Have you ever been fired / let go from your job?

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Z_odyssey@reddit

Been redundant twice, and let go after probation. It sucks when you cant see it coming. Ut ultimately I came out on top for it.

You'll be fine!!

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Wishmaster891@reddit

I've just been made redundant if that counts?

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JL9285@reddit

Hope you don’t mind me asking but what actually happens when you get made redundant? Do you settle on a payout and they pay you there and then or is it more complicated than that?

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asymmetricears@reddit

Not the person you asked this to, but my work is currently going through a round of redundancies, so I know the process a little bit.

They announce they want to make redundancies, in a proposal.

The proposal can say individual roles are redundant, or whole departments, or it might be a reduction in a department headcount.

There is a mandatory consultation period, where affected employees can challenge it, and put counter proposals in for the company to consider.

At the end of the consultation they say who is going to be made redundant, and issue official notices to them.

Employees work their notice period, and leave.

However companies can and do do it differently, especially for a smaller number of people being made redundant. For example, the consultation may be perfunctory, they can decline all counter proposals unilaterally. They can also give larger payoffs for people to not challenge it, and even put people on gardening leave. Ultimately they want to avoid employment tribunals and claims of unfair dismissal.

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DoctorOctagonapus@reddit

There's also voluntary redundancy, where a business offers a higher payout in the hopes that employees will take the money and go on their own accord.

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gingerbread85@reddit

My dad retired with voluntary redundancy. He was pleased as punch with the offer he got. They'll often snag a few people who were eyeing the door anyway.

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DoctorOctagonapus@reddit

My dad did the same. He'd been saying for years he'd go if they offered enough, but it was only last year he finally took it.

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BryOnRye@reddit

Yup, key word is consultation. It’s not a negotiation, my company is going through it and the consultation with the unions has been utterly pointless. Unions can propose/suggest whatever they want but all the company needs to do is make note. They can, and will, whatever they want.

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GabberZZ@reddit

Note that the compulsory consultation period is not required if fewer than 20 employees are binned off. After 90 days they can do another round.. and another. Source: me being binned off last July along with my colleagues in subsequent rounds.

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asymmetricears@reddit

Ah that I didn't know. You can tell that the redundancies where I am are a more than 20 employees.

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Choice-Lemon4500@reddit

I did not know that. Now everything makes sense!

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JL9285@reddit

Thanks for explaining!

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MattB256@reddit

I was in a place for 2.5 years and they had already started letting people go from the company after I was around 1.5 years in. There were 4 waves of redundancies and I was on the 3rd in Dec 2024. Got a call from my manager in the morning and she just explained I was in that round of redundancies. Had a formal meeting with my manager/HR to discuss the process and if I had any questions etc. Still got to go to the Xmas work event even though at the time of the party I wasn't an employee (But I was on the committee that helped organise it tbf)

Paid me statuary pay + 1 month which was a nice bonus, at the time that was a lot of money for me so wasn't too fussed with leaving - and it wasn't the best job anyway.

I had 3 full months of doing what I wanted other than the odd interview and applying for jobs. I found another job within 3 months and still managed to keep a decent amount of money in savings so it wasn't too bad at all. I think after 5 months I would have been panicking though and I was starting to get bored of not working after about a month.

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TheCannyLad@reddit

First time for me, I was working for a core (large) city council. It was first announced to all affected staff in the council chamber. Then we were told we would interview for our own job. I applied for voluntary redundancy, refused. I had to interview for my own job. Over the months I had a change of heart and wanted to stay. Told them that. Following day, called into the office and told the bad news. Gutted. I was skint and desperate, and as far as I was concerned on the scrap heap with a £7k payoff (for 12 years service) and 20k debt.

Second time I was off sick when it got announced, came totally out of the blue. Rollercoaster of emotions. Ended up applying for, being interviewed for, and getting another job on a new team in the firm....

Eventually, that team was thrown under the bus. A couple of years of doing nothing later, was called into the office for a meeting with someone I knew of but never met, told me I was underperforming (wont go into but total bollocks) and I could go on a PIP or take the money. Told to sign an non disclosure agreement (can't tell anyone, but did tell a few, a colleague who was also affected had been regularly talking on the phone since it happened to him 2 weeks earlier). Last day, told colleagues I was leaving, never said why, they knew.

Was out of work for 6 months, existential crisis and a tough job market contributed. Plenty of savings and support so not as bad as it sounds.

Now got a job in a small local wholesaler instead of a big international firm. Best job ever. Like working with your mates. Things can work out for the best, eventually.

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Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit

Mine was a long time ago and I had been there less than a year.

I just got told there were no shifts for me as the company couldn’t afford to pay me, reality was the brewery said to get rid of another staff member as we weren’t leaving quickly enough, and the assistant manager was stealing and said he suspected me.

Got a p45, my wages and holiday pay for the unused days

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GabberZZ@reddit

If you've been there long enough and the company aren't total aresholes they may offer a settlement or compromise agreement for you to go quietly along with payment in lieu of notice (gardening leave). The PILON is taxed. The settlement agreement amount is not.

I got the equivalent of 10 months take home pay after negotiating the settlement amount.

Some companies just give statutory.

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LateFlorey@reddit

Can you explain this in a little bit more details please? How did you push for a settlement?

I’m going through redundancy atm and just starting the individual ones now our collective one has closed. I’ve asked a few questions as I don’t think they’ve done everything completely right as I have some protected characteristics (trying not to out myself here) which they’ve not acknowledged until I challenged them.

We get enhanced redundancy, so not sure if that falls as a settlement or not.

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GabberZZ@reddit

Enhanced redundancy is likely a compromise or settlement agreement. You agree not to pursue any legal route/disputes for a mutually agreeable sum. They will offer you a figure and you then decide whether it's worth taking Vs pursuing a legal dispute route.

The initial offer may merely their lowest offer that they think you will accept but you can always negotiate. In my case because so much of my skillset was based on the companys product my value in the real world is diminished so I asked for more money to restrain. They rounded up the figure to the nearest £10k.

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K1mTy3@reddit

I was made redundant in 2020 - it depends whether the company is going into liquidation or not.

My old employer had no money, so a liquidator was involved. They gave everyone a case number and we used this to claim statutory redundancy pay plus pay in lieu of notice from the government. It can take months to receive what you're owed; I was fairly lucky and got mine within 3 months, but others were more like 6 months.

If only a few roles are being made redundant, the employer pays your redundancy instead. They may ask you to work the notice period or choose to pay you in lieu of this, and may be able to give you enhanced redundancy pay on top of the statutory minimum.

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sageymae@reddit

I got given 4 weeks notice. No payout as I'd been there under 2 years.

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Commercial_Reward_78@reddit

Been made redundant twice. The 1st time was after a round of redundancies. The letters were given out on a Friday. I received one saying my position was safe, and that my employer envisaged no further job losses for at least a year. The following day I broke my leg playing rugby. 4 days later, at home, in plaster, I received a redundancy notice. I was a month short of any entitlement. Slags.

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NotGooseFromTopGun@reddit

Sounds like unfair dismissal to me

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Commercial_Reward_78@reddit

At the time, you needed to be employed for 2 years to be able to claim that.

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Tricky-Reporter-5246@reddit

Spear tackle time

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herwiththepurplehair@reddit

Just to say very few companies pay more than the statutory minimum redundancy pay these days. In the North Sea offshore industry at one time if you got made redundant you could walk away with a good enhanced package, nowadays contracts mostly stipulate statutory redundancy (the minimum the government says you’re allowed to pay the employees taking redundancy) plus 12 weeks’ notice and any accrued holiday pay.

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JennyW93@reddit

I got made redundant from a micro business (3 staff, 1 boss) a few years ago, about 4 days before Christmas, and 2 days after the boss sent me a massive, expensive Christmas hamper. I was made redundant by email.

The upshot of it all was he managed to mess up the process so badly (in a business where two of his three staff [not me] were solicitors) that he ended up giving me 3.5 months pay, which in practice meant he paid me more to not work for him than he paid me to work for him. Which may give you a little context into how his business management skills were so poor he was in a position of making someone redundant after only 3 months of hiring them.

I think he meant to say I failed probation (despite excellent performance evaluations). He basically just wanted to use me to write his web content and then drop me. More of that business acumen - he could’ve just hired me as a contractor. Like he did for the two people he hired to install Microsoft Word on his laptop for a full day’s pay.

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Ok-Answer-7138@reddit

They pretty much always pay you, at the very least they'll pay for your notice period. In America they typically add 1 months salary for every year you've been with the company but that doesn't apply in the UK sadly, you might get 2 months pay if you've been with the company for 5 or more years. It's possible to get more but totally discretionary. I don't think there's any kind of UK law that says you need to be paid out at all :(

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IxionS3@reddit

I don't think there's any kind of UK law that says you need to be paid out at all :(

There is. Statutory redundancy is payable if you've worked for an employer for more than 2 years.

