire them because they weren't really new or old, but it became too much of a trend, especially when I looked at other departments. 

[grampahol]

Self employment folks.. Find yourself something you really enjoy doing, get really good at it and become your own boss for life.. even if it might hurt for a few years getting yourself established..  Nobody can fire you for some flimsy assed, bullshit reason.. As BTO used to sing, If you ever get annoyed you can become self employed. I love to work at nothing all day! I did a lot of nothing over the years. LOL  On the other hand there's also Too Much of Nothing by Peter, Paul and Mary.. I did a bit of too much of nothing more times than I like to admit. 

[sandwedge]

(02-27-2020, 08:29 PM)PhilHos Wrote: And not in the good way.

Nearly 3 years ago, I was forced to switch careers. It's a long story and I'm not getting into it. Suffice it to say, that I found myself with a pretty good job working at a bank. The pay was decent and I had an excellent group of coworkers.

Now, I didn't want to stay a bank teller forever (nothing wrong with the job, just wanted more from my career) so I would periodically look for jobs both within the company (which I really liked) and outside the company. I had some issues in December that really pushed me to look outside the company (the issues weren't with the company but rather personal). Earlier this month, I found what I thought I was looking for. It was a job with a different company but it paid more, the hours were better for my wife and I, and there were some other perks that made the job ideal for me. I basically gave my now former job a little over 2 weeks notice.

I started this past Monday and things seemed to be okay. I wasn't doing much but I was getting paid for a full day. Turns out they had hired 2 other people but they didn't start til next week so the plan was basically for me to just shadow someone, learn what I can and then start my official training next week.

This morning, I went in (5 minutes early like always) and was taken aside and told that even though everyone liked me, I was being let go. On my 4th day there, I was let go. They gave me some bullshit excuse that I had body order issues, told me they'd pay for the full day, but that I was being let go. I was too stunned to really say or do anything so I just said OK and left.

I immediately went to my former manager and told him what happened. He was understandably confused because he never had that problem with me not to mention that it's sort of a flimsy excuse to fire someone ON THEIR 4TH F***ING DAY! He's not sure if he can get me my old job back but he said he'd look into seeing what he can do. After that, I then immediately filed for unemployement but even if I qualify (which I'm reasonably certain I do), I have to wait 4 weeks before getting any benefits.

I did hear from one of the "talent acquisition advisors" from my previous employer and she told me about a couple opportunities that are available which I've now applied for so there's a little bit of hope. But, I can't believe this crap I find myself in. I've NEVER been let go before. And now, I have to find something quickly because I don't know if unemployment compensation will be enough to cover my bills (my wife does have a job, FYI, but still).

I really want to know the REAL reason I was let go. I'm like 99.9% positive I did nothing fire worthy (and I KNOW I don't have BO; I'm a big man and I know the issues us big guys have to worry about when it comes to BO so I make SURE that I never leave the house smelling badly) and yet, here I sit trying to understand what the hell's going on.

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant and giving me any hopes, thoughts, prayers and money you can spare.

Not sure what you mean by, "I'm a big man"? This sounds to me like you weren't the face of the company the company wanted projected to the public. Not trying to sound mean, but the truth is, some companies still are ran that way. 
 Anyway I hope you get your old job back or find something else. 

[sandwedge]

(02-27-2020, 11:52 PM)grampahol Wrote: Self employment folks.. Find yourself something you really enjoy doing, get really good at it and become your own boss for life.. even if it might hurt for a few years getting yourself established..  Nobody can fire you for some flimsy assed, bullshit reason.. As BTO used to sing, If you ever get annoyed you can become self employed. I love to work at nothing all day! I did a lot of nothing over the years. LOL  On the other hand there's also Too Much of Nothing by Peter, Paul and Mary.. I did a bit of too much of nothing more times than I like to admit. 

It's why I joined the Navy. Get free medical and schooling, travel the world, kill people......

[*PhilHos*]

(02-27-2020, 10:02 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Yeah, seems like the manager's friend or someone needed a job and you were punted; happened to my wife, 6 years ago.

