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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To leave DH if he loses his second job in three years?

795 replies

Joness2 · 11/08/2025 20:22

My DH got dismissed (walked before he was pushed) from his previous job 3 years ago. It was set to go to hearing but his Union representative advised him he was likely to be dismissed so he resigned in order to not have to declare a dismissal when applying for future roles.

I was furious, I was in the early stages of pregnancy and could not believe he would be so stupid. It was a very worrying time for a while with finances etc.

He found a new job about 2 months before our child was born so had minimal paternity leave (he would have had 4 weeks had he not left his job). It caused a lot of resentment and I struggled to get over it.

He has remained in that job without issue until now. He told me after work today that he has been informed of disciplinary action due to inappropriate comments towards (female) colleagues on a night out. This is the exact reason he had to leave his job before. He promised me then he would not go on nights out with work again, something he has mainly stuck to only waning if it’s something where there isn’t drink involved.

This time, he is convinced that he will get a warning and is not at risk of dismissal. This is his opinion rather than factual.

I am so bloody angry with him doing this again and told him that if he loses his job, we are over. Infact, I’m considering leaving regardless having been told the vile comments.

He says I should be supporting him and that we are a team and to threaten to leave is making it ‘about me’.

Do you think I should try to support him through this and how to handle any hearing or would you leave him to clean up his own mess?

OP posts:
Yachties · 12/08/2025 22:22

Sorry OP but this is more than getting sacked, this is disgraceful behaviour towards women. He’s also disrespecting you as well as causing you anxiety. Once could be a terrible drunken mistake, I’m saying could be because alcohol just reduces your judgement and doesn’t change your values. Twice is a pattern, a problem and I could not stay.

AugustIsNeitherHereNorThereIFeel · 12/08/2025 22:03

He’s got a few drinks down him and he is no longer able to mask his misogyny. He has a very backward view of things.

He’s slagging off managers saying they only got their job as they must be an awesome shag. Then he’s commenting on collleagues arses.

Modern men don’t behave like this. They are used to women being managers and above.

Basically your DH has deep rooted issues with women and thinks their place is below men or under them.

He’s a twat and on top of that he is an unreliable weight around your neck.

Quite frankly you’ve picked yourself a bellend. Get rid.

Bathingforest · 12/08/2025 21:58

It is inappropriate to speak that way to women, even when one has a drink. He just reveals what he really thinks of women and according to him they are not good for managers nor nothing but just for his dick. Why are you married to this man? He is all over other women in his mind.

MellersSmellers · 12/08/2025 21:55

He is being completely unreasonable to expect you to support him when he has said some "vile comments" sufficient to get him on disciplinary action.
I hope he will apologise, even grovel, to save his job and reflect long and hard on his behaviour after this second incident
I agree, you probably aren't in a good position to leave if this has come out of the blue, but you should start planning and preparing for the likely next time.
And he needs to see a therapist to confront his attitude to women before he does indeed lose his family.

Cheeky19863 · 12/08/2025 21:25

Eww i would leave him anyway!!! He sounds like a pervy creep making inappropriate remarks to women!!! Once would be bad enough but to get dismissed TWICE for it is actually disgusting!!! Why would you stay with him knowing this? He deserves to get sacked and you should leave him!

BadgesforBadgers · 12/08/2025 21:13

I bet everyone at work thinks he's a complete twat.

These won't be isolated incidents. I imagine his general behaviour in the workplace is dodgy as well.

I would also say in most reputable companies now, you husbands actions would be classed as gross misconduct and he would be sacked. Doesn't matter if it was off the premises and not an official work event.

cherryontopx · 12/08/2025 21:09

How awful for you OP.

Also I wouldn’t be so confident that he’ll walk away from this with a slap on the wrist. It depends entirely on the interventions the company has put in place to prevent behaviour like this. Last year the government introduced a new duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. As a result, many organisations strengthened their sexual harassment policies, communicated their zero tolerance approach, delivered training, etc.

If the company has been proactive / compliant in this space then they have a strong case to take the appropriate disciplinary action.

In my workplace for example I would expect this behaviour to result in dismissal but context is key.

Pomvit · 12/08/2025 21:09

Although it would t be the job losing that’s my issue it be the fact that he sounds like a letch that would be my issue.

HereWeGo1234 · 12/08/2025 20:57

How much has he had to drink when he comes out with these awful comments and has he done it in front of you or his family ever?
Id forgive him once, as you have done. Unless he’s prepared to go to counselling and work out why he is being such a knob, I think I’d go for a trial separation and see if a bit of time on his own puts some manners on him.
Good luck.

Namechangerage · 12/08/2025 20:52

If these are the things he got caught for, I imagine it’s just the tip of the iceberg with other comments he makes and the way he sees women. If it was redundancy or a work related mistake I would stick by him. But this? I’d definitely divorce.

MustWeDoThis · 12/08/2025 20:29

Joness2 · 11/08/2025 20:22

My DH got dismissed (walked before he was pushed) from his previous job 3 years ago. It was set to go to hearing but his Union representative advised him he was likely to be dismissed so he resigned in order to not have to declare a dismissal when applying for future roles.

I was furious, I was in the early stages of pregnancy and could not believe he would be so stupid. It was a very worrying time for a while with finances etc.

He found a new job about 2 months before our child was born so had minimal paternity leave (he would have had 4 weeks had he not left his job). It caused a lot of resentment and I struggled to get over it.

He has remained in that job without issue until now. He told me after work today that he has been informed of disciplinary action due to inappropriate comments towards (female) colleagues on a night out. This is the exact reason he had to leave his job before. He promised me then he would not go on nights out with work again, something he has mainly stuck to only waning if it’s something where there isn’t drink involved.

