Long post warning….
So i have been working at this company for almost 2 years now and effectively have my dream job. I absolutely love everyone i work with and the company as a whole.
Essentially, I could see myself working here for the rest of my career (I'm 35). I'm very good at what I do, and quickly moved up into a senior ledership position in the company, answering only to the CEO. I've saved the company from needing to file for bankruptcy and have increased the companies bottom line by nearly 100% since ive been there. Other employees lovingly and jokingly reffer to me as the “golden child” and “chosen one” lol
CEO had openly expressed his desire for me to take over running the company when he retires.
Im paid very very well.
$15-20 mil+ company, about 60+ employees.
I loved the place so much, I helped to get my wife a job as the customer service person for the company, when the opportunity can up and the current person left to take another job.
She is more than qualified for this type of job, so no shenanigans about this.
All was fantastic! We both loved everything about what we were doing.
Worked in 2 very different areas of the company and days would go by that we would hardly see eachother or even talk, and that was totally fine! We usually had lunch together.
Well…due to a monumental fuck up by the companies former CFO (before I was even employed there) we ended up needing to lay off 80% of the factories production workers and oddly enough….my wife as well (CEO's decision)
She had been with the company about 10 months and by no means was the last office person hired (none of this “last in, first out” junk)
She was the only person from the office side (of about 12 people) that was included in the lay off despite the CEO assuring me that other office folks were being layed off as well…it never happened.
She was well liked by everyone and helped in a number of different areas of the company, in addition to her role in customer service. Performed her job very well and not once was ever “disciplined” by HR or the CEO.
Full disclosure: HR Director is CEO's wife…she was “given” that position shortly after I was hired.
Lay off was for 8 weeks….lay off gets extended another 6 weeks….
I was just told this past Friday, after initiating a very awkward conversation with the CEO about her returning to work, that she should just start looking for another job.
I am devastated. We are both devastated.
Im being told that there just isnt enough work for her to do anymore while in the same sentance being told all the new positions the company needs to hire for, including a position in the office that is very similar to my wifes role, just slightly different….but im told that “oh, she wouldn't like doing this”
Not sure what to do now….
Do I continue to work for a company that did this to my wife?
Background: We have been together 17 years, married 11. Amazing relationship, 2 awesome kids as well. Shes my best friend and I just dont know if i can ignore this amout of hurt they inflicted on the person I chose to spend the rest of my life with, and go to work each day pretending everything is fine.
Edit 1: The layoff was a “temporary ” one and everyone was given a “return to work” date….so they strung her along for 8 weeks, then when that came up, they extended the date another 6 weeks….and then told me she sould just get another job. So yes, in effect, she was “let go” not “fired”