She was at a Centre (childcare) and everything was running SO WELL; she got hired in March and probation was done on the first week of June.

I went to Italy during the second week of May and while I was there, the owner/manager/whatever of the centre, had a friend who recently got laid off, so she hired her immediately.

Immediately, my wife started being treated differently and she sensed something was up. Come the last Friday in May, she gets asked into the owner's office and she's told that she's being let go, for a bullshit reason as well.

The fact is, that probation period protects employers and allows them to terminate you in ANY way. If probation was up, you'd have immense grounds for wrongful dismissal.

I'll pray for the best; if joy really comes in the morning time, then sit back and wait until the next sunrise.

Thanks.

I really do think there was something more behind it. I've never had BO issues in my life, outside of my teen years (because, you know, teen boys are stupid), but NEVER in my professional career. The thing that sucks is that I left a pretty decent job for this one because of the better money and potential for growth.

FYI, it is a small, family-owned business. The owner's wife is in charge of HR and the office, and the 2 sons are general managers (it was one of the sons that actually "let me go").

[*PhilHos*]

(02-27-2020, 11:34 PM)Benton Wrote: Seems like it.

Depending on the size of the company, could also be a "oops, we hired wrong." Whoever does the hiring goes with a candidate they like, but the manager or whoever was looking for something else. So when you get introduced and don't fit their mental image, you get booted. I had that problem with a company I worked for. I did the hiring for my department, but after the first dozen I noticed a trend. Young people just out of college with too much crippling debt for kids or a life were fine; retirees were fine; anyone middle aged (presumably with kids and a life) I was told they weren't meeting numbers or whatever. Nobody told me to fire them because they weren't really new or old, but it became too much of a trend, especially when I looked at other departments. 

I would think that but it was the owner and one of his sons that interviewed me. Looking back, I should have taken more notice of the less than professional way the interview was handled. It was the 2 of them, they were both dressed casual and didn't ask the usual interview questions. It actually made me want the job more as I felt as if this was a more casual job. Now, it's clear that it was a sign of something else entirely and I should have taken it as a red flag.

[*PhilHos*]

(02-28-2020, 12:27 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Not sure what you mean by, "I'm a big man"? This sounds to me like you weren't the face of the company the company wanted projected to the public. Not trying to sound mean, but the truth is, some companies still are ran that way. 
 Anyway I hope you get your old job back or find something else. 

I'm fat and somewhat tall. But there was another guy fatter than me already working there plus the owner was there during my interview and could see me so I'd be surprised if that's what it was.

[sandwedge]

(02-28-2020, 12:50 PM)PhilHos Wrote: I'm fat and somewhat tall. But there was another guy fatter than me already working there plus the owner was there during my interview and could see me so I'd be surprised if that's what it was.

I know you're probably not, but I wouldn't worry to much about this. Sounds like it would be a pretty dishonest place to work. 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(02-28-2020, 12:44 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Thanks.

I really do think there was something more behind it. I've never had BO issues in my life, outside of my teen years (because, you know, teen boys are stupid), but NEVER in my professional career. The thing that sucks is that I left a pretty decent job for this one because of the better money and potential for growth.

FYI, it is a small, family-owned business. The owner's wife is in charge of HR and the office, and the 2 sons are general managers (it was one of the sons that actually "let me go").

That's the thing; if it's privately run/owned, they can get away with this like no tomorrow.

[CKwi88]

Can always come back to the nutmeg state

[HarleyDog]

Good luck Philhos. Sounds like you got a raw deal. Keep your head up.

[XenoMorph]

hope your able to get your other job back...

try and Avoid family owned/ran businesses imo.. Unless your just looking for anything you can get. Those are generally the least stable.

[George Cantstandya]

Sorry to hear about that Phil. Seeing more of the story about them being a small family business and that they had also hired others, I wonder if they over hired just to get several people to commit and then planned to make a final decision after the fact. Of course that's shady as well. It would be interesting to know if one of the other two hires met a similar fate. I know it sucks but it sounds like you are better off not there. I hope things work out for you.