This time, he is convinced that he will get a warning and is not at risk of dismissal. This is his opinion rather than factual.

I am so bloody angry with him doing this again and told him that if he loses his job, we are over. Infact, I’m considering leaving regardless having been told the vile comments.

He says I should be supporting him and that we are a team and to threaten to leave is making it ‘about me’.

Do you think I should try to support him through this and how to handle any hearing or would you leave him to clean up his own mess?

Leave. He's one comment away from sex with another colleague. Don't enable him to use you.

Griff1963 · 12/08/2025 20:17

He's a perv!

Lilsami · 12/08/2025 20:12

Having more time off work isn't an issue really it is a mothers job to raise the child when a man is working. My other half is self employed so had to work regardless 😂 didn't bother me. But the comments to other females is disgusting I'd be leaving him

hypnovic · 12/08/2025 20:08

Why he is being sacked is why i would divorce him thays gross

FiestyGemini · 12/08/2025 20:06

Joness2 · 11/08/2025 20:22

My DH got dismissed (walked before he was pushed) from his previous job 3 years ago. It was set to go to hearing but his Union representative advised him he was likely to be dismissed so he resigned in order to not have to declare a dismissal when applying for future roles.

I was furious, I was in the early stages of pregnancy and could not believe he would be so stupid. It was a very worrying time for a while with finances etc.

He found a new job about 2 months before our child was born so had minimal paternity leave (he would have had 4 weeks had he not left his job). It caused a lot of resentment and I struggled to get over it.

He has remained in that job without issue until now. He told me after work today that he has been informed of disciplinary action due to inappropriate comments towards (female) colleagues on a night out. This is the exact reason he had to leave his job before. He promised me then he would not go on nights out with work again, something he has mainly stuck to only waning if it’s something where there isn’t drink involved.

This time, he is convinced that he will get a warning and is not at risk of dismissal. This is his opinion rather than factual.

I am so bloody angry with him doing this again and told him that if he loses his job, we are over. Infact, I’m considering leaving regardless having been told the vile comments.

He says I should be supporting him and that we are a team and to threaten to leave is making it ‘about me’.

Do you think I should try to support him through this and how to handle any hearing or would you leave him to clean up his own mess?

Why don't you ask your partner to see the letter and findings of the investigation? You don't have to believe anything verbal he has told you and form your own opinion.

pomers · 12/08/2025 20:02

mathanxiety · 11/08/2025 20:44

You're dealing with a chaos maker.

You would be very wise to strongly consider leaving and staying gone. The alternative is a life spent lurching from financial crisis to crisis, never being able to plan for the future, and never having a true partner you can rely on for suport.

I have never heard the term chaos maker but it fits my exH perfectly. He couldn’t hang onto a job for more than a few months. Nothing to do with other women, if he didn’t like it he engineered a situation and left (usually before being dismissed). He did this when I was on maternity and just after we moved. I was only married to him 2.5 years. Whirlwind romance, I didn’t know what he was like. The humiliation and financial strain was dreadful. Please leave

JJMama · 12/08/2025 19:59

Yuck. I’d leave because the comments made to young women is concerning. Let alone the job situation. Is he this vile to women all the time, or does he need a drink first?

CaptainMyCaptain · 12/08/2025 19:54

I think it's more likely that he hasn't changed his ways because he doesn't think he's done anything wrong. He probably thinks that women enjoy his attentions and any that don't 'have no sense of humour'. I've met many men like that at work.

HAB75 · 12/08/2025 19:50

pinkyredrose · 12/08/2025 18:53

A cry for help? That's rather a stretch!

Yes, I know - if you read on, I'm not exactly sympathetic. However, some people - men and women - do engage in self-sabotaging behaviours when under massive duress, and he has already learned that this one lands him in hot water. He has already learned how to throw everything on the pyre and could be doing it again. That said, on balance, I don't think it's a cry for help either. I think he's likely a dickhead and I think therapy is a suitable punishment if the OP doesn't want to leave him just yet.

fetchacloth · 12/08/2025 19:45

YANBU it really is about time DH grew up and take his family responsibilities seriously.
I wouldn't blame you for leaving him tbh

Gettingbysomehow · 12/08/2025 19:40

For God's sake leave this man. He is revolting and doesn't learn from his mistakes. Is he Greg Wallace?

treesandsun · 12/08/2025 19:36

He is a sleaze and won't change . Having had a lucky escape In resigning you think you would do absolutely everything in ihs power to make sure he didn't do anything that threatens his job, his marriage. Interesting that he said he wouldn't drink not that he wouldn't say anything inappropriate. I don't think you'll ever really relax now and we'll wait for him to do it again and he will. Saying your a team is an absolute cheek suggesting that you should back him no matter what. He's completely minimising things that have happened which are a threat to your livelihood , security, marriage, let alone intimidating for the women involved .
As you're not in any danger from him I don't think you need to necessarily act immediately and can take your time to work out finances and anything else you need .Get sorted before you ask him to leave If that's the decision you go with.

CaptainMyCaptain · 12/08/2025 19:32

Hobbes8 · 11/08/2025 20:27

YWNBU to leave because of his creepy attitude towards women.

This. Whether he loses his job or not.

Blades2 · 12/08/2025 19:30

“AiBU leave my dirty dog partner that can’t keep his comments to himself about women”

No, you are not. Leave asap.

PotatoLove · 12/08/2025 19:24

Given he didn't learn his lesson the first time OP, and sounds like a total creep I'd personally bin him off.

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