The entitlement is based on your age, weekly pay and length of service.

https://www.acas.org.uk/your-rights-during-redundancy/redundancy-pay

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goodmythicalmickey@reddit

I've been made redundant twice now and you don't generally "settle" on a payout as such, they just tell you how much you're going to get (normally statutory, which depends on how long you've been there and how old you are) and then they pay your notice and redundancy pay on your normal payday. You may or may not have to work your notice.

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Wishmaster891@reddit

Not sure, at the moment im at risk of redundancy but i think its just a formality. Will probably be done and dusted with final details confirmed next Friday.

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JL9285@reddit

That’s a shame. Hopefully you get a nice payout and can take your time finding the right job.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

I hear there’s a lot of that going on at the moment :( Hope you spring back.

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Srddrs@reddit

Snap, though I don’t really think it was a genuine redundancy.

I also got let go from a couple of other jobs. A couple of pub jobs when I was a teenager and an admin job in my early 20s. It happens.

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Sil_Lavellan@reddit

I got made redundant from a small business. I don't recall getting any extra except a gift card and I'd been working there for 8 years.

I spent the gift card on a new camera, from somewhere other than the business that had just made me redundant.

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NotGooseFromTopGun@reddit

Same here.

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JL9285@reddit

I got sacked from a warehouse picking job years ago due to a low pick rate. The target pick rate was incredibly high and they had a ridiculous turnover of staff because of it. Felt like management expected you to sprint whilst doing the job.

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Ok_Garden_4874@reddit

Yeah I did this. The target was for non-contract workers is 1200. At the beginning I would only do a half a day because my pick up is low. Eventually I would get 1100 then 1200. Many days they put me in waste management or just pushing groceries inside trucks which was better than picking. I hated that job.

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pajamakitten@reddit

And you know management could never hit that target themselves.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Anything with these things that track how fast you work is absolutely horrific!

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AirlineSevere7456@reddit

I had a job in a Doritos factory when I was 19, I only lasted a week, because you had to pack the crisp boxes very quickly. They didn't train you either.

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oli_ramsay@reddit

Maximum effort expected for minimum wage

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Intelligent_Put_3606@reddit

My zero hours contract was terminated in February 2024 - I was employed as an examination invigilator. The reason they gave was that I hadn't worked any shifts in 2023 - I missed the training session, and they wouldn't give you work without it. I offered to attend a session at a different time, or do it online, however, they told me that no further training sessions were taking place.

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you_wanker@reddit

I was laid off last month from a big tech company when they decided to get rid of 1600 staff. If I'm honest I was desperately miserable in the job; I loved working at the company and wanted to stay but move into another role but alas - never got the chance. I miss the company but do not miss the job one iota.

I had awful managers from India with a toxic working culture and I was the only non-Indian on my team, so I often felt pretty isolated. I was in an EU team (who are based in Amsterdam) when I started, with a fantastic manager, but she left and we got reshuffled - I got moved to the India teams and then never got moved back. The Indian teams were rife with micromanagement, delusional standards, useless busy-work and a real "pick me" culture of ingratiating themselves with senior management (that is absolutely not to say that is all Indians per-se of course, absolutely not, that was just my personal experience at this company).

So yeah, after absolutely busting my arse for ages and never really getting any recognition or praise for my work the decision was just made for me unfortunately. Came as a total shock and I was pretty angry, but it is what it is. I'm currently waiting on feedback from a couple of third and fourth stage interviews I have attended, hoping something good comes of those.

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Dualyeti@reddit

Same… I don’t think I’ll be able to find a job anytime soon. Been having fun with Claude code, so I can say I’m skilled at harnessing AI, to stay relevant. Will admit, it’s very fun if you have a creative mind which doesn’t stop.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Good luck on those interviews, I can’t imagine the stress having little ones and being out of a job - I only have a little cat and live in a cheap houseshare!

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CautiousJump3942@reddit

I’ve been sacked pretty quickly before my probationary period was up in a couple of jobs. And it really does make you feel like crap. I actually hated both of those jobs and didn’t really want to be there- not necessarily because I wasn’t good at the jobs, I just didn’t gel with the teams there, and they felt that too. And that’s okay. Both those jobs took me into better and more fun opportunities, where I moulded quickly into the team.

There will be a better opportunity for you, from all this. You didn’t thrive there and it was evident in your work. You’d have carried on being unhappy and unsatisfied with even going to work, and you have the opportunity to go onto something more suitable and motivating for you, where you feel comfortable in your role and with the people you work with.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Thank you.

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Majick_L@reddit

I’ve only been actually “sacked” from a job once, and it was 100% unjust and not my fault. Worked for a guy at a family owned garden centre / nursery type store, he was really grumpy and micromanaging and not good to work with. After he gave me an illegal contract to sign, which stated that I have to work a mandatory 52 hours a week and I get 0 days holiday entitlement for the first 12 months of employment, I obviously refused to sign and told him that it’s against the law and he can’t do that, so I got fired in retaliation for knowing my legal rights

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Thats_my_nirnroot@reddit

Yes absolutely.

I left my previous employer of 7 years, to join a local customer than was ware of my previous work..

Suddenly it became clear that they had no business employing someone that wasn't already doing that exact job, as then had no resources to sufficiently train me up.

It then because clear that they were also aware that the situation wasn't giving to work, and my manager basically stopped talking to me, for the final month of my probation.. at which time I was let-go.

It totally sucked, but gave me the opportunity to find a new role which better suited my needs.

But it did take a good 4-5 months to find a new role, which was really difficult!

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Many-Tip7243@reddit

I got fired from the home office for constantly falling asleep at my desk 😭 Was shocked because I never caught myself feeling sleepy, so I thought maybe I had narcolepsy or something. After some blood tests and a healthcare assessment, I got a call from the GP saying there's nothing wrong with me, I was just that bored. Processing skilled worker VISAs must be the most monotonous, uninteresting thing I've ever done. Got diagnosed with ADHD a few years later. Now I'm a drug worker so my days are always too chaotic to fall asleep, but at least they're interesting😅

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Tall_Stick5608@reddit

I got sacked from M&S just before lockdown after an angry customer squared up to me, put his hands on me twice before I reacted. I overreacted but in that split second I was just thinking I need to defend myself from this bully who was much larger than myself and pushed him to the floor and started dragging his body out of the store like a corpse before he ran off. I saw red however there should be much more protection against retail staff, the security guard on duty just stood there and watched.

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mellonians@reddit

You'd be alright at McDonald's, seen a few crew get handsy and just told to get back to work. Every member of retail staff should be allowed to hit back without losing their job and at least once a year be allowed to tell someone to fk right off.

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Healthy-Tap7717@reddit

When I was in highschool 23yrs ago im Mcdonalds, Chichester there was a lady who worked in our Maccy Ds. She was the kindest lady. Older women. A young man who had been fired walked in and stabbed her to death in the middle of the restaurant. She had nothing to do with why he was fired. It was tge mist tragic incident locally untill this day.

They still have a plaque on the wall with her name and photo.

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AssociationGold8745@reddit

I'd flip it. Telling someone to fuck off is free speech, and words are just words despite prevailing beliefs, I think we should protect people's jobs for the first instance of telling any customer to fuck off (like if you catch yourself and apologise after one they probably deserved it .

However, getting to chin one cunt a year would make Xmas shopping a great spectator sport - 63 year old Mavis on the fish counter hasn't had hers yet, so they've put her on the service desk today so she can get one in on that one repeat asshole customer.

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Danielharris1260@reddit

Yeah Mcdonald’s definitely don’t care I remember my manager throwing a cup of sprite on a customer and getting no more than a don’t that again I think it’s maybe to do with a lot of management being a lot younger loads of 18-25 managers

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WGD23@reddit

I think being able to handle yourself is an essential criteria for Maccies city centre night shift ;)

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Tall_Stick5608@reddit

Usually in retail we all stick together however because I was a section manager in a brand new store the commercial managers probably couldn’t take the risk of bailing me out. There wasn’t any friends or we didn’t have each others backs. Had it been in my usual store I think I would have been ok. It all started with me helping another customer at the till to override an offer and when trying to walk back to the shop floor he stood in my way with his huge body blocking my path and just started having a go. I was so confused so I tried to downplay it and calm him down until he pushed me / ripped off my name badge and then I reacted

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leakee2@reddit

You lived the dream of thousands

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Commercial_Reward_78@reddit

“I warn you, I’m about to play my annual F-bomb Joker Card!”

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

That is absolutely disgraceful! Glad you stood up for yourself, maybe they will think twice next time!

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Theres3ofMe@reddit

"Dragging him out of the store like a corpse.." 😭😭😭🤣🤣

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zagreus9@reddit

I wrote to my boss telling him that I was suffering with depression and I was quickly let go.

Cunt. Fuck you Jim.

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squirrrrrm@reddit

Obviously that's illegal.

