I was recently laid off…

Prior to getting laid off there were talks about possible layoffs. However the day before I was laid off everyone at the organization was basically assured that good news was coming and not to panic or worry.

The very next day my day off the person that does human resources calls me and asks me if I can come in she needed to talk to me. Which immediately gave me reasons for concern. All these things were running through my head, what is it? Why can’t it wait till the next day I come in? Is it a time sheet issue, no that doesn’t make sense it’s the middle of the week, middle of the pay period. So I knew something was up and it wasn’t good.

So I head in to work go to the HR’s person’s office and the news is delivered. I melted down right there in the office cried and I am not one to cry in front of people. I was shocked, I was told the day before things were looking up. The only question I was able to get out was will I qualify for unemployment, I was only part-time. The HR person told me yes. She tried to reassure me it had nothing to do with my performance. But that still doesn’t help much, it’s like if I am such a good worker why are you letting me go?

I worked with some really good people essp. those in my department I made good friends with them as well. I ran into one of my co-workers one I was friends with too, as I was walking out of the office and told her she was very supportive. Then my supervisor saw me and was like hey what are you doing here (like it’s your day off), when I told her she was like WHAT!? So they didn’t even forewarn her.

The next day I heard from another work friend it happened to her too and someone else.

I just don’t understand why they would say no one needs to panic, if they were planning to lay several people off the next day.
And since I was only part-time it was my only job despite effort to find either a 2nd job or a full-time job. I basically have no savings and am kinda scared right now. =/

This post was submitted by Jane.

I was executive management. I knew lay offs were being discussed as a possibility, so I asked the CEO and President of the Board if my job was in jeopardy. I was told “No, you’re too important” and “don’t worry about it.” I asked about my staff and was told my department was too small to lose anyone. A month later, I had a budget meeting and was told that there was no place in our budget to make additional cuts (I cut every expense I could without cutting people).

The employees were told that they had to vote for an enhanced retirement package, and that if that package passed, there would be no layoffs. The last day of the vote, once everyone had voted and the package passed, layoffs happened.

That day, I took a lunch break (I normally worked through lunch which gave me 12 hour work days), but my husband had a doctor’s appointment, so I went home to watch our baby. I had just nursed the baby when the doorbell rang. I put the baby down and checked the peephole. It was the HR Director, and the HR manager and the Director was holding an envelope. (wow, my heart is pounding as I type this). I opened the door. My baby was literally crawling at my feet. The HR Director handed me the envelope and told me I was being let go.

“What did I do wrong?” I asked. I swear, I could hear my blood pounding in my ears.

“Nothing, it’s all in the letter.” was all he would say. I kept asking if it was something I did, and he just kept referring to the letter.

I opened it and scanned the letter, but it was all hazy. I was told that I was not to come back to work. I asked if I could pick up my things, and was told yes.

When my husband got home shortly after, (he was at a pre-surgery check as he was having a pacemaker put in next week), I went to work and packed up my office. I had a lot of stuff. Management books, binders of information that belonged to me, some personal items. It was humiliating. No one in my department said a word to me.

I later found out that everyone else had been called into the CEO’s office in one group and laid off all together–even the other executive managers who were let go. I think being laid off in your own home is worse–especially when your baby is crawling at your feet and your husband is about to have an expensive surgery.

The worst part is having to suck up still so I keep a good reference while I look for work. It also sucks that although I was executive management, I didn’t make a lot of money (less than six figures even with benefits)–and I live in an expensive part of the country (2 bdrm home is $400k).

This post was submitted by Leslie Morrison.

I was best friends with a colleague where our relationship began my first day of employment. She was the first to introduce herself to me and at that point, I knew I had made a friend.

We would often have lunch together and talk about relationships, family etc. I was there for her through her relationship hardships, wedding, more hardships. She also relocated to New Jersey for a promotion and I felt as though I lost my best friend. However, I was happy for her. We reconnected at her wedding and stayed in touch for years even though we worked at different sites but at the same company.

Several years passed and the group reorganized several times. In early 2009, I found out that I would be reporting in to her but there would eventually be a manager hired who would be my boss. For several months, we had individual meetings together but it was difficult that she was my interim boss. I could not break the barrier from friendship to manager, it was quite difficult.

As the group and work progressed, we soon reorged again and I was told that I would be promoted by her and a consultant. The evening before the announcement, she called to tell me who the manager would be, and it was not me. I was clearly disappointed.

Over the next several months, lots of inequities in workload and behavior had inhibited our group and lots of rumors about layoffs. The consultant that was hired over me even told me that there would be layoffs and he was worried for me. I was a bit in disbelief and unsure if it was going to be me or not since I had alot responsibility and experience, I thought it was unlikely.

Then on that dreaded day, I came into work, the day there were going to be layoffs. I had a 15 minute meeting on my calendar with an office number. I immediately looked up the number and found that it was in Human Resources and the person in attendance would be her, my friend, my colleague.

