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Original poster

Lost my job today, completely out of the blue

179 replies

789pm · 30/09/2024 20:46

I can't wrap my head around it. Today was a normal work day... I was in the middle of working on various projects I have lined up for this week and I had a call out of the blue from HR. They said they are getting rid of me with immediate effect due to company restructuring. My role is going to be shared out with several colleagues - the colleagues I was asked to run a training session for last week...

I have been put on gardening leave. I was then locked out of my IT accounts. No chance to say bye to anyone. Teams messages and emails left unanswered.

There were no issues with my performance, my manager was in the call and said that it has nothing to do with my performance and the decision was above him. It makes no sense. Work recently paid for me to go on an expensive course, they had work lined up for me.

I cannot make sense of it at all.

OP posts:
GinForBreakfast · 30/09/2024 20:47

Wow, that's brutal. How long had you been there?

FinanceLPlates · 30/09/2024 20:48

Do you have a union at your workplace? What industry?

Coffeesnob11 · 30/09/2024 20:48

I am really sorry, what a shock. How long is your gardening leave? Can your manager write a linked in recommendation for you? It makes no sense that they would pay out all that. Your next company will be very grateful. How long have you been there. If it was more than 2 years it sounds more like a redundancy than anything. Take care of yourself

endofthelinefinally · 30/09/2024 20:49

I am sorry, I have no experience, but saw your post and just wanted to say I am sorry this happened to you. You must be in shock. Are you in a union? You should contact your rep immediately.

comedycentral · 30/09/2024 20:49

That's awful OP, you must be in shock.

HotCrossBunplease · 30/09/2024 20:51

How long are they paying you for and have you been offered a lump sum?

Original poster
789pm · 30/09/2024 20:51

I had only been there since January, so 9 months. I know it's not long, but it's the fact I didn't get to properly say goodbye. I also don't know why I'm not working my notice period. It makes me feel like I did something wrong?

OP posts:
suburberphobe · 30/09/2024 20:52

What a shitty way to treat you, I'm so sorry OP. Must be a huge shock.

TimelyIntervention · 30/09/2024 20:52

I’m sorry OP, that’s a really shocking thing to go through. It is, however, reasonably standard practice in a lot of places - they protect the company by not letting you have any contact with colleagues/clients after being told you’re being made redundant. I say this only to reassure you that, as your manager said, this isn’t about you. Sadly I’d guess you’re either cheaper to pay off or more expensive to keep than someone else, that often counts more than your performance.

StormingNorman · 30/09/2024 20:53

That’s savage.

Contact those you care about on LinkedIn to explain your side and sod the rest. Then get onto headhunters straight away.

Be careful on LinkedIn that you don’t breach any non-compete clause in your contract though.

Really sorry they’ve done this. The gardening leave does buy you some time though.

Doggymummar · 30/09/2024 20:53

Oof that's always tough. Garden leave is great though, OH had three months last year on full pay October through January and then all the accrued holiday took him to mid Feb. The company realised they made a mistake and took him back ! I hope you get lucky too.m

Original poster
789pm · 30/09/2024 20:54

I just have my notice period salary (2 months). I feel like I've been stabbed in the back to be honest. All the mentions of future projects and it was all a lie. I don't know how long this was known about. Why they decided today of all days.

OP posts:
Circumferences · 30/09/2024 20:56

Ah ok seeing as you've only been there a few months I think that makes you more "disposable" in their eyes.

Totally shitty of course but that's corporate life unfortunately.

GinForBreakfast · 30/09/2024 20:58

Do they owe you holiday pay?

OhcantthInkofaname · 30/09/2024 21:11

The new at least before last week because they had you run a training session on your projects. How long did you have to develop the training? That should tell you how long they knew.

VivX · 30/09/2024 21:12

What a horrible shock for you. As there were no performance issues, it would probably have been because you were easiest to let go due to your length of service.

The garden leave might have been to avoid creating a drama or sense of unease for the remaining staff - as rubbish as it is for you to not be able to say goodbye, it's not uncommon for employers to do this.

Today is the 30th - so may be it was chosen to avoid having to pay you into December since you have a 2 month notice period.

betterangels · 30/09/2024 21:17

VivX · 30/09/2024 21:12

What a horrible shock for you. As there were no performance issues, it would probably have been because you were easiest to let go due to your length of service.

The garden leave might have been to avoid creating a drama or sense of unease for the remaining staff - as rubbish as it is for you to not be able to say goodbye, it's not uncommon for employers to do this.

Today is the 30th - so may be it was chosen to avoid having to pay you into December since you have a 2 month notice period.

I agree with this. It's savage, though. I'm sorry.

Justcallmebebes · 30/09/2024 21:17

Awful OP you must be in shock. I'm sorry. Have they said anything about a reference?

PyongyangKipperbang · 30/09/2024 21:18

I had a similar thing happen at the end of the first lockdown. Turned out it wasnt just me but many many people who were there under two years so they didnt need to pay severance. Basically it was a termination of contract and completely legal. They had recently sold half the business to another brewery but were still up shit creek financially. Recently they sold the other half too as guess what, they didnt do any better.

They cant recruit new managers because the hospitality business is a small world and any decent manager would give them a full body swerve. So they are putting managers in charge of several units, with not enough staff in each, so they fail further and the managers leave. They claim that they are focussing on their pub arm now but I give it 5 years tops before they start selling off the pubs too as no one will work for them.

If you are in the industry, you know the one I mean!

Lougle · 30/09/2024 21:20

I'm so sorry. If its any consolation, when my DF was made redundant, many times, in the 1980s, he was always marched straight out of the building by security. It was because he had information/skills that could damage the company, so they were protecting contracts, etc. It was nothing to do with him as a person.

itsgoodtobehome · 30/09/2024 21:20

I always thought that there had to be a consultation period when restructuring so that people can have an input into it, and also give people the opportunity to apply for other jobs that might be available internally. Maybe that's just where I have worked, but I have never gone through a restructure where they just got rid of people without any consultation. I would check with someone like ACAS.

WalkingaroundJardine · 30/09/2024 21:24

That’s brutal - it is fairly normal practice now to basically frog march you out of the building. I guess so they can control the narrative and avoid the wide spectrum of possible reactions when the news comes out of the blue like that.

Maybe also a last in, first out lay off policy? Not sure what type of industry projects you work on but my daughter who is a consultant says many businesses are cutting back on their projects and the “pipeline” isn’t flowing any more.

SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter · 30/09/2024 21:25

How horrible! I am so sorry you were treated that way.

KaneelStokjes · 30/09/2024 21:26

That's terrible - you have my sincerest condolences x

momtoboys · 30/09/2024 21:27

I’m so sorry. That’s brutal. Where I work always does things like that on Mondays too. You’ll find something even better!