Should've taken legal action.

You would have had brilliant case.

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zagreus9@reddit

During probationary period though so....

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squirrrrrm@reddit

Makes no difference.

Firing someone because they have depression, which you'd have a strong case for, is illegal, regardless of whether it's during a probationary period.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Fuck Jim!

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Ok_Garden_4874@reddit

Not fired but I didn't get a job due to a failed drug test. Don't eat seeded bread before you do a drug test.

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

Sacked for not being quick enough (was only 3rd day and I was still learning the job)
Sacked for them having no hours for me
Sacked because i was being bullied and i stood up for myself (apparently it showed i wasn’t part of the team)
Sacked for taking time off for having an operation i needed, that I had told them about at the interview stage.

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jelly_Pp@reddit

ive experienced a lot of those myself...all i can say is they were horrible employers

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Thanks for your reply and hope you’re in a better position now!

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

Got a little part time job, ive not been back working long but don’t think it’s going to happen either

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PeachImpressive319@reddit

I had a zero hours contract at Marwell zoo driving the mini train. I warned them of my upcoming nuptials before being hired. I put it in the diary. After a year of being there, it suddenly became an issue because I had marked my potential honeymoon in the diary too. It was two weeks to be taken in a 3 month period, whenever would be best suited for them at the zoo. I was very flexible about it.

Two days before my wedding day, I received a phone call telling me I had to work on the Saturday. Obviously I said I couldn’t. They stated that either I work, or I wouldn’t be offered any more hours. I said my wedding day comes first and hung up.

They then had the cheek to call me back and tried to get me to work the very next day. Of course I told them where to stick it.

I loved that job too.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Wow they really stiffed you over nothing. I was actually at Marwell on monday (my landlady paid for me to come with her and her nephew… I do not have the funds for that!) and joked that driving the train would be a fun little job

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PeachImpressive319@reddit

It was fun. I loved it. They didn’t like that I was calling them out on a few safety issues. They wanted us as the drivers of the train and tractor train to give little speeches as we were driving around. I pointed out how extremely dangerous it was for someone to be driving a combined weight of 22 tonne tractor and twin trailer unit, whilst trying to dodge unsupervised, hyperactive children, and give a talk about the ecology, care, and welfare of the upcoming animals. That’s when they took the dislike to me, and made me the ultimatum…work on my wedding day, or get no more hours.

As much as I loved the job, I wasn’t going to be party to potentially maiming or killing someone.

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Charlie_Mouse@reddit

Or being the one killed or maimed if you chose to work in your wedding day.

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PeachImpressive319@reddit

My now wife wouldn’t have killed me, my old manager on the other hand…would’ve been thrown to the tigers,

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Total_Aerie_3778@reddit

Let go from several bakeries. One was not my fault, second was because of work injury and probably slow work performance and the third was work performance. To be fair, for the third position it was early in the morning, and I’ve only come to realise I don’t function well in the wee hours of the morning and I get stressed whenever my bosses are around watching me. Hence the mistakes on my part.

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First_Folly@reddit

My probationary period at a certain Scandinavian furniture retailer was cut short because I kept having massive, multiple day headaches. I was assured that I wouldn't need to worry about the time off days before they let me go. I don't miss it. I hate the concept of KPI as they cut out all of the context and human variance and leave you with "Oh, you didn't completely solve this complex situation within 7 minutes over the phone. That's bad." Alright. But 3 minutes was spent listening to them explain the problem and 4 of those minutes were spent on hold trying to speak to the person that actually holds the solution.

Well over 10 years later I barely remember most of it, apart from the fantastic retort that someone came out with over the phone once.

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-Gypsy-Eyes-@reddit

I was fired from an almost-big-4 accounting firm 3 months into a graduate scheme where I was studying the ACA (to become an accountant) due to failing the same exam twice. I was overworked, burnt out, and exhausted working a 9-5 and studying for hours each night and weekend too. My maths and finance skills are pretty good but not as good as someone who studied economics/accounting as a degree. The firm had a strict policy of automatic dismissal if you fail the same exam after 2 attempts. I virtually begged them to let me have another go during my disciplinary meeting or whatever it was called, as my 2nd attempt scored higher than my first, but the manager at my location just gave me the old "I wish I could, but it's policy".

I was unemployed for about 1 year and 3 months, until getting a job in digital marketing just last week. I start next week!

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Tallicababe123@reddit

The one before my current job I got fired. Backstory time. I started at a company that manufactured something and I would regularly go on the shop floor. My first week one of the guys called me over and said no one lasts more than 3 months in this job be careful. About a week before my 6 months probation was due I was called into an urgent meeting. My manager said I was getting a warning for not asking enough questions. I was devastated as I thought it was going well. So the next week I worked extra hard. On the Friday morning I walk in and get dragged straight into a meeting with my manager and HR they fired me for asking too many questions. Weird follow up when I got my now job they asked them for a reference and apparently I was a fantastic employee. Been at my job after that for 9 years now and was literally told I'm an amazing worker today in my yearly review. Don't let a bad experience get you down some workplaces are just toxic.

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Sam645@reddit

Yes, I was 44 and fired at 13 months from a white collar job. I nearly failed probation which got extended, then narrowly passed, then got fired. What a mess and glad it’s behind me.

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Ambiverthero@reddit

Yeah twice. First time led many my successful 25 year career. Second time allowed to to makes ton of money and achieve financial freedom early and retire at 54.

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ThatFilthyMonkey@reddit

My first ever job at an aquarium shop, was told not needed anymore and two weeks later there was a new kid working there. Our mums were friends and apparently they were only paying him a tenner for entire Saturdays work.

But also I think it was clear I had no interest in fish whatsoever and probably let my boredom show when someone had spent 20 minutes telling me about their salt water setup, so no hard feelings.

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Beginning-Poet-2991@reddit

What book is it? And yes, I have.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

It’s called irresponsible adult by lucy dillon, I can’t say if it’s a good one yet as i’ve just started grabbing what looks good at the library!

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Ok-Can-2170@reddit

made redundant and decided to take long break, till after august then I ll start looking for job

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CrowApprehensive204@reddit

It's just a shit job that's not a good fit for you. Move on and up.

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CaptnCocnuts@reddit

Last year I failed probation after nearly 3 months at a job which was meant to be my big break. Lots more money than I was getting, lots more responsibility. It was a horrible job and I knew things weren't going well by the time I was fired, but there was some strange drama going on between the managers and a little good old fashioned sexism thrown into the mix and I just don't think I could have done much differently with the information I had been given. I was being bullied by both managers and it wrecked my confidence for the rest of the year, trying to get myself back on my feet. But I got a job that I genuinely love and I wouldn't go back to that first job for any money. I genuinely feel so lucky now, just over a year later, that I was fired from a job I hated, because I don't know if I would have had the strength to quit on my own. I feel pure dread and horror at the idea that I could still be there, earning 15k more than I am now, but hating 5 out of 7 days a week.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

I also remember from one temp job I was asked whether I wanted a job working there full time on their books, but the job fell through at the last minute

The job was perfect for me having dyspraxia , company is not longer around

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it_hurts_too_poo@reddit

I’ve been made redundant, I’ve walked out of a job without having another lined up and I was once fired after giving my notice (lol, bell ends). You’ll be fine matey. If you have no luck by yourself go to an agency or the local job centre, they really are helpful. Chin up, >friendly jab to your shoulder< yeah? Yeah! you got this. Go get ‘em tiger!

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

I remember someone walking out of a temp job after just starting 30 minutes he was fed up waiting how to use the system we were going to be using to enter data (there were like 30 of us temps)

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

Employment agencies all the time, as the company does not want to pay as fee to the employment agency

I was let go after three days from one place I put it down having dyspraxia, I was given no training just thrown into the deep end, the agency wanted a quick fee from the company and it backed fire on them.

Another company I was not taken on after my temporary position ended, everyone else on the team who starting in the same position as me who were temp were taken on, again the excuse of me having having dyspraxia or too hard after Christmas was just an excuse not to keep me on

I was not even taken on after my NVQ by the company I did my placement at, one thing did not helped I did not want to see a dead body, I did not have the tact to be a proper funeral director, also because of me having dyspraxia my speech is not clear which would have ruled out me answering the telephone ,

I have known at one company which was temporary, 15 temps got released one day without warning from the company , the agency , kept me and 3 others temp on for another week to tie up loose ends

Good luck with your job search.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

For the job which lasted three days I would have walked without being let go

Another temp job I lasted 3 months and was let go, because I had a 2 week holiday booked, company was not planning on taking me on as it was just a short term assignment

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RuaRuaRua81@reddit

Unfortunately that's the nature of temporary work, if a company wants an agency to end someone's assignment, there's nothing the agency can do about it

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bellabanjsk@reddit

I got sacked on two occasions.

One was when a more senior member of staff made a mistake and blamed me for it. I was apparently less convincing but I was happy to hear many years later that she’d finally been caught out after doing it to several other people.

