Moved abroad and sacked 4 months later

[WhatFreshHell71]

So, me, Dh and our dcs have moved abroad to an EU country. Dh had landed a great role with an multinational company.

We were happy at the chance to experience new way of life but it was a big decision for us. And an expensive one so far.

His contract stated six months probation. He had his three month probation meeting last week. No issues. Nothing was flagged. He'd been working really hard - late nights, one weekend etc.

Yesterday, he's been told his services are no longer required because of cost cutting direction from HO. No other reason was given.

He had to leave the building immediately as if he had done something wrong. He was mortified.

Apparently, he is entitled to nothing as it was during his probation period.

We are stunned. The dcs are in enrolled in school and are all happy there. Dd has started her GCSE course this year. Dh's job package was part payment of the school fees.

We've had to sign a three year rental agreement (that's the norm here).

And now we are utterly shafted by this completely out the blue sacking.

Any advice as to what we can do? It just seems totally unethical, not that that will have any weight.

That’s so awful and wasteful. This is one reason that while my current job isn’t perfect, I’m reluctant to change and lose the security I currently have.

I do think with the sums of money involved, the OP’s husband is worth seeking legal advice, but it seems they may just have to suck up their losses and move on.

I'm so sorry to hear this. We are on our 7th international expat contract so I understand how hard it must feel. We have always moved the whole family and pets etc during probation periods when relevant.

What is the fine print in his contract? Was he made redundant or sacked? If the former, then I know my standard contract says the company is obliged to relocate us back to our home country. If the latter, then it's a different set up. Cost cutting sounds more like redundancy to me?

Schools and house - in some EU countries then the letting contract will have a diplomatic clause in it which reduced the notice period down to nearly nothing if you have to relocate suddenly - it's worth checking this.

For the school then that's a tougher call...I know all ours have been strict about notice periods.

Is it likely he can find another job through the original agent?

So he was told it was unlikely he "would not meet the leadership principles" required by the company.

He's previously been head of department. Partner in a firm. He feels this is a professional slur.

The two chaps who hired him (quite senior) have also left six weeks ago.

The man who fired him wasn't involved in the recruitment process at all but was dh's line manager.

This particular chap has poured a lot of cold water on dh during his time there, ironically over dh's ideas about how to cut costs when using external suppliers.

The company have done everything by the contract.

So that is that. He's written to HR expressing his concern and distress.

He's also written to the head of the department whom he's never met as he's based in the USA.

But I think that was more an emotionally cathartic exercise rather than hoping for any other resolution. This has never happened to him before - the suggestion he was up to the job professionally - and he's taken that pretty hard.

He has applied for two roles today. We've discussed him moving away from here for other roles whilst I stay with the dcs over these two GCSE years.

We need to take stock over the next few days and examine our options.

Still reeling. Still feeling panicky and very upset. But now we will try to take charge again.

Thank you very much for all your advice and input and kindness.

I meant the suggestion that he's not up to the job professionally as really hit him.

has really hit him.

Ffs fat fingers. 🙄

It’s such a crap thing to happen. I really hope he finds a good job soon. Hopefully a much better one.

Really sorry to read the update, OP

From the look of it, the company is making some big changes and your dh is collateral. The company culled the two senior guys, who hired your dh. It sounds as if once this happened your dhs days were numbered. He was their hire after all.

My dh was got rid of when a new vp came along. His ideas were then plagiarised and put into action once he left... except the dick head, who did so couldn’t even get it right and eff’d up apparently (ha ha).

For all you know your dhs ideas were spot on and will be used by the company. Discrediting him May well have been a way of justifying getting rid of your dh. I hope this goes well for you and the experience becomes a blip to look back on.

Oh OP that is rubbish. Losing your sponsors is never a great sign in a company.
DH always says that most senior careers end in failure in a company at some point, rather like politics.
But it isn't personal so much as political.
I hope DH finds something else before too long.

WhatFreshHell71 I'm so sorry your life has been upended like this and that you and your family have been put through this stress.

Sorry it's worked out like this op, sometimes your face just doesn't fit and you don't fit into thr company culture, rather than a slur on ability. It's shocking the way they have handled it though, the comment he was lucky they weren't claiming back relocation costs is a harsh one, but clearly they felt it better to end it now, for whatever reason.

I'm sure he will find something that suits him much better.

Yes perhaps his face didn't fit.

But before all this, he had several people telling him how they appreciated the efficient speed at which he worked. And how it made their work easier and faster as a result.

And just five working days before, he'd had his mid probation appraisal with the same guy who sat down to fire him and there were zero issues. All good, great let's go type of meeting.

It's very odd.

And if it was a cost cutting exercise, then which bloody berk sanctioned dh's recruitment?

It's these kind of management decisions that cost everyone so much.

So low about this.

If the people who recruited him have gone, they are sweeping away their legacy. You DH is part of it. It isn’t the first time I have seen this happen. It is arseholery of the first order but not uncommon. I hope you can sort out a new situation quickly.

Op, to be honest there is a mix of feedback here. On the one hand it's cost cutting, so nothing wrong with his work, on the other hand they have told him basically he doesn't fit in and needs to go.

So it's likely one or the other. In addition when large companies under take cost cutting it isn't normally a short term knee jerk action, it's months of planning, so unlikely they'd have recruited in this period, they would have known the exercise they were planning,

Based on the feedback I'm assuming there is something he isn't telling you, that has caused them to act like this, but ultimately it is irrelevant. What's relevant is they have acted and he is out so focusing on the future is what's important, not the past.

Is he being paid notice or is that it?

But there would have been a process behind the redundancies, that's totally different to what the op has described which is called in and fired and immediately asked to leave.

Not always the case. A number of my colleagues were called to meetings, told they were being made redundant with no consultation so effectively being compromised out. They were asked to vacate immediately. No wrong doing in any of their parts, just part of a political plan. All IT. All longer than 2 years service though so reached compromise agreements. Or whatever they're called now.

Cost-cutting makes no sense as they must have paid a huge amount in resettlement.

Sunk cost. Cutting further costs.

From the look of it, the company is making some big changes and your dh is collateral. The company culled the two senior guys, who hired your dh. It sounds as if once this happened your dhs days were numbered. He was their hire after all.

I've seen this so often. Really no reflection on the person let go.

Oh what a nightmare and a shock.

Yes to normal in many sectors to leave that day and be paid your notice on gardening leave. Which he might not have.

It sounds like a big mess up above him rather than he’s done anything wrong

Not sure how we will survive this financially tbh.

god, what a nightmare. I think the agency must have some responsibility here for the package they promised you, even if the workplace doesnt

A number of my colleagues were called to meetings, told they were being made redundant with no consultation so effectively being compromised out

Sure, but the point remains there would have been extensive discussions before this happened at a senior level, even though employees weren't aware. They don't just wake up one morning and think they will make employees redundant that day,

Op, you'll get through it, you know you will. You just need to look at all the options and come up with a plan,

In many many industries you would be sent on gardening leave / asked to leave the building straight away. It's to stop someone taking commercially sensitive info. Don't second guess your DP because of this. You've enough on.

Proof read his letter but worth a chat with a solicitor first.