Six months ago I was discharged from a job and was not given a reason.

20 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 11:16PM UTC

   1) If it wasnt for the facts it was 6 months ago I would have sent a follow up email to see if they could send you something in writing breaking down why the boss did not feel that way or if they could give specific examples.

   2) "Met me in a parking lot" Such an odd way to let someone go. Did they not let you into the building to retrieve your personal effects?

   3) What was the vibe like with your co-workers? For the 60 days you were there did you feel unwelcome or felt like others tried to avoid you? Did you have any interpersonal conflicts with anyone in the interim?

   In order for you to heal and move forward, I would suggest journaling your experience, write down specific events that occurred major, minor in between.

   Unfortunately, it could be a variety of reasons and unless your old boss tells you directly, you may never know unless you do some introspection to examine all events that took place.

   Sometimes when there is a probationary period where it is possible the slot may have been given to 2-3 people, but it could be used to transition only 1 person into a permanent slot. Or a person that previously had the job wants to come back and they found reliable. An employer would not admit this to you bc it would make them look bad.

   It is possible that your old boss is ignorant, unfortunately they still exist in the workforce, if this is the conclusion you drew, it is better to perceive it as their loss rather than seeing there is something wrong with you.

   My advice: Keep seeing and acknowledge the value in you. If an employer does not have the galls to give you direct feedback to help you grow and be sustained in their company, they are not worthy of your talent. Stay positive and keep it moving.

2. AnonymousMay 31,2022 at 4:03AM UTC

   I know in Canada, if you can get through the 3 months probation, they have to give you a good reason to let you go.
   Before then, you could have sneezed out of the wrong nostril and that would be enough to let you go. There was a wonderful young woman who worked where I did, she was very pretty, blonde, vivacious, she joined our students with another school in a reading program, but she was Jewish (our school was Muslim based) and admin found out she was gay. Her contract was not renewed. I was heart broken because she even invigorated me, motivated me to be a better teacher, she was so young and had a million ideas. I felt horrible that she left, but she got a better job. We teachers certainly did morn her loss. But like I said - she breathed out of the wrong nostril.

3. AnonymousJune 2,2022 at 12:38AM UTC

   And of all things to happen today - I have been teaching about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - a parent calls me after school very disturbed about me mentioning that gays have rights. Her religion does not recognize gays as being acceptable and therefore does not want it mentioned in class whether it is in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms or not. Our parents have a huge influence over our administration. I can see me getting called in over the next couple of days, now. I went to the car and screamed and ranted to my husband (whom I care pool with) all the way home. Great guy for listening - but the roof of my car is now singed with my angry words.

4. AnonymousJune 4,2022 at 7:08PM UTC

   I agree with the parent. Schools have become wayyy too intrusive into subjects that are best left to parents. Stick to teaching academics not morality....leave that to parents.

5. AnonymousMay 31,2022 at 1:17PM UTC

   I'm sorry that happened, It really sucks. Honestly, look at it as you dodged a bullet. When one door closes another one opens and I hope you find a company where you are a better fit.

6. Sophia KMay 31,2022 at 1:23PM UTC

   As another LGBT person, it sounds suspicious to me too, but if your probation hasn't passed, there's not much you can do, and you don't want to work for homophobes anyhow. May this be a pathway to something better.

7. AnonymousMay 31,2022 at 9:17PM UTC

   that sounds like discrimination to me!
   If you liked the job, I’d fight this .Or move on & file a discrimination lawsuit .

8. AnonymousJune 4,2022 at 7:07PM UTC

   Fight based on what? None of the facts indicate discrimination

9. Barbara WhiteJune 1,2022 at 12:56PM UTC

   I'm sorry this happened to you. I agree with someone else who said that doing this in the parking lot is really strange and disrespectful. Unfortunately if they let you go before the sixty days were up, there's probably not a lot you can do about it. "Not a good fit" seems to be code word for "not fitting in with our group" more than not meeting performance standards, unless there was a total mismatch between the position and your skills, which I would assume you would have known you were struggling with the work that if it were the case. If there was a problem with your performance, you should have been told immediately and properly coached before being blindsided by being let go.

   You should not allow this to be a hit to your self-esteem. Any boss who would let someone go in the middle of a parking lot is not a good manager or even human being in my opinion. Sometimes as a supervisor a person may have to make an unpleasant decision, but even in those moments one can treat people with respect and some amount of dignity. Unfortunately you were not given that, and you should have been.

   It's not easy to be thankful in this case as you were let go with very little explanation, but this person showed you who s/he is and what kind of company this is. Do you really want to work with those kinds of people? Use your energy to focus on finding a job where your skills will be valued and excel in spite of this awful experience.

10. AnonymousJune 1,2022 at 1:02PM UTC

    Whether it’s discrimination can only be acted upon if you have actual proof that this is about you being LGBTQ. I suspect that if you did, you would have gone into that here.

    I had a similar experience about a decade ago. I had been in a job for about six weeks when I showed up at work and was met by my bosses (the two business partners) in the lobby of our building with a box of my things and told it wasn’t “working out” (at least you got severance!) and nothing else. This was after having been in 1-1 for weeks in which I was told I was doing fantastically and where my ideas were met enthusiastically, and literally where, a week before I was moved to a space in the office that was more centrally located.