Another time I’m fairly sure I was just let go because the middle manager was another woman and just didn’t like me. She was a scuzzy cow who got upset with one of the male staff she fancied being friendly with me. Bullet dodged.

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Terrible-Stick-2179@reddit

Ive been sacked from more jobs than I've left, and even have a redundancy under my belt at 27. Ive had to learn the hard way not to take it personally. Ive been sacked without being told, sacked on the spot, sacked within a month, sacked 9 months into a job, all for what i felt were unjust reasons. I feel like my redundancy was unjust as well and have had to fight the urge to sue them for it, Knowing it's not worth the hassle. Most of these employers have not been professional in conduct so you have to change your perspective on it.

Instead of questioning where you went wrong, what you could of done instead, how things could have been different, and trust me i know its heartbreaking when a job you once loved and had high hopes for lets you go, especially in an unjust way. It's hurtful, it's a knock to the ego and you are left questioning if you are as capable as you once thought. Instead of that, Think about how they let you down, how you deserved better and that someone else out there will see the value in you. It's not the end of the world although i know it feels like it.

You will find a new job with better expectations for them, you will take what you have learned from this experience and move forward with it. You are more knowledgeable now, you just don't know it yet. Give yourself time to get over the emotions of it, you don't have to jump right into any old job, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Take your time and learn what you do and don't want from a job. Remember managers are just people, you will get some rotten apples.

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Fit_Peanut_8801@reddit

I got fired from a burrito food truck at a festival hahaha

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BorderlineWire@reddit

I think I was constructively dismissed once, from a coffee chain that Costsa lot.

I was dropped in the deep end, running the place for ages. I had no time off, my wage didn’t reflect the role I was doing, I couldn’t do everything that needed to be done because I never got the authorisation but would get a lot of hassle for not being able to do it. I then didn’t get the job for the role I’d been trying to do. They brought in someone from another store, who refused to listen to anything I said. I actually had to tell another team member to tell that manager anything he needed to know for it to even be acknowledged. He set about alienating basically everyone who wasn’t a straight male (I’m not straight) to some degree and a lot of people left shortly after I walked.

There was someone from another store he was good friends with who had assaulted me when I covered in that shop- conveniently in an area not covered by functioning cctv (The person who reported both the assault and sexual harassment of a female colleague was fired for something fabricated) and the new manager decided that this guy was going to be “the new assistant manager” I was the assistant manager. He came to work in my store, that I’d been running. I got told with a smug fucking grin “it’s fine, nothing happened and even if it did, it was a while ago. But it didn’t. Deal with it”

So I flipped my entire shit, the smile did drop and tbh he did get nervous. I’m usually very much a chill vibes hippy type, people don’t really see me react like that. I walked out there and then half way through a shift. Turns out the other guy went AWOL after a couple of weeks and they ended up with a real staffing issue for a while. Meanwhile I was picked up pretty quickly by Starbucks who were actually a really great place to work.

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msac84@reddit

Yes, three times now. Ask away :)

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

How’d you feel when you found out?

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msac84@reddit

Ahm the first time it was absolutely horrible (after 7 years working there) then I had a very dark year. Second time it was traumatic (had just exchanged contracts for my house), third time I was like “whatever”.

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Primalrat@reddit

Yes was bought into the room with my new manager and their new manager, read a rewritten statement about how I was a “commercial risk” and was then escorted out of the building.

No HR. No process. No paperwork. I was less that two years in the job so ACAS couldn’t do anything.

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Embarrassed_Park2212@reddit

I had a Christmas job at Sainsbury's I think it was 2009. At that time I was having problems with my parathyroid and I also had labyrinthitis, that I made them aware of during my interview.

Anyhoo the two other women, that started at the same time as me, both were off for two weeks each with a cold. I had two days off and then I think I had another two days off about 3 weeks later. I had no choice in taking the time off because I couldn't stand without falling over. I was waiting for a hospital appointment to have a doctor do the epley maneuver for me. (I'm not sure if I had some different issue with my ears because they don't treat labyrinthitis with the epley maneuver)

So it was after the Christmas period and I think I had 2 more shifts before either they would keep me on or not. Got to the end of my work day and got pulled by the manager or whoever. He said 'we are not keeping you on due to you having 2 sickness periods'. I said 'you are kidding me. I had less time off that thingy and whatsit and you're letting me go. You could have told me first thing instead of waiting till the end of my shift'.

I was quite pissed not because of being sacked but because he told me at the end of the day. Still I was the bigger person and returned all the uniform and whatnot. I still hate Sainsbury's.

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jack_watson97@reddit

When I was 17 I was hired by Nike. Hired in September. I was part time and doing A levels. In the lead up to Christmas I was doing nativity performances at the local church as part of my Drama A level. I told Nike the dates and said I cant work those evenings. I was rotaed on all of them. After Christmas I was told that was gross misconduct and dismissed. Clearly they just wanted me out once they went past the Christmas period and needed less staff. Didnt care enough about the job to push it

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Thinking10Thinking@reddit

Both of these are from when I was in my 20s. It honestly felt like the end of the world at the time but now, I look back and laugh and am grateful for the lessons learned.

Job 1: I disliked the job but made it to the end of probation. We mutually agreed that I wasn’t a good fit/ the job wasn’t right for me and we parted ways. I left on good enough terms and my manager was happy to be a reference for me. 2: Barely made it to one month at another job. This one was definitely not the right job for a few reasons and the environment/ ‘team’ was extremely toxic. This one really knocked my confidence at the time.

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ItAintNoUse@reddit

Yep!

I was 21, fresh out of my bachelor's degree. I was working as an editorial assistant for a medical journal. I was fired only 7 weeks in, at the end of my probation. I had always been strong academically and had graduated top of my cohort so it was a huge slap in the face.

From day 1 it just wasn't right. I didn't fit in with the department, and the head of the department didn't take to me because I wasn't especially outgoing. It was definitely my fault though, I was highly distracted, would go on tangents during training, and couldn't get things done in a timely fashion or would make careless errors.

The office was made up of glass rooms, so even though I was fired with only my line manager and department head present, everyone outside the room could see what was happening. The head's favourite employees in the department also knew I was being fired before I did despite doing the same role as me. I had to pack away my stuff in tears while the whole (open plan) office watched awkwardly, and be escorted out. It was the most humiliating experience of my life and I sobbed on the tube on my way home.

It shattered my confidence and left me wondering what was wrong with me and why I'd had so much difficulty focusing and completing tasks. In November last year, at 23, I was diagnosed with ADHD and suddenly it all made sense. It didn't make the firing sting any less, but I knew now what was wrong and that things could be done.

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Glass_Chip7254@reddit

Almost everyone has at some point

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Monkeyboogaloo@reddit

A couple of times.

Its never nice.

One time I got overheard by the boss calling him a c*nt. it was on day 4 of employment! And he was deaf! Well almost.

The other time was after 7 years. They needed to cut costs and I was expensive. It was totally inexpected and took me years to get over it. But I did and meeting up with the old ceo for a coffee next week.

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BrainThat4047@reddit

I have been “subtly” threatened to be let go and so I let myself go, and I have also been made redundant. Really shattered my confidence but I only bounced back stronger each time.

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LilacScentedStoat@reddit

I got caught browsing the inter net for 8 hours a day and got sacked for gross misconduct.

I did not care.

They'd "promoted" me into a position over a guy who'd been with the company for 20+ years. They hoped he'd quit, I wasn't playing that game.

So instead I told the guy they wanted him gone, printed all the emails out and handed them to him, we agreed nothing would change, I took the extra money, left the guy in charge of his steel gang and just pissed about online in the office until they caught me.

Took them 6 months.

The guy told them he had the emails, stayed there for 8 more years and retired with a decent package.

I went to work down at the docks in a warehouse shifting timber about.

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IronSkywalker@reddit

How did you eventually get caught? Did they check your usage or were you not even subtle about it?

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LilacScentedStoat@reddit

That was a whole thing, but, basically i annoyedand the boss by not putting pressure on the guy they wanted to quit and he made the tech guy start closely monitoring my usage.

They wanted me to manage someone out the company, I didn't play their game, so they managed me out the company instead.

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IronSkywalker@reddit

Ahhh OK yeah so there's a lot more going on behind the scenes. Happy ending at least I guess?

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catastrophicalised@reddit

My first job was working at Odeon Cinemas and I hated it. There was a supervisor there; shorty dumpy little woman with a raspy voice and a superiority complex, she made the newbies do really awful jobs that she had no plans on doing herself, for example she made me and some other kid clean and scrub out all the rubbish bins which wasn't an easy job since the height of those things came up to our waist on Boxing Day. I was a fresh out of school 16 yr old and was constantly making fun of her behind her back, unfortunately I was unaware that one of the people I was joking about her with was also her niece which still really annoys me because I had been good friends with this girl throughout high school. Needless to say the bitch found out. I left a rubbish bag outside one of the screen rooms one night in the way of customers as they were leaving. The short dwarf saw me doing it and pretty much fast tracked me to a disciplinary hearing without a warning. I hated the job so I didn't even fight for my position there, I was unfairly let go there and then but I've never regretted it, I went to and got an admin apprenticeship instead.