[grampahol]

(02-28-2020, 12:32 PM)sandwedge Wrote: It's why I joined the Navy. Get free medical and schooling, travel the world, kill people......

A self employed gunner? Yeah..the navy does that all the time..

[sandwedge]

(02-28-2020, 10:05 PM)grampahol Wrote: A self employed gunner? Yeah..the navy does that all the time..

I don't think assassin is a mos?

[Benton]

(02-28-2020, 12:49 PM)PhilHos Wrote: I would think that but it was the owner and one of his sons that interviewed me. Looking back, I should have taken more notice of the less than professional way the interview was handled. It was the 2 of them, they were both dressed casual and didn't ask the usual interview questions. It actually made me want the job more as I felt as if this was a more casual job. Now, it's clear that it was a sign of something else entirely and I should have taken it as a red flag.

My guess would be the wife, given your description of the structure. Or one of the sons might've had a buddy lined up for the job and you were in the way.

Family businesses are great when run right. The company I mentioned was corporately owned by the family and run by some of it. I hired in when the second or third generation head of it was alive, but he had cancer and stepped down shortly after (threeish years). When Fred was alive, the company was great and cared about employees. Dude used to come in on Christmas because he said if his employees had to be apart from their families, he did, too. Things were fine for a year or two after he stepped down, but when he died, it basically became 'how fast can we fill our pockets' from the remaining family, which left it open the hiring culture I mentioned. 

[Bengalzona]

(02-27-2020, 08:29 PM)PhilHos Wrote: And not in the good way.

Nearly 3 years ago, I was forced to switch careers. It's a long story and I'm not getting into it. Suffice it to say, that I found myself with a pretty good job working at a bank. The pay was decent and I had an excellent group of coworkers.

Now, I didn't want to stay a bank teller forever (nothing wrong with the job, just wanted more from my career) so I would periodically look for jobs both within the company (which I really liked) and outside the company. I had some issues in December that really pushed me to look outside the company (the issues weren't with the company but rather personal). Earlier this month, I found what I thought I was looking for. It was a job with a different company but it paid more, the hours were better for my wife and I, and there were some other perks that made the job ideal for me. I basically gave my now former job a little over 2 weeks notice.

I started this past Monday and things seemed to be okay. I wasn't doing much but I was getting paid for a full day. Turns out they had hired 2 other people but they didn't start til next week so the plan was basically for me to just shadow someone, learn what I can and then start my official training next week.

This morning, I went in (5 minutes early like always) and was taken aside and told that even though everyone liked me, I was being let go. On my 4th day there, I was let go. They gave me some bullshit excuse that I had body order issues, told me they'd pay for the full day, but that I was being let go. I was too stunned to really say or do anything so I just said OK and left.

I immediately went to my former manager and told him what happened. He was understandably confused because he never had that problem with me not to mention that it's sort of a flimsy excuse to fire someone ON THEIR 4TH F***ING DAY! He's not sure if he can get me my old job back but he said he'd look into seeing what he can do. After that, I then immediately filed for unemployement but even if I qualify (which I'm reasonably certain I do), I have to wait 4 weeks before getting any benefits.

I did hear from one of the "talent acquisition advisors" from my previous employer and she told me about a couple opportunities that are available which I've now applied for so there's a little bit of hope. But, I can't believe this crap I find myself in. I've NEVER been let go before. And now, I have to find something quickly because I don't know if unemployment compensation will be enough to cover my bills (my wife does have a job, FYI, but still).

I really want to know the REAL reason I was let go. I'm like 99.9% positive I did nothing fire worthy (and I KNOW I don't have BO; I'm a big man and I know the issues us big guys have to worry about when it comes to BO so I make SURE that I never leave the house smelling badly) and yet, here I sit trying to understand what the hell's going on.

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant and giving me any hopes, thoughts, prayers and money you can spare.

Silver lining: At least you have an opportunity to find a place to work where they aren't backstabbing, nepotistic assholes, eh.

Sorry to hear this brother. Prayers for the job search.