Ex-boss lying to current staff about how I left the company

[ToeSucker]

I resigned from a dodgy start up a few months ago. They were not paying salaried staff regularly (often a month late) so it made sense to me to resign.
I ended up being allowed to leave without working my notice period, and it was all amicable.

I found out my boss told current staff I was fired because I was incompetent.

Should I do something about this? I'm worried about my professional reputation but I'm not sure how much it matters as the person who is lying is potentially in a lot of legal trouble over financial mismanagement (I wasn't involved in this).

Just walk away.

Get the facts
then get the facts in writing from x.
Go into the office & call them out? Otherwise not much you can do.

How did you find this out? Who told you and what was their motivation?

Honestly I would probably walk away. The current staff probably know the truth. If it is a start the management has very little if any sway in the industry. You could send them a cease and desist letter if you want.

Wouldn't this be libel?

It is libel if it is in writing, slander if it is spoken. However, if she wanted to go down this route OP would need to prove the lies have caused her serious harm or are likely to do so. On the information posted, that seems unlikely.

I presume you're in touch with some of your former colleagues OP in which case you can just correct them. Other than that I would let it go. As a start-up I don't expect they will have much influence in the sector, and any future employer will be fully understanding if you say I left because they didn't pay regularly.

Yeah, how about no? Maybe you don’t have a professional reputation to maintain but a lot of people do.

Fuck all chance would I put up with this OP. I’m not saying I’d take legal action but I’d at least send a stern letter setting out the facts and requesting he desists. Probably won’t change much but at least it’s on record

Honestly. Who cares? Incompetence is subjective surely. It’s rarely ever as black and white as “incompetent” vs “competent”. In his mind, you are incompetent bc you dared to ask to be paid on time and resigned. It’s not valid but he’s in saving face mode. Start up culture basically is working to the bone with vague visions of millions being made in the future after all.

I’d lean into it if you were ever asked about it by ex colleagues (which I doubt you will be). Absolutely anyone can be incompetent in a shit work environment, as you’re set up for failure. If asked I’d probably just say you can’t be competent if you’re not getting paid as you’re not a slave.

My last manager did that to me too, no one believed her because it was demonstrably not true. Hold your head up high and thank fuck you don’t work there anymore!