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T_raltixx@reddit

I've had 3 jobs. I was made redundant from all 3. I'm waiting for a redundancy date for the third. I have an interview next week.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Best of luck to you!!

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T_raltixx@reddit

Thank you.

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GavinF83@reddit

Yep. I was 20 working in an office. I requested time off to attend a music festival and they refused it. Given I mostly hated the job anyway I called in sick and went anyway.

Met my now wife at that festival, plus I got another job a week later that was less hours and far more money. Zero regrets.

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FuckedupUnicorn@reddit

I got sacked from a sales job in the 90s. I spent too much time going out on the piss with my company card apparently. I thought I was building good relationships with clients

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thebeesbollocks@reddit

I have been fired once, from a pub I had been working in for only about 3 weeks. It was a job I didn’t like, was not good at, and the managers were dicks (though I liked most of my colleagues).

So you’d think that I wouldn’t have been that upset about getting fired but I was actually devastated. It was mid-shift and I had messed up a drinks order so one of the managers called me down into the cellar and told me he was letting me go and I had to leave there on the spot, and come back the next day to return my uniform (it was a wanky gastropub with logos on the shirts).

I think because it happened in the middle of my shift it was quite humiliating and I felt like a bit of a failure. Met my girlfriend afterwards and basically had to fight back tears when explaining why I’d gotten off early… All worked out well in the end but yeah, not a pleasant experience

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Know how you feel, I got told I failed and had to finish my shift and work the following day (sunday). Thankfully I had a week off booked after which I think is also why she just chose to let me go.

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f8rter@reddit

Yes twice

Nothing positive about the experience but you’ve just got to pick yourself up and get back in the job market

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jackgodby22@reddit

I got my first job at 13, washing dishes at the local pub. Got sacked for nicking chips from plates ready to go out when the chef wasn’t looking 😂

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Jassida@reddit

Sacked once whilst working in a hellish sales job

Made redundant twice

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a third time soon

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Sales would be my absolute nightmare. Hate the idea of convincing anyone to part with their money!

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VibraniumSpork@reddit

Fired from 3 jobs I hated in my 20s. Last one really had me reckoning with where my life was headed; I was so lucky to not lose everything, including my partner (who stuck by and supported me with the patience of a saint).

Did turn things around, got my head down and worked towards finding a job that I loved, and continue to enjoy (Data Engineering).

I did actually have one job (temp contract) where they offered it to me full time and I said "No"; I reflected that I was so fucking terrible at the job, that if they wanted someone like me there permanently then I really wanted nothing to do with the company (Debenhams) \^_\^

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Good old Debenhams!

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steelcity91@reddit

Twice.

Redundancy. Worked as a stage builder. Less and less shows were on at our smaller because next city over had a new bigger arena opened and all the acts were there.

Fired. Worked in a car dealership in aftersales for almost a year. I suffered an injury and did desk duties, got told I wasn't up to performaning standards and they terminated me. No investigation. No fact-find, no disciplinary hearing. Was defintley dismissed unfairly but couldn't claim as wasn't an employee for 2-years.

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conspiracyfetard89@reddit

I've been fired like 10 times. Gets easier every time.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

I really hope that was a first and last for me :(

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yazshousefortea@reddit

Lost my job as a cashier in a bakery once for not remembering the exact products and their corresponding buttons on the till, so rang things up incorrectly. There was no list to consult if you weren’t sure so were somehow expected to remember everything after being told just once.

15 years later have had an amazing career and even won some awards in my sector.

It feels awful now but one day it will be a mere line in the story of your life. There are so many good chapters to come!

Good luck for the future, OP!

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Crazy! As a previous manager (LOL) I can’t imagine firing someone for something without at least helping them improve first.

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ElijahJoel2000@reddit

I'm still quite early in my career and thankfully haven't been fired yet, but I do have a story from when I was doing my post uni job search. I did an internship during one summer at university, and about a year later as I was graduating the company advertised a role pretty much the same as the role I interned under but under a different team. I thought I'd left a good impression on the company, they gave me a decent bursary for my final year at uni as well and even gave me an interview for that role but unfortunately didn't get the job which definitely knocked my confidence a lot more than the other places I applied to.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

That is so gutting. My friend did a year’s UNPAID placement as a park ranger for the council, and applied for a job with them and didn’t get it, I truly was gobsmacked. She was really good at it too, having worked alongside her. What more do these people want!

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RaggamuffinTW8@reddit

I've been made redundant twice.

I've never been fired for a different reason, though I came close in my late teens.

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FreeBogwoppits@reddit

I was fired two weeks ago.

Zero hours contract at a call centre so I have no employment rights. I'd been there 18 months and I was constantly in the top 10 call agents.

They docked my pay for being late. I wasn't late I was right there working. I asked for the staff complaints procedure, they refused to give it to me. I asked again, they fired me on the spot as "poor fit to the company".

They use "Stack Ranking" where they continually fire 10% of the workforce and constantly recruit to replace them. Most staff are fired within six months, so I did well to last as I did.

Fuck em, I'm glad to free of them. I've achieved more in the last two weeks that I have in the whole 18 months I worked for them.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Call centres seem like absolute hellscapes. Even when I was applying for any old job in a panic, I knew I couldn’t hack a call centre!

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Dazz316@reddit

When I was 17 I worked in a care home as an assistant serving food to elderly people. I worked alone in one of the food rooms. I'd set up the 4 tables, go get the food from the kitchen, dish it out, let them eat, let them take the people away, I take the leftovers and plates to the kitchen, wipe the tables, mop the floor and home. Did this for 2 hours once a week after school.

There was always TONS of food left and I sorta guessed the portion sizes myself. The guys generally hvooered it and some had been commenting on my portions, so I upped a few of the guys who'd commented to keep them happy. I got into trouble for this. They weren't fat or anything but my guess was portion management by the manager? She never explained, just said not to and since I was 17 I didn't question.

Then a few weeks later I got a letter saying I was being let go. In the letter it stated I had taken unnecessary creative liberties with the plat sets. See, there were 2 sets of plates, one with brown floral patterns and one with green floral patterns. I had the authaurity to choose which colour and set up the 4 dining tables. Well, one day I went rogue and like the madman I am, I set up 2 tables with brown patterns and 2 tables with green patterns.

Apparently this was enough to fire me. That and presumably the verbal warning about portion control.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Wow someone really boring was running that gaff!

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yearsofpractice@reddit

Hey OP. 50 year old corporate veteran here.

It’s absolutely happened to me and - honestly - looking back it’s turned out to be positive.

About 10 years ago, I took on a senior management position in a new company that I just didn’t get hold of fully and was let go during my probationary period. It was fair and that made me feel awful. My wife had just had our first baby, so that was a fun time. It just took time to process it and realise that not every person can do every job.

About two years ago, I was put on a PIP due to poor performance because - frankly - the organisation didn’t really need or want the role I was in. Even so, I could have done more to rescue things, so I’m classing that as a dismissal. Again, my confidence took a knock, but I just sat with it for a while and cracked on

It’s a funny old life. Work is both vital and also completely unimportant. My experience of leaving organisations that just carry on doing the stupid shit that they’ve always done has been humbling but instructive. It happens. Not everyone is a good fit for every job. Sometimes the organisation just want to save money and dress it up as a performance issue. Sometimes - myself included - one is just not up to the task. But so what?!

It stings OP. It really does. But soon - and I promise you this - you’ll be offering your support to some other poor sod that’s been through what you have and you’ll be saying the same as me.

All the best OP. It ain’t personal and it’s more common than you’d think.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much. You guys are all genuinely making me feel better, I wish I’d made this post a month ago when I couldn’t do much else but sob!!

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helpnxt@reddit

Yeh got fired from an awful job, to be honest I saw it coming weeks ahead and should have been more proactive with stuff in my personal life to avoid losing out more and really should have just quit myself as the job was terrible for mental health to the point when I was fired it was a huge weight off my shoulders and was the happiest I'd been that year.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

I know how you feel I genuinely could FEEL the load off once she told me she was failing my probation. No more stressing about work outside of work or having to speak to her. That part has been amazing.

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hc1540@reddit

I was asked to leave from a job a few years back, payout to leave quietly. Came as a bit of a shock but in retrospect, that job was not good for my mental health. Can't really put my finger on why that was and it still puzzles me to this day but after the initial shock of being let go, there was a definate sense of relief.

Took some time out for a few months and thankfully got another job. Not plain sailing by any means and there are stressful periods but definitely a much better job/role for me.

