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Original poster

I think I've just been fired

433 replies

CinnamonVanilla · 17/10/2018 17:05

Boss found out that I applied for a job with our parent company. Supposed to be anonymous; but I'd have said when it was appropriate. Our HR director beat me to it; in front of a lot of people, apparently.

He took me into a room to say that it was humiliating; and means he no longer trusts me, so how do we move forward. He said my work is excellent but this is a big issue.

He's given me some time to think. Presumably he's expecting my notice this evening. I've been here just under two years so there's nothing I can do.

This has made my anxiety rocket and I don't know want to do.

OP posts:
Dowser · 17/10/2018 17:10

Id do nothing
Cor do you have to put your hand up to use the loo as well

It’s awful when employers think they own you body and soul

Brass neck it out op
Don’t let him find your Achilles heel and stick the knife in
I can’t stand bullies

drum123 · 17/10/2018 17:15

You have a right to apply for other jobs. The HR person breached confidentiality by disclosing this. Don't hand your notice in until you've got a new job and if your boss make life difficult for you, go over his head to his manager.

Rainbowshine · 17/10/2018 17:16

A good manager should be pleased you want to progress, not take it as a personal insult. But no, you’ve not been fired. They would still need to follow a process and have a legitimate reason to terminate your employment and applying for an internal vacancy doesn’t fit the legal definitions nor would your manager’s reaction.

Nyon · 17/10/2018 17:16

Boss found out that I applied for a job with our parent company. Supposed to be anonymous; but I'd have said when it was appropriate.

Erm I’d email your boss and HR director and ask why it was believed appropriate to share confidential information, and what they were prepared to do to fix the situation they placed you in. Hold your fire - boss can’t fire you for wanting promotion.

OliviaStabler · 17/10/2018 17:17

Check with HR and find out if there is any policy that you have to inform your manager when applying for another role in your own or a parent company.

If there is nothing, then I'd have a meeting with him to find out why this is such an issue. For this 'trust' to break over a job application seems quite an extreme reaction.

CharismamaMia · 17/10/2018 17:18

Dont resign!
Sister company or parent company have to answer to you! Data breach?

UbercornsGoggles · 17/10/2018 17:19

What drum said. Do NOT hand in your notice. Make a record now of what your boss said, the way they acted, and how they made you feel. Also how you felt finding out about the breach of confidentiality that way. You may need it later, though I hope not.

CharismamaMia · 17/10/2018 17:19

Agree, unless no employee is ever allowed apply elsewhere he is being v dramatic and unprofessional.

ScreamingValenta · 17/10/2018 17:21

What do your policies say about internal job applications? E.g. where I work, you don't have to disclose an application but you do have to tell your LM if you are invited for interview.

I would first of all check whether you have breached any policies or guidelines. If you haven't, you can mention that you were following standard procedure.

How do you get on with your LM generally?

If you have a good relationship, I can understand why he might feel bad that you didn't tell him you were looking for another role. If the HR director mentioned it and he knew nothing about it, it could give the impression he wasn't working very closely with his team, and hadn't built up trust with them.

I think you'll have to let your boss lead the discussion and find out what exactly he is looking for. What were your reasons for not mentioning it at the application stage? Can you position this favourably - e.g. say you didn't want him to form the impression you were desperate to leave your current role/overlook you for development opportunities etc.

I certainly don't think you should resign. You've done nothing wrong by applying for another job, but you might need to rebuild your relationship with your boss and commit to keeping him better informed in future.

EmeraldVillage · 17/10/2018 17:21

I would definitely check your work policies. It is quite often the case that you are expected to inform your manager before formally applying for another role.

But look, what is the position here? Why did you want the other job? Is it more senior, better paid or is it a flat move. Was it such an exceptional job that you couldnt resist or are you actively looking to get out of your role? Because that drives what you do next.

Cuttingthegrass · 17/10/2018 17:31

Agree with others here. HR breached your confidentiality.

