This Week in Career Advice: Getting Fired During Your Vacation

Can you get fire while you’re away on vacation? A reader named Nelson asks Forbes’ Liz Ryan:

I was supposed to change from one job classification to a different one but they weren’t sure which group to put me in. I applied for two internal positions and as of last week, both department managers wanted to hire me. I heard that directly from the two managers, and also from HR.

At the same time I was running into a lot of conflict with my manager, “Brian.”

I told Brian that two other departments were interested in me. He said he wasn’t happy about my transfer, and that he needed to talk to HR and get back to me.

Well, I went on this vacation which was scheduled in late 2016, and the next day I got a phone call from Brian telling me that I can’t come back to his department.

Ryan quickly recommends Nelson get a lawyer who specializes in employment since something fishy seems to be happening, but unless he is protected by a collective bargaining agreement or a personal employment contract, there’s likely not much that can be done. She advises Nelson that an employment attorney “will be able to evaluate your situation to see whether there is anything to be done about getting your job back, or getting a check to help cushion the blow of your termination.”

But what about getting his old job back? Ryan advises:

Every character in your story dropped the ball, including the two managers who told you they were ready to hire you. Assuming veracity in your account of what happened there is no competent leadership in your old workplace! That is reason enough to move on. It is a jarring departure but you will be better off out of there.

Anyone can understand why that you’d like to re-apply to work for that company again, but why?

Change is hard — but when Mother Nature knows you need to move on, she doesn’t mind shoving you out of a bad situation! There is no future for you in your old company. If ever an organization didn’t deserve someone, your ex-employer did not deserve you for a minute more!

Can I Get Fired While I’m On Vacation? | Forbes Magazine

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Category: Career and Employment Advice