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Exact_Gazelle_7662@reddit

Spent the Xmas holidays in the South of France then travelled back to Belgium as expected to go on a work seminar on 9 Jan. (In Dec I was WFH following a knee operation due to an accident while travelling for work) Invited to a Teams call at 8am on 8 Jan and fired with 2 hours to sort everything out before my work mobile and PC were shut off remotely. Been there 6 1/2 years and always had scores etc.
Reason - new boss wanted to try “something different”.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

That is absolutely horrid :(

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Not from UK? Cause that wouldnt fly here cant just be fired unless gross misconduct and a process followed or made redundant with a process being followed especially after 6 years service.

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Exact_Gazelle_7662@reddit

Belgium. Got a decent package. Did consult a lawyer but process would have been long, potentially expensive and time consuming and I knew the new boss would lie re certain details re managing the team etc. I took the package as I wanted to move on.

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Any_Preference_4147@reddit

I'm a recovering alcoholic and getting sacked (for drinking in work) was the catalyst for change for me. 5 years sober now and I can look back and see that it was the best thing that happened to me.

Sorry to sound like a cliche but once you've hit rock bottom, the only way is up.

You'll be ok OP :) Your talent/experience will be appreciated in the right role. Best of luck to you.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit (OP)

Thank you and well done on the sobriety!!

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PureObsidianUnicorn@reddit

Good for you mate!!! Making lemons into lemonade and not limoncello

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Rcsql@reddit

Congratulations on your sobriety, what an achievement ❤️

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DryJackfruit6610@reddit

Yes, i got sacked after a manager dragged me across the car showroom by my wrist and screamed and swore at me.

Was a 22yo female, weighed about 8 stone. He was a 50ish yo fat short man.

But, the business chose him

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changhyun@reddit

Got fired from my first job waitressing in a casino because I was crying in the toilets too often after drunk customers sexually harassed me.

Cheap casinos are a rough place to work.

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regulator202@reddit

Got sacked for call avoidance. No regrets

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Cheesy_Wotsit@reddit

I was working for the government. I got married, my dad died and my MIL also died during my probation. Hubby couldn't cope and left. Obviously with everything going on, my head was not in the right place to deal with the stress of a new job.

poof, there went that job

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tiatamago@reddit

A few years ago, yeah. I wasn’t there long but I don’t think it’s a coincidence I was fired very quickly after disclosing my autism diagnosis :/

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LordBrixton@reddit

Fired from my first couple of jobs, just because I was so ill-prepared for the world of work. Then finally found my feet but got made redundant from a job I LOVED about 10 years ago, Was pretty low after that for a while but things got better.

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Theres3ofMe@reddit

Course mate! Most people have to be fair. I've been let go a few times in my life - after a few months, after 8 weeks, after 10 days - no breach of contract, just unfortunately we ended up working with cunts who are, we'll, cunts and dont end up liking us even though we're a nice person 😊

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steady921@reddit

Worked at frankie and bennys, Kept getting sunday shifts on the rota, kept going out on saturday nights, kept not turning up for sunday shifts…... Got sacked. I was young though

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snakeoildriller@reddit

Yeah! Got moved into a team that was developing a backup system for the in-house computer system that served multiple clients: took a year to design and implement. 2 weeks after my first child was born the whole team got made redundant "as we hadn't generated any revenue for the last year". We'd been in our rental property in a dormitory village for just a month. Fortunately I was able to get another job within 2 weeks but we had to move house *again* 😡

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quackers987@reddit

I was a trainee bus driver in my early 20's, loved it.

Turns out you're not allowed to drive on the pavement, had some stern words from the big boss and didn't pass my probation (shock).

I was devastated at the time, but now I'm in a much better job doing nothing related to driving buses! Met my (now) fiancé after moving cities for the new job, so couldn't be happier!

It'll be alright in the end. If it's not alright, it's not the end.

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DrakeManley@reddit

Lasted 20 minutes at a Garden Centre back in the olden days of 1987.

Turned up on my first day at 9am and met the owner for the first time.

I had new glasses (Reactolite Rapide) for anyone old enough to remember them, famous for being able to turn from clear glass to a grey tint like sunglasses in less than 30 seconds in bright sunshine.

Being in a garden centre, in a greenhouse with the sunshine streaming through the glass, I was the epitome of cool with my new glasses until the owner said, customers wouldn't trust me to tell them the truth because they couldn't see my eyes and unless I was willing to wear normal glasses instead of sunglasses I wouldn't be allowed to stay.

Tried to explain about my cool Reactolie Rapide sunglasses but he was having none of it and I was up the road 20 minutes later.

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BobDude65@reddit

Not sacked but last year I was working with a sparks, only a small company was just the boss, me and the guy I was shadowing at the end. The boss had 2 contracts with 2 different guys and within the span of about 3 months my colleague had a fight with both of them and we lost all our work so I got let go coz they couldn’t keep paying me 😂

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Eltothebee@reddit

Been ‘let go with months pay’ instead of being sacked, been made redundant a month before being entitled to redundancy pay, and I’ve failed probation

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Embarrassed-Dig-8180@reddit

I get made redundant from a company I had worked at for 10 years.

Was on a secondment for a managment role in a different department, after that whole managment team and half the employees of the team quit due to changes in bonus and overtime structure.

I was informed that I would be given the role full time based off performance etc after a 4 month probation.

I trained the new team from scratch, fixed a backlog of tickets and wrote KBs that never existed on processes I had to learn and teach on the fly.

We got a new HoD (both my old and new team sat under him) while I was there, who caused my manager from my previous team to quit within 3 months (12 years in the company) due to HoD's awful decision making and the hostile work environment they built.

I get asked to make my probation 6 months, and advised it was just because they wanted to get other aspects sorted before making a full decision. No feedback on me doing a poor job so that I assumed it was just too much to sort out

6 months turns to "can you stay an extra month and get Xmas and new year out the way" so an extra month goes by and then HoD decides he wants to hire externally and hand pick the managers in the roles under him moving forward

I accept and then passingly in a conversation the next hour or so mention its good to get back to my previous role prioir to the probation, and am hurridly rushed into a HR meeting with him where Im told my old role is being absorbed by 3 existing managers in my old department. Promotion and existing Job gone in an hour or so.

That company is now in free fall, the HoD was shit canned because more managers under them quit or were laid off, and then the department regularly failed SLA's and lost a big client. Big gap in knowledge lead to disarray in the team, lead to more people quitting, which lead to performance issues by the new people, which lead to firings.. etc etc etc etc

The HoD's replacement also quit after 2 months as the company was just too chaotic. And the HoD brought in from another area of the company to steady the ship lasted 6 months before also leaving as he could not save the crippled department.

There is one Team Lead left from when I was there, who is planning their exit, so about 40 years of experience in the company gone, millions of £££ of contracts gone, Its both funny and sad to talk about :)

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xerker@reddit

I've failed a few probations. Took a couple of them pretty hard but time is a great healer and in hindsight, it's just a job. Whilst you're on the lookout again try and be productive rather than just watching TV or gaming. Plenty of free courses online.

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ShyNervousCuriouss@reddit

I have the good old excuse for most people who got sacked “I didn’t do it” 😂 but genuinely, I got fired for something I didn’t do, 10 years ago now, I was extremely lucky because I’d already interviewed for my current job so I would have left anyway but yeh, I got sacked for falsifying documentation and causing a batch failure when I didn’t. I’ve always long suspected it was the person following on from me on the next shift who did it, but they claimed not to have touched anything. It is what it is.

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D0wnb0at@reddit

Yes.

I’m a contractor in financial services. So to explain that, I was self employed and get hired to go into banks and do XYZ as they had an issue that needed fixing like received thousands of complaints because they fucked up something, and just didn’t have spare complaints staff to rectify it so pay us instead.

Was dealing with a high priority business customer complaint, they were owed like £50k in compensation, so I was being chased by the business account manager for the compensation. I explained I passed the refund to my boss (perm employee) and she fucked it up, so I had to resubmit the request and it caused a delay. He was livid at my boss. And I got a warning from my boss I shouldnt tell the banks business manager that she made a mistake. (We were all working in the same bank bare in mind)

Anyway, she fucked up the 2nd payment, and the business manager called me again. Explained we are waiting for authorisation for the payment and taking longer than expected. He put 2 and 2 together and started bitching at my boss to sort the payment.

Apparently that’s a sackable offence. (We basically have no employment rights in contracting)

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Old_Opportunity9494@reddit

i was fired from a job , when to work for another company doing the same work and 2 or 3 years later both companies merged so i ended up working for my old boss again along with all the workers

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Velo_Rapide@reddit

I got fired once for making a massive mess of a job, and fair play I can't blame them.

Two weeks later I was working in a HUGELY better place on much better money and conditions.

So, that's my unlucky lucky story.

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bob_the_rod@reddit

Yes. Mostly due to commenting on shite management and refusing to play ball in the corporate world.