If your boss calls you in again just point out your own trust has been broken by HR director but your manager must acknowledge people want to progress their career and it's a shame his first response wasn't supportive of you especially as your work is excellent.

DarlingNikita · 17/10/2018 17:37

HR breached your confidentiality.

Absolutely this. How dare they? I'd go on the attack. Best form of defence...

Tahani · 17/10/2018 17:42

i've had it when i asked someone about the role they have advertised, and then been told (more than once) that i had applied for them....

er no i havent ffs

Gemini69 · 17/10/2018 17:44

HR have breached confidentiality ...

If you are sacked as a result of this breach... it's Constructive Dismissal...

take them to Court Flowers

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 17/10/2018 17:46

Your boss is the one with the issue and he’s making it yours. He’s said your work is excellent. He doesn’t want to lose you. DO NOT be apologetic for wanting to move forward in your career.

Tell him you have had time to think and what you are looking for is x, y, z. Ask him, as your manager, what he suggests to help you get that.

Volant · 17/10/2018 17:49

I'm not sure that I would read this as you having been fired. It could be that what he wants is to guilt-trip you into withdrawing the job application and generally grovelling to him about how you love your current job, you love working with him and you won't do such a thing again - or at least not without talking it through with him.

So there may well be a good case for fronting this out. Say that you're sorry he has interpreted it this way, and it certainly shouldn't be taken as in any way humiliating - say that if anything it is a compliment to the way he has trained you and helped you to develop so that you feel you are now ready for the next step; maybe give at least some reasons for making the application, e.g. that you do feel that you need some career progression, you feel ready for more responsibility etc etc. Say that there is no reason not to trust you; you would obviously have told him at an appropriate moment but you didn't feel you had reached that moment; and explain that, if you don't get the job, so be it, you will continue to put everything into your current job and to support him as before. I guess you can't guarantee that you won't apply elsewhere, and even if you said that he probably wouldn't believe you - but that's life, any boss who has a hissy fit at the thought of his staff wanting to leave is extremely naive.

At least all of that would put the ball back into his court. I suspect that if he insisted on firing you HR and his managers may well be pretty unimpressed, because they won't want word to get around that applying for an internal promotion is a sacking matter.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 17/10/2018 17:50

I would also be going straight to HR and be desperately trying not to go nuclear on them.

I also think your boss has behaved very poorly in this situation and you cannot be fired for looking for other jobs/promotions.

WipsGlitter · 17/10/2018 17:52

Do not resign. Your boss was wholly inappropriate.

LetThemEatPussy · 17/10/2018 17:53

It's your fuckin business if you want to apply for another job 😡😡😡

Fuck me he's so out of order.

This kind of utter bull shit is the main reason I work for myself

CartwheelCath · 17/10/2018 17:56

Bloody cheek.

What everyone else has said.

They are in the wrong breaching confidentiality and guilt tripping and humiliating you in public.

Stand your ground. You have done NOTHING wrong!

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 17/10/2018 18:15

Now he knows that you're considering leaving (thanks HR Hmm ) yes, it is going to cause friction. Added to which, some managers think anyone moving on is a personal insult.

Remember you need to look out for yourself first and foremost. If your skill-set has outgrown your salary why wouldn't you look around? Who doesn't have to think about their financial future.
If your boss is like this now, look at all the stress you saved him by not telling him sooner.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 17/10/2018 19:09

Well if they do sack you. They'll find themselves in very very deep murky water.
Due to breach of data protection and unfair dismissal. They cannot sack you for apply ing for another job.

Original poster
CinnamonVanilla · 17/10/2018 19:27

I don't think I can claim unfair dismissal; I'm a few days away from two years service.

I have a meeting with my manager's manager tomorrow; to "catch up". I didn't see my actual manager again today.

Thank you for all the comments. I'm going to read them again and try and take them in!

OP posts:
TeachesOfPeaches · 17/10/2018 19:33

HR's job is to the protect the business, not its employees.

mimibunz · 17/10/2018 19:36

I would be questioning the lack of privacy and why your application wasn’t dealt with in a confidential manner.