When I am home for the summer it is always near impossible to find employment. However, I responded to a Craigslist ad for a seasonal job, and I got an interview. The interview was with the owner of the boutique, and she said that the job would last until labor day. I was upfront and said I couldn’t work until then (because of school) and she said that she would discuss me with the manager. I was hired, even after expressing doubts, but the owner assured me that she needed me.

So I work for two months in the retail industry. However, the boss is very difficult. For instance, she wanted me to circulate the overall store more, but also pay specific attention to individual (white) customers in the fitting room. I was also told to watch the Hispanics and Muslims (don’t know how you can tell what religion people are by their looks) because they were prone to shoplift. Now I know what she was doing was wrong, but I kept the job because I really needed money. It did become stressful to work though. The owner kept giving me tasks and then changing her mind and holding me accountable. However, I did everything to please her.

After two months, the manager called me in after a shift and out of the blue and told me I was being let go. The reason? I wasn’t a right fit. I guess because I refused to racial profile, I did not belong. I’m glad I’m not a right fit because I’m not going to school to be a retail slave. However, I was upset to be let go. Now my boss used to hold a Cabinet position with the state so she is well published. After doing some research I found out that she didn’t pay income taxes because she often claims losses on her business. Funny how someone can cheat the system! Well I am unemployed but I guess I learned my lesson about working for horrible people.

This post was submitted by EC.

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.

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.

Many of you have noted, that you’ve worked for a company for 5 – 7 years. I worked for Bank One (now JPMorgan Chase) from being a temp hire 10/2005 to permanent hire 1/2006. Of course, all of the rules were followed: don’t call in sick unless you are dying; don’t use phone for personal purpose; don’t use your breaks for smoking; etc.

I only started with Bank One to feed my then 1 year old daughter. I was hired through the “Mormon Network” so to speak. The Bank One call center was close, the pay above average, and management was phenomenal.

I was promoted via my manager’s transfer, or through an internal customer manager until the end of my tenure there. Unfortunately, my ex-husband had caused me problems and thus I had to leave work often. However, I was still within the top 2 performing personnel despite having to leave work early, etc. This is out of an average of 15 other representatives. I would say that’s pretty darn good!

In addition to my ex-husband going to prison and ruining our community property, my youngest daughter was diagnosed with Autism. Now please keep in mind folks, that Bank One/JPMorgan Chase is supposed to be one of the greatest places to work for single women with children….right?

WRONG! Once Chase took over, my annual rating of 3.5 – 4.0 on a scale of 0 – 5 (and we all know a 5 is impossible) went to a 1! All of my years of hard work and making up for the time I had to unavoidably miss due to these issues did not matter at all. At the end of my career there, I had to have surgery that was unavoidable. This contributed significantly to my demise.

I had a co-worker who was also on FMLA leave having her child when she too heard the news that she was being laid off in addition to me. CAN YOU IMAGINE????? Having your baby in your arms and getting that call???

It seems that most of these high and mighty companies did the same thing: they laid off the most expensive employees. The ones that actually used their health insurance, used their short term disability, used their allotted time off….

I still don’t understand how they repeatedly get named “Women’s Corporation of the Year” or “Best Place for Single Parents to Work” in awards placed by supposedly won via awards presented by Forbes, etc.

You get my meaning….

If I am able to maintain an above average skill set as established by my employer and unfortunately am required to use my …. FMLA …. then why am I the one who gets laid off?

SIMPLE ANSWER FOLKS!
1. I used time off which is inefficient per internal company standards.

2. I used FMLA time which, let’s face it, goes back to #1.

3. Was there for over 10 years…therefore my pension was @ 5% of my salary. Hmmmm…..

I believe all of you are aware of what I’m saying. I believe all of you know of a person in the SAME situation as I have been.

So, when it comes to being laid off, make sure you count in the benefits that are not really made for your benefit, but are made “for your benefit”.

Jessica in Arizona

This post was submitted by Jessica.

Well, where do i begin…when you think and are made to think that your are safe, YOU ARE NOT! that is what happened to me at a well known law firm that does personnal injury. I gave them my all, sometimes staying late and coming in on holidays. The girls there were very contradicting and gossipers. I was the total opposite. They talked about everyone in the building, but themselves, as if they were a gift to that lawfirm. They were engulfed in their work and expected that from everyone else. The job was full of stress and deadlines, but i liked the suspense, the manager and I got along well, so i thought i was safe. Little did I know that one of the girls had enough power to get me fired. One month before I got fired, they were purposely finding things to accuse me with, that had no merit, but careless me went ahead and signed a lease to a new house TWO weeks before those heartless people threw me out, mind you they knew I just signed a lease so that my son and I can get out of my mothers tight home.

Don’t ever get comfortable in a place and always keep your resume up to date because people never warn you, and they don’t care.

This post was submitted by Ana.