Much happier now in a job I like with people I respect.

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r_keel_esq@reddit

Fired twice, and Jumped-Before-I-Was-Pushed twice to

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Milam1996@reddit

lol I got fired loads before I went to uni and got my shit together in my now career. I used to get fired for all sorts, most of which was entirely my fault and pretty embarrassing (but now funny, especially given how dramatic a few of the firings were). I also got fired from McDonald’s for being hungover and baked on a shift and the email just said;

“it’s being fun,

peace,

Keith”

Which honestly, iconic. Thanks Keith.

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Deep_Banana_6521@reddit

Sacked when I was 14/15. Was working in McDonalds, my shift supervisor sold me some weed and got stoned with me on our break, I then fell asleep in the staff room, with the door locked, with the weed on the table. The next manager on duty had to crawl through a window to wake me up and promptly sacked me. Let me keep my weed at least. First and last time.

As an adult I've sacked a fair few people. All of which I was made out to be the unreasonable one for sacking them. One memorable one was 2 of my chefs, one Polish, one Vietnamese got into a shouting match where they were both saying horrifically racist things to one another before literally strangling and punching each other when I had to pull them apart. Both of them said "I didn't do anything wrong though" when I sacked them.

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s3bulbasaur@reddit

I got sacked from my last job because I had to take my kid to the hospital. Manager on shift that I called decided not to tell anyone til 10 minutes before my shift started.

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X2seraphim@reddit

My ex boss grabbed my crotch and I head butted him. They sacked us both saying two wrongs don’t mean a right…I claimed and won.

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Moooooonbaby69@reddit

Yeah I failed probation in my placement year during university . They were bullies made friends with ppl though from there . The manager who sacked me didn’t train me nor support me . She was eventually let go herself a year after I graduated .

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Leather_Objective486@reddit

Yup! It was a long time ago and it was my first ever job. I was just not a good fit for the role. I was really gutted and I actually cried. It’s a shit experience but it’s also really character building and it won’t affect your confidence forever, I can promise you that.

You got this - onwards and upwards!

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cosmiccarrie@reddit

Yup! Twice!

But I’ve been a chef for 35 yrs so thats once every 12 yrs, not a bad average.

First time I was a whistleblower, they investigated, found nothing and decided to fire me as a result. I was devastated coz it was obviously them sticking together.

Second time I didn’t even blink, almost laughed coz the level of incompetence at the company was staggering. I 100% knew it wasn’t my doing, they just wanted a scapegoat/to pick on someone. I just shrugged and said ‘I’ll get my coat’

Fair enough if you’re crap at your job and deserve it. But I work hard, know my stuff and if you don’t want me then good luck to you.

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cosmiccarrie@reddit

And redundancy once too. Got 10k Happy dayz😀

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unstoppabledot@reddit

Yeah it was very unfair dismissal in my eyes but I was working for an agency so I didn’t have a contract or anything but still highly unfair.

Was working for a very large pharma company as a label controller for a year, perfect results and attendance. After a year my housemate became very abusive and was a highly addicted speed head so I took a week off work for stress with my supervisors permission.

Next day agency calls me to say I’ve failed probation.

The next few months were fucking brutal.

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Plenty_Suspect_3446@reddit

I've been let go from temp jobs, which is to be expected. Short term work for businesses trying to expand but contracts not materialising. Staff returning from absences. That sort of thing.

I did get let go from a factory job in 2019 that was meant to be temp-permanent because 8 weeks in I caught the flu. Genuine flu including vomiting, fever, bedridden (for what turned out to be about 10 days), diarrhoea, etc. I called in sick and followed procedure. Then the agency called and said the factory don't want me back. That the HR didn't like me because I spent too long on the health and safety manual during induction, went to the toilet too often (they monitored it with swipe cards), and the sickness was the final straw.

Honestly I felt relieved. The pay was rubbish for the anti-social hours, they didn't provide tea or coffee, the radio they played was shite, and some of the lads working there were quite unpleasant to be around. The agency man said not to worry he had another position lined up for me at the back end of the following week and I ended up at that company for 5 years.

Funnily enough the line supervisor from the factory messaged me the following Monday asking why I wasn't there so I called him back and told him id been let go. He seemed genuinely surprised and disappointed, having spent some time training me in the 8 weeks and we got on well. I bumped into him at the Tesco about a month later and he told me he had quit and found a better job with a different company on the same industrial estate.

Over the years while browsing jobs i've seen that same factory is always listing which is a good indictor they have a high staff turnover and I know it's because they are a shambolically run and the HR department is petty and vindictive.

I have been made redundant twice, in 2013, and 2024. But both times turned out to be a blessing in disguise and thats a story for another time.

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anoamas321@reddit

In my younger got removed from a job just after a buy out. Disgused a performance issues, but was basically a downturn in the industy and they needed to reduce headcount.

I also got made reduntdant during covid times. Althoughthe govement fuolough scheme was in full swing, the company could not be borthed to fill out paperwork, so I ened up moving in with in-laws.

Both times it all worked out for the best. First time, it was the push I need to move on and upwards.
Second one used that as a chance to save for a house deposit, now doing really well.

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Dry_Construction4939@reddit

I've been let go at the end of probation because apparently kicking up a stink about the head chef trying to put hands on someone who was barely an adult because of something he miss-heard isn't the done thing. One of many terrible things going on at that place mind, and would have quit the following week, so absolutely no loss to me.

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Jin-shei@reddit

I got fired once for no reason (as in they gave me no reason). Gave me two weeks notice when they knew I was on AL for two weeks. I got a job the next day, and they went out of business shortly afterwards. Obviously firing me wasn't the cause but... :D :D

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Zubi_Q@reddit

Failed a probation in one of my roles. I had nothing to do after an hour every day and they knew that. Blessing in disguise!

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I-Am-The-Warlus@reddit

Let go twice. But saying that, the job was seasonal

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TurnedOutShiteAgain@reddit

Never been fired but probably should have been.

I've been made redundant once when the company I was working for went bust, and I've been let go two weeks into a probationary period when we both agreed that it wasn't working.

The time I should have been fired was when I was working for a large pub chain. We were told on the Monday that our site was closing that Sunday and we'd all be moving elsewhere; so me and another member of staff went on a bit of a bender. I stopped about half an hour before rocking up to work my 12-10 shift. They obviously knew the instant I walked in.

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RipCurl69Reddit@reddit

My first legit job at 17 was working at a VR party place and to be honest, I spent most of my time 'learning' the games, which is what they'd asked us to do so that we'd actually know how to help customers. In reality I just played a crap ton of Superhot and Synth Rider lol

It's funny as I'd originally went there as a customer years beforehand and that place was the number one reason I ended up getting a headset of my own and getting really into Beat Saber, but the job wasn't meant to be

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-Rhymenocerous-@reddit

Got made redundant 2 months ago because I refused to let my company director make assumptions about me and stood up for myself.

Literally 2 weeks before the 2yr mark to recieve a severence package.

Im back in work now. I took some time to bolster my CV and it payed off.

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iiPowerhouse@reddit

Failed my probation 2 years ago.

It was a job I hated too. They completely missold the role during the hiring process and from day 1 I knew it wasnt right, I was just trying to make it work. I should've seen the probation failure coming but it still took the wind out of my sails.

I opted to have a couple of months off to reset and go again.

Found a higher paying job doing exactly what I wanted and what was sold to me.

The job market is brutal these days but all businesses are generally crying out for good talent, you've just got to be patient. Good things will come.

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freeride35@reddit

I called out sick so I could have a threesome once. Got fired but soooo worth it.

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Sorry_Leopard9657@reddit

Yep, after college i'd do evenings in a call centre taking gas & electric meter readings. One night I accidentally stapled some of my coursework to my reading sheets and gave them into the supervisor. During college the next day I got a phone call to not bother coming back because I obviously wasn't taking it seriously. Feels a bit unjustified looking back - I was multitasking!!

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RuaRuaRua81@reddit

Twice. First one I was fired, but it was constructive dismissal and I took them to a tribunal and won.

Second one, I was working as a Supervisor for a contract cleaning company for about 6 weeks, I hated it, half assed it and deserved to be fired. However, they did try calling me after I left to accuse me of taking the company phone and demanded I return it, didn't hang up properly and ended up leaving a scathing voicemail slagging me off, then slagging their higher up bosses off. I, of course, let them know this, confirmed who I gave the phone to (which they had since found) and asked who I needed to send the voicemail slagging me and their bosses off to.I was paid an extra 2 weeks wages for the "inconvenience" and to delete the voicemail 😂

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AirlineSevere7456@reddit

I've been fired a few times and failed probation twice. Gives you a chance to say what you truly think on the way out which can be fun. I generally don't get on with stuffy corporate type places or people. I thrive in SME workplaces. I also earn higher than average, so picky where I work with my skillset.

