TLDR: My self proclaimed “dictator” of a boss didn’t follow the same responsibilities she expects out of other managers. I put in my vacation as a test. She failed and fired me.
I’ve been with this company for 2+ years and it had been the best job I had ever had. Flashback to December 2022 and a new manager is hired because the previous manager, who was awesome, was promoted. Then in April, a quarter of the work staff is laid off with absolutely zero notice. I’m the “lucky” one who didn’t get fired but of course it means I take on the work of 3 people in my department who were “unlucky.” Additionally, we move to a new department.
I take on all the work because there’s vacancy for the team lead who left on her own after the layoffs. I apply for the role and interview after a couple weeks. Flash forward 3 months and I’ve successfully been doing my job on top of the job I applied for, and still haven’t heard about the promotion. After asking multiple times over those months, I finally hear that I won’t be getting it because they went with someone who “aligned more with the position” (even though this person has less experience than I do, according to LinkedIn, and is an external candidate. Not to mention she’s in the same city as my boss who lives out of state).
Speaking of my boss…this woman is the type that talks over everyone and then simultaneously gets upset when no one adds any input. She will point out any error you make, no matter how small and will brush over her own, even when they are costly. She had tried implementing rule/process changes from the get go and when I spoke up about one particularly bad idea, she said, “I’m not looking for input, you can consider me a dictator.”
Anyway, I then ask for a raise and am denied because of the 5% merit increase I received. I hear all about how hard they fought for it and blah blah.
So in early July, my wife finally convinced me to go on the vacation with her later that month that I said I couldn’t go on because I had too much work to do – I was naive in thinking that I’d get promoted. Based on the “I’m a dictator” topic, I put in my vacation request the way she demanded, because according to her, managers have to take responsibility for their employee’s time. The last working day before I go on vacation I send her an email with all my open topics and tell her I’ll talk to her when I get back. She was totally unaware of my time off!
While I was away, I tried checking my email because there was one thing I needed to do. Turns out my boss cut my access to everything! Next thing I know I have a meeting invite on my personal cell with my boss and HR first thing on Monday when I get back.
The whole time I was shrugging it off thinking they’ll write me up, who cares. I’ve already basically resigned myself to doing the bare minimum anyway. Nope, she fired me because I didn’t give a month’s notice (I gave 2 weeks) and I didn’t mention it in a meeting or via email. No culpability for the “dictator” who failed to do what she demands out of other managers and termination for me.
Lastly, the Friday before vacation I signed a job offer for more pay with a better company! I was planning on quitting with no notice this Friday and writing a resignation letter to tell my boss how much of a cancer she is. While that part sucks, I did get to briefly tell her to her face on the call!
I was talking to the last remaining, cool, coworker left and she said it’s been a shit show already this week lol.