    So all this to say, you’re not going to know why and you dodged a bullet bc this kind of behavior is 100% them and not you.

11. Jonna DepughJune 1,2022 at 1:48PM UTC

    This is also a common practice for employers who do not want to pay benefits. In the 1990's a certain computer company was known for hiring individuals for 60 days, terminating them, and then rehiring them two or threes after the termination.

    While your experience may be different, keep in mind in companies that have "at-will" positions, they may let anyone go at any time.

    I know that is a bitter pill to swallow right now but just keep in mind another, better opportunity is waiting for you. Do not take it personally, we can beat ourselves up wondering what we did wrong, but just remember you may have done everything right.

    The big question is what did you like and not like about the company? Did you love the atmosphere or the position itself? If not, make a list of the "clues" about their culture for your next adventure. Did you see red flags that they may not be accepting of your preference? That is the biggest question. Ask yourself what you didn't like about this company as an experience to compare the next position that comes along.

    Job hunting is like dating....you often must kiss many, many frogs! :)

12. Liz MilneJune 1,2022 at 2:39PM UTC

    Without pushing it - and you may want to, if you feel that homophobia has played a part in it - you may never find out.

    Far better to tell yourself that it had nothing to do with your being gay or even with your work: two higher-ups might have been in a power struggle and when one of them 'won', they pushed out anyone hired by the losing guy - I've heard of that happening before.

    I mean, you can always write and say something along the lines of 'I accept my position is lost, but so I can learn from this experience, please tell me where I went wrong?' And then see if they give you a clue - silence or obfuscation will be an answer of an entirely different sort, of course!

13. Jill DingJune 1,2022 at 2:53PM UTC

    This is strange but if anything, could be a blessing in disguise. Some red flags here... Firstly, why in the parking lot? And it just so happens that it was around the time of your probation. There's clearly a desperate attempt at cost-saving here and since the company is in the practice of 'shady' business, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a history of discrimination. If I were you, I would look at this as a move in the right direction – if this is how they treat you on probation, imagine if you were a full-time employee...!

14. RiaJune 4,2022 at 7:06PM UTC

    Seems you and I are the only ones who found "meeting in a parking lot" a red flag and odd.

15. AnonymousJune 1,2022 at 3:00PM UTC

    I’m not sure if it had anything to do with you being LGBTQ otherwise you would have mentioned things that came up during work that you found disrespectful or rude.

    My guess is they may have had to downsize and as the most junior person in the role/company you were picked. You should contact your company’s HR and ask them if they can provide you with some feedback, this way you can get an answer and also use it to better yourself in the interview process/new job. Also, did you get your personal belongings? If not, that is another good reason to reach out to get them.

    You didn’t mention the state you’re in, depending on state a company can let you go without warning like that. Don’t be hard on yourself from the sound of it they let you go because they had to, not because they wanted to.

16. Megan JohnstonJune 1,2022 at 4:07PM UTC

    Terminations always feel unpleasant but I find it helpful to look at the opportunities you get from them, not to dwell on it. Probationary periods are about evaluating fit. Read these clauses in your contract carefully and be aware that a job offer is not a done deal until the probationary period is completed. A business does not need a justification for terminating in a probationary period in most contracts. The risk they take is you have the same right during this period. View these as an opportunity for both parties to decide if the fit is right. Sticking it out in a company where you are not a fit (even if you didn't realize you weren't a fit) never works out. In a way this could be looked at positively as a blessing that saved you what could have turned into months or years of anguish. If it was a discriminatory action, you never would have been happy there. If they weren't happy with your fit, but had kept you on, you'd have wasted more effort trying to serve and please a team with no better outcome. My advice is, head up and onward. The right fit is out there for you.

17. Karen GongawareJune 1,2022 at 4:17PM UTC

    Why would you being LGBT have anything to do with this? I am assuming you did not go around broadcasting your sexual preferences as that would be unprofessional. They probably had a different personality type in mind. Would have been nice if they shared that vision. So in your next job interview ask them what their vision of a good candidate for the position would be. That way you know if you are a close match or not.

18. Lisa OGradyJune 1,2022 at 10:05PM UTC

    i just wanted to say that we don’t usually broadcast our sexual preferences -especially with having had any experience in the corporate world. But people are quite often asked about their families, etc. by coworkers. I answer honestly and openly about my wife of 17 years. I also have her on my insurance. I don’t elaborate on anything.

    Thats all. I don’t wave a rainbow flag at my workplace. I just answer honestly and do as everyone else.

    Point is, we don’t have to broadcast anything. People like to gossip and are often quite unkind about it.

    It just fact.

19. Millie MardahayJune 1,2022 at 9:34PM UTC

    Unfortunately, this happens all the time. It is perfectly legal for companies to do that. The probation period was created specifically for that purpose to evaluate the fitness of a potential full time hire. Not being a good fit is a standard answer and has very little to do with your ability to do your job. Believe me.

    Perhaps its a blessing in disguise. Maybe you saved yourself from a hostile workplace environment down the road.

20. AnonymousJune 2,2022 at 7:04AM UTC

    Did you feel you were a good fit? How was your relationship with colleagues? It could have nothing to do with you at all, I would ask your manager if he would be willing to give you some pointers for the future. It’s hard not to take it personally…