Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What the Fuck?

Boss: (just before closing) Michelle, do you have a minute?

Me: (following him to his office) Sure.

Boss: (closing the door) We've been re-evaluating the team and though we appreciate the work you've done we're letting you go.

Me: (scraping my jaw off the floor)...Uh....wow...Uh...Have I in some way failed to perform my job to your standards or expectations?

Boss: No, you've done a fine job and we are grateful for your service.

Me: I don't understand.

Boss: Do you remember when we hired you that we discussed the need for good chemistry within the office?

Me: Yes.

Boss: Well, we feel the need to change the team chemistry, shake things up a bit.

Me: Since you're referring to chemistry I'd assume there is something deficient in mine and the way I am interacting with folks around here.  Have I conveyed disrespect toward you or the patients or failed to work together with others in the office in a cooperative manner?

Boss:  No, we just need to make a change.

Me: Well, it's hard to be told I am the one being "changed" and have you tell me it's the chemistry.  It makes me think I have done something wrong and if that's the case I was not made aware of a shortcoming or given an opportunity to make improvements.

Boss: No, it's not you.  We've just been re-evaluating for the past month and we need to shake things up.

Me: Well, I'm stunned.

Boss: I understand.  It's effective immediately.  I need your key. Please don't hesitate to ask us to write a referral.  We'd like to do that.


So out of nowhere I am fired with essentially no explanation or warning.  And that's the extent of the conversation. 

So my Wednesday sucked.  How was yours?

26 comments:

Craig said...

OK, I was gonna wonder why you dropped an F-bomb in yer title, but now I unnerstand. . .

Definitely sounds like there's more here than meets the eye. They just don't wanna tell you what it is. . .

Wow. . .

Praying for you. . .

~Dragonfly~* said...

Wow! Sounds like you have grounds for something....don't know what....but something!!! Dang!!! Keeping you in my thoughts....and thank you for your kind words. Guess I'm a bIt transparent these days.

g-man said...

Yeah,
Just two weeks after working double shifts!!
Time to update the resume' and move on
Sorry Trini

Commander Zaius said...

WTF!!!!!

Craig is right, something stinks about how all that went down.

Bijoux said...

I am so sorry. Hoping better opportunities are just around the corner.

Hilary said...

Wait now.. I was so expecting you to say "and then I woke up." Isn't this the place where everyone is so great and understanding, supportive and fun to be with? What just happened there? I'm so sorry, Michelle. You must be reeling. Hugs to you.

Anonymous said...

That's crazy... They can't just fire you like that with no explanation! That's utterly ridiculous!

Craig said...

You don't/didn't have benefits, do/did you? 'Cuz I know of a place where they laid a guy off 'cuz he had a bunch of kids who got sick a lot, and was driving up their health costs. 'Course, they wouldn't SAY that. . .

Daryl said...

Seriously? WTF? I am assuming you are over 40? Get a lawyer ...

Kat said...

What the hell???? That is crazy. I am so sorry.

Craig said...

Interesting, too, that they called you in at the end of your last day of work in August; wouldn't want any messy book-keeping. . .

Does the Boss have a daughter, or a niece, that he wants to hire?

Our kids used to have a paper route. It got passed down from kid to kid, thru probably four of our kids, and they got up every morning to get the papers delivered by 6AM (or close to it), and we couldn't even leave town for the holidays until after the papers were delivered Christmas morning, 'cuz you can't get a sub for Christmas morning. Then, one day, the company started getting really anal about 'errors', and within two months, they had pulled the route from us. We found out that we were the last traditional 'paper boys' in OurTown, and they didn't want to send a driver out to drop the papers on our porch for 60 customers, when they could have an adult with his own car pick the papers up downtown, and combine the routes into 200-300 customers.

So, things are not always as they seem. He was probably telling you the truth that you didn't do anything wrong. He's just not telling you the whole story, probably 'cuz he'd be liable to legal action if he told you the WHOLE truth. . .

Suldog said...

That's just brutal. Brutal. It's the sort of thing that would drive less-stable individuals to grab a gun and "go postal". Amazing.

Suldog said...

And now, after having read the previous comments, I think you may have some sort of grievance. If it has anything whatsoever to do with Calypso's health care, ream them. Get a vicious lawyer and ream them.

Only you know if it might have something to do with that (or with age, as Daryl suggested.) If you believe that either is the case, get the lawyer. If not, then my previous via private e-mail applies - God works in strange ways, and perhaps something better is coming.

In any case, my prayers are with you.

Craig said...

And of course, as Sully suggests, it's also entirely possible that they've done you a large favor. . .

Anonymous said...

and it's not even april 1st. Damn. Fuck 'em. Your skills will be appreciated elsewhere...

(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip said...

Yep, what Craig and Sully said... all of it. Just don't burn any bridges.
The fact that he said they would like to write a referral leaves a lot more questions than answers.

Craver Vii said...

Unbelievable! I don't even know what to say. :-(

Dave said...

I can imagine your shock at this time Michelle. I was also made redundant from one of my jobs before I retired, but I suspected it was coming as the company was tightening up when the economy worsened. It still doesn't help your moral or feeling of self worth. You just need to pick yourself up and move on. Good luck job hunting - Dave

Jocelyn said...

OH. MY. GOD.

All sorts of bombs dropped there. As awful as it is to be let go and to have your life reel from that, it's just as frustrating (at least in my opinion) to have been stonewalled like that. Like, TELL ME WHY; don't give me some non-answer. HOW CAN I EVER MAKE SENSE OF THIS IF YOU GIVE ME NOTHING?

The whole thing is just terrible. Terrible. I'm thinking of you, hon.

Rob said...

Words escape me at the outrageousness of what was done to you, Michelle -- and you KNOW I'm never at a loss for words! All my thoughts and prayers go out to you as you deal with this injustice. Hugs, my friend...

S said...

I just.......i.....i......pfffffffft!! What an unbelievably rude way to treat another human being.
so sorry.

S said...

I just.......i.....i......pfffffffft!! What an unbelievably rude way to treat another human being.
so sorry.

Tony Crimi said...

If you wanted to push this thing you may have an unlawful firing case. I let a gal go once because she had a pretty severe drinking problem (this was after 4 written warnings and an offer to help with counseling). I felt bad, she had kids but her work was failing. So i went and wrote her a referral letter. Like your boss offered to do. Well low and behold she sues us for unlawful firing and used my recommendation letter as proof. I learned my lesson. good Luck to you ;)

Phaedrous said...

Lime,

Been away for a bit and hit this first thing. What a bite in the butt. I remember when I got laid-off my last job. The call into the supervisor's office with the HR witch sitting there. It's nothing personal they said. The fuck it isn't thought I. It hurt. I felt it deep in my center. I wasn't valuable to the company as I had thought. I, along with sixty other old, well-paid, fully vacationed, non-valuable people were given a box and fifteen minutes to clean out our offices.

It still hurts. Having said that, sometimes things happen for reasons we don't understand. In my case, my wife needed me on a full-time basis about then and I was free to do my duty to her. Maybe you will find a silver lining to this shitty situation.

P.

for a different kind of girl said...

I'm late coming to this, but WTF indeed! I know it sucks, but I think perhaps there is some of that silver lining business in play here that's been mentioned in other comments. Clearly, an agenda had been drafted and something was going to happen...but, gah! So bizarre! I'm sorry you've been dealt this, but I'm glad you have had the chance to find those moments of perspective you've taken for yourself.

(M)ary said...

Wow! I am so sorry! How can they do that? Say that it is chemistry? That sou.ds like a boyfriend break up line not a job firing line. what bullshit.