I walked into the room and she was there sitting in the back of the room. She said, “Your job has been eliminated and your last day of employment would be December 31, 2010″. I was devastated.

To think a friend, so I thought, would be my demise. It has only been a month but I am still having difficult comprehending all that has transpired. After a 10 year friendship, loyalty to the company and all I have done, I was laid off.

This post was submitted by Lisa.

I was recently laid off from a position that I had held for seven years with a large non-profit. Two years ago, I accepted a promotion to a position within the national office of said organization. My co-workers, most whom worked over 1600 miles away, became not just co-workers but like friends to me.

Two days ago, I was informed that I was being laid off. I received this news not from an HR representative or my supervisor, but from a co-worker. It seems that my impending lay off was water cooler conversation. When I spoke with someone in the HR department, she just stated that this was against the organization’s policy and they were sorry. I am heartbroken not only because of the lay off, but because I feel so betrayed. My confidence and dignity have been destroyed.

This post was submitted by Shelby .

After graduating from college in 2001 with my degree in Graphic Design, I landed a great job with a clothing catalog company. This company hadn’t been around very long, and they needed a graphic designer to help build their catalog up. Of course I was thrilled with the challenge!

I had an amazing boss…the best boss I have ever had. She valued me, and I valued her…it was a wonderful relationship. She wasn’t an Art Director, but the Marketing VP, and we would bounce ideas off each other. She gave me total creativity…it was great!

Through the years, the department grew, and I became the Senior Graphic Designer…I even had an assistant. We worked really well together.

End of Year 7 – my boss and the owner had a falling out. It was quite unfortunate because they were really good friends, and I was surprised that this happened. My boss was so distressed that she quit her job, but then reconsidered and asked for it back, but by then it was too late.

The owner ensured everyone in Marketing that their job was safe as long as we were loyal to him. Of course at that time, the economy was in turmoil and there was no way I was going to leave the job even if I wanted to!

After my boss left, I proved to the owner that I could still complete the catalog with the help of the Marketing Assistant Graphic Design Assistant…we worked out tails off…and it looked great! I felt confident that my job would remain intact.

A few weeks later, the owner called us in and told us that they hired a new Art Director. Usually they would notify me if they were thinking of adding someone to the team…not this time! I was shocked and confused because as Sr. Graphic Designer, I felt I did an amazing job, but the owner wanted Marketing and the catalog to go in a new direction, so he hired an Art Director…we’ll call her “Witch.”

Witch told me that we would be completely changing software for the catalog layout. I had worked with same software for 8 years, and now they were changing it…and I was not notified until Witch came on board.

I requested that I be sent to class to learn this software ASAP so I can help out with the catalog right away, but Witch said, “Oh I can teach you” and “Let me know if you have any questions – I’d be happy to help!” Hmmm…so through the weeks, Witch did no such thing even after I requested her help. At times after asking her a question, she would bitterly reply, “I have no time to babysit you!” Wow…her true self was coming out.

I decided to pay for an online course in order for me to learn this software on my own.

The owner wanted to see some new mock-ups for the catalog, and so as I learned the software, I came up with some awesome layouts. When I told Witch about them, she said, “No, I will present MY ideas to the owner first. If he wants to see something different, then we can show yours.” I was in shock.

I had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach especially since my responsibilities as Senior Graphic Designer were slowly becoming hers. In the end, my task was reduced to renaming all of the hundreds of files in the file catalog…I knew something wasn’t right.

Last spring, HR called me into their office. I was never called into their office – I was a great employee! I figured it had something to do with my 401K. When I saw the CFO sitting in the office too, I knew something was wrong.

“Well, we have some bad news. We have to let you go.” JUST LIKE THAT! I was in complete shock! I demanded to know who did this to me. They said that “Witch” told the owner that she could handle my job and hers by herself and I am not needed. So 8 years gets crushed by a person who did not even have their first review yet. I asked to see the owner, but they said he left for the day…”figures” – and that’s what I said. I was escorted by HR down the long hallway, & as I passed by Witch’s office I shouted “Thanks lot!” I wanted to add one more word starting with the letter “B” at the end of the sentence, but unfortunately it didn’t come out. Witch couldn’t even look at me…

As I packed up my things, my Marketing friends came to see me. I warned them that Witch was not who she seemed…that she had a mean streak to her…and that she would have a hard time by herself.

The weeks went on and I got some news through the grapevine. One day Witch through a major hissyfit because she couldn’t find some files…well duh…I hadn’t finished renaming the hundreds of images…LOL!

About a month later, justice was served! I was notified by my former boss (the one that was awesome!) who was notified by the photographer of the company that Witch was FIRED!!! Wicked had confronted the Marketing Assistant (who was promoted to my former boss’s position) and majorly yelled at her in the parking lot. I’m not sure what the reasoning was behind it, but the next day, Witch was given her walking papers…and she flew away on her broomstick!

I felt closure, and for the first time since I was laid off, happiness!

Today I am working as a freelancer and am doing well. Of course I took a big pay cut, but I’m content with my life.

This post was submitted by Genvieve.