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Wooden-Document-6969@reddit

got sacked from a lab. passed my probation, no problem. worked there for a year with minimal training/guidance (I didn't have a degree at the time) and was expected to crack on with virtually no knowledge. they found someone new to join the team about a week before I got sacked, and kept telling me that this person has nothing to do with my being fired...🤡 it led to bigger and better things tho, so no love lost there.

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N7twitch@reddit

A few times. I was a teacher at a privately owned religious school on a temporary contract - I think the secular head teacher liked me, but the religious governors didn’t (I am an obvious lesbian). I was told they wouldn’t be renewing my contract, and they hired someone else to take my place.

My next job after that, also teaching, again at a privately owned company (further education for the kids who didn’t make it through regular school with any real qualifications). The regional manager was a massive bitch, she fired three managers at my centre in six months, and gunned for two other staff as well (there was 7 staff in total at any time, for context). Manager 4 was a personal friend of hers, and I called her out on failing to do anything at all when a behaviour incident was kicking off. They let me take the fall for it. Told me I hadn’t passed probation - even though they never bothered to actually carry out the mandatory observations I was supposed to have had. They also tried to only pay me one weeks notice pay so I threatened to go to tribunal for wrongful (not unfair, mind) dismissal because technically my probation had ended two days before she fired me. Got a months pay and an agreee reference out of it. Suck it Cheryl 🖕

It sucks, but it’s not the end of the world. Take the long weekend to feel sorry for yourself, then bounce back hard on Tuesday and find yourself something better.

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Sorbicol@reddit

Last year I left my job of 7 years after my new American manager basically got rid of anyone in their team not working in a US time zone. They made enough of a hash of that I got a good payoff, but for most of last year I was out of work.

I eventually got a new job in September last year. It was chaos - hardly any leadership, constantly being asked to do stuff way outside my experience or knowledge, zero feedback from managers when asking for help or guidance. I failed probation in February this year and honestly it was mostly a relief.

I’m about to start a new job next week. Like you I’m now quite worried about it - my confidence has taken a hammering the last 18 months or so. However we’re completely out of all savings and redundancy payouts we got. I’m going to have to make this work.

However, I’m also pretty damn sure none of the previously couple of months are really my fault. Sometimes things change beyond your control, other times you just are not a fit for where you end up. Moving on can be the best for everyone involved.

I’m going to be reminding myself of that a lot in the coming weeks!

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rustynoodle3891@reddit

Oh I even got sacked from McDonald's! In the following 20 odd years probably three times. More due to the type of work I've done. Work for an agency and have three separate days off? Toodaloo mf. Two agency sackings, (actually three but one place let me back) and one proper job.

I'm not the best employee really. Maccys I was just a kid. The others were over 30 so no excuse there really. But being sacked for a third absence when my housemate had COVID did annoy me immensely! Rather I come in and infect everyone then you have no staff‽

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humanbot1@reddit

Yes. I got "pushed out" of an office admin role in my early 20s.

I had little training and it was a very hectic work environment with a lot of stress. I started to make stupid mistakes and ended up completely doubting everything I did. I was on £21,000 a year, in London, going into the office every weekend to catch up. Drove me into a deep depression and my attempt to fake it till I made it completely fell apart.

Ended up handing my notice in (at their encouragement) and sticking £6,000 on a credit card to go travelling. Didn't fix everything, left me paying that debt off for ages, but the lessons learned were invaluable. Nearly a decade on, I'm doing much better and can look back at younger me with a lot of grace.

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lesterbottomley@reddit

I was fired when I put a fleece on as it was cold (the fleece usually with my coat).

Unrealised by me it smelled of weed. I was still within my probation period do when someone reported it it was instant the, bye. I hadn't had any since the night before.

Daft thing is it was a call centre. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't smoke.

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AnyOlUsername@reddit

A few times when I was younger.

Once because I just wasn’t good at it, another because a couple of 50yo women just didn’t like me (though I hadn’t actually done anything wrong), and again because I wasn’t good at it.

They were all shitty jobs I didn’t like. Just keep looking for something you enjoy, or at least don’t dread showing up for that you’re ok at.

I love the job I’m in now. I’ve been here four years, following a job I was in for 10 years before I left.

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TraditionalScheme337@reddit

Yes, i have when I was in my 20s, I moved to London to take a trainee manager position with a wine bar company. I had worked in hospitality up north and wanted to progress to management. Anyway, the training was not great, the company was less than pleasant to work for and I ended up failing probation.

That was nearly 20 years ago now, I am a software consultant and doing well. Its not the end of the world!

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Clivicus@reddit

Yep, twice. One after the other in quick succession. First one, I left a comfortable job to go there because it was a slightly higher salary. Failed my probation as I just didn't get along with my boss. Took another job elsewhere immediately. Mutually agreed to leave just two weeks later.

I then took a bit of time to actually find something I wouldn't hate, which then ended up being a career

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thelaughingman_1991@reddit

I'm 34, and have worked part-time and full-time since I was 16. I was (finally diagnosed) with ADHD formally last year at 33, which explains a life full of internal chaos, bleeding into all aspects of my life (including jobs and my CV), but things have stabilised now.

I've had it a few times with graphic design jobs where I've not passed my probationary period. Talked the talk with interviews etc (I'm fairly well spoken) but then couldn't deliver in the actual job. I ironically struggle with attention to detail despite being a graphic designer.

It sucks, massively. Previously I was able to bounce back quite fast because of being able to talk my way into situations, and I'd get a weird 'kick' out of having my back against the wall, having to make it work. I would be terrified of it happening in this current job market, at least for myself.

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Greedy_Investigator7@reddit

Sacked for emailing a team member to tell him not to slag someone off too loudly as people near where he sat liked her, but for what it was worth, I also thought she was a rude *£%@£... Accidentally sent it to the person I was talking about. Not my finest hour.

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Itchy-Ad4421@reddit

Loads.

I worked in a pub and cleared my Xmas leave with one of the owners (husband and wife owners - cleared with the wife) came back after the Xmas period to be told I’d been off without permission and was sacked.

Sacked from an office job for telling a manager I was going to knock out another staff member. I’m was already going to get sacked from that one because of ‘flexi abuse’ apparently. The card machines didn’t work so we had to keep a paper record as well and I was apparently going to get sacked for not using the card machines (I did - it just didn’t work which is why we kept the paper record)

Drunk at work was another - actually resigned from that one / handed in my notice as o found a new job. They were fuming because I was apparently going to get sacked that day.

What else….

Late to work because the bus I was on ran over a paper delivery boy on a bike so had to wait around until the police had spoken to everyone. Sacked for that.

Loads more but i would say only about 25% were actually my fault.

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RealisticL3af@reddit

when I was in secondary school I had a job as a kitchen porter and they stopped putting me on the rota because i couldnt come in for studying

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Important_Lychee6925@reddit

Didn’t pass for not removing an email from a mailing list as the email they contacted me on wasn’t the same as the one we had on file and there was no way to respond to the email as gave a random IT bounce back, and when I contacted the company to ask which email, they didn’t respond before the department started complaining to ICO which was a bit ridiculous. That got me in a warning meeting then mysteriously I had loads of complaints even though the people who were supposedly complaining had been working with me fine, and previously had been getting loads of praise etc. Just think they wanted me out.

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Fureniku@reddit

Used to work for Pyramid, who make loads of the merch (mugs, posters etc) you see in places like HMV. Got fired for having the absolute audacity to take a week paid holiday with approved notice given well in advance.

Zero hour contracts are bullshit, and also fuck that company. Much better off working in the industry I went to university for now.

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Current_Mongoose_844@reddit

Yep, back in the old country. They said I did a good job as a carer, but this one patient and I didn't mesh.

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Extreme-Banana-9@reddit

Yes, was dismissed a few months ago they said my services were no longer required. Completely wrecked my routine and confidence, job market is a mess. But found one in the end, good luck in your search

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Regthedog2021@reddit

As a graduand working in a call centre doing American split shifts … I got fired after 4 weeks and told I could never go work for this (top 5 international recruitment) firm ever again

Fast forward 15 years and I am at a conference as a guest at the table of the owner/ceo whom my firm is about to consult with. I tell him this ban is in place - he pours me a drink and says he can overlook it just this once

Trust me shit does, will, and continue to happen.

But you will be better than this job you hated

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Kyber92@reddit

Got made redundant a few years ago. I did hear on the grapevine that the whole department has been deleted since I left, which does kinda make me feel better about the whole experience.

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Disastrous-Place-846@reddit

Sacked for drinking on the job.

Sacked for repeated lateness.

Sacked/walked out because a manager was a cunt.

Im sure there was a 4th one too but my minds gone blank

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ZeroCool5577@reddit

Yeah when I was early twenties I took a job at a restaurant working on the bar. I didn’t get any training and really struggled and as I was young I didn’t really speak up as I would have done now. Failed my probation but it lead to much better things and wasn’t the end of the world.

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