I work middle management at a big box retailer. My franchise owner recently fired a 40 year veteran company Director (Ted) on a Zoom call. The owner then lied to management in an email and said Ted was resigning to pursue other opportunities. He thanked Ted for his services and wished him the best. Ted called everyone before the email dropped to let us know he had been terminated out of nowhere.
A week later, the owner called a manager meeting via Zoom and introduced his son as the new IT guy. Each week the son takes on more of Ted's role without anyone acknowledging what's happening. The owner and son have not mentioned Ted's name since the BS email saying he “resigned”. It's like he never existed. Ted calls someone in management every few days to express disbelief. Says it feels like a death in the family.
The owner has offered Ted a severance payment if he, among other things, goes along with the story that he resigned on good terms and doesn't poach any employees with his future endeavor, if he has any. It is clear to all management that Ted was cast aside to make room for the owner's son to take over the company. Ted is in his 60s and had worked for the same company for 40 years.