Got Fired ! Unexpectedly

I was reading Dealbreaker’s (via Bloomberg)  account of a firing episode at Hampton Creek and ruminating if there any grounds to sue the boss in that case. I don’t know the firm or its boss, Josh Tetrick, but in brief, allegedly three people were fired while they were told they were going to meet a potential investor. That didn’t turn out to be an investor but an agent for the boss who handed them termination papers while the boss was patched through on video call to give them the happy news. The boss did that without an apparent needed approval of the Board.

“The dismissal of these three executives came while the employees were on a business trip in Majorca, Spain. During their weekend break, Tetrick created a ruse, said one of the people. Tetrick told the three to cancel their flights to a meeting in Germany. Instead, Tetrick instructed, they would pitch a wealthy venture capitalist who happened to be in Majorca on Monday afternoon, the person said.

Tetrick asked the executives to book a conference room at a Majorcan hotel and video conference him into the investor pitch. But when the three executives patched Tetrick into the meeting, they were surprised to see him sitting with a member of Hampton Creek’s human resources department. Moments later the supposed potential investor arrived. The man introduced himself as an agent who had been hired by Tetrick, the person said. He was there to serve the executives their termination documents and take their company laptops, the person said.” [Dealbreaker]

 At least they are on a Spanish beach /near one. They’re not in their office with hired guns looking them over, told to pack up and hand over the keys in three hours or be thrown out in the street should they not comply.

I’ve had friends who were evicted from the building not before the boss had a “friendly” talk with them:

“You are collateral nonsense.”

“I’ve seen all good people come and go” To me that sounds like saying night follows day.

“It hurts at first but it gets better” (What’s that, some medicine he’s been taking ?)

“I battled for you until they chased me down” (WTF ?)

One move that’s almost standard is for the boss the go into hiding. Not answering their phones. Hit disconnect.

Bosses will lie to your face and tell you they are your biggest supporters while they signed you off. Ask them for a recommendation letter. Are they going to give you one ?

They might push you to resign. Look at the severance package then.

Is there any other way of handling this ? For the alpha male, there is.  Taking the boss down with you. More on that soon.

Common firing scene: over lunch or dinner -like in the Jerry Maguire (1996) movie

“We feel it isn’t fair to keep you here when your prospects are limited.” -Philadelphia (1993)