Worked for a hospital, four years and some change later my boss decided he wanted to get rid of me.
Randomly comes in (after morning rounds was done..) and asks me to come to his office.
I'm like, whatever, okay. Casually walk with him to his office down the hall, and wouldn't you know it? There's a security guard waiting outside the office, propped up against the opposing wall just chillaxin'.
My head instantly goes, welllllll sheeiiiiiiiit. This is a good job, pays just under enough to survive (lucky for me since all I've got is experience and 6 weeks post secondary technical education) and my brain is just firing like crazy.
Did someone make something up about me? Did I mess up on a patients lab work so bad they're gonna terminate me? Was it my attendance?
Nothing was clicking into place, I was genuinely confused and very eager to learn. I'm the kind of employee that always licked boots, did everything I could to not bring issues to my boss, just dealt with anything I could and tolerated the rest thinking I was somehow providing I was valuable. I was easily one of the most efficient, definitely the most experienced and tech savvy, and if I ever made a mistake I'd walk straight to my bosses office and rat myself out (never told on coworkers).
I demand my union rep be here, because obviously.
I'm told, I'm not allowed to have one for this.
What the fuck do I know, right?
I'm also the kind of person who can't stand suspense, so I just ask point blank “are you firing me?”
No, no I'm not firing you.
“Well what's going on?” (I hate waiting, just drop the axe!!)
He says I've gotta wait for a minute, someone was going to be here and we couldn't start until they showed up.
He apologized for them being late, gets on the phone and calls, verifying whoever is supposed to be here, is OTW.
Five gruelling minutes later, the head of nursing shoes up. I didn't know who she was, but was introduced by my boss.
My boss – “well, we've noticed your behavior has drastically changed recently and it's concerning”
(I've dealt with chronic depression my whole life and recently started an antidepressant that actually seemed to be working)
They ask if I'm on drugs.
I answer, laughing while I do it because of the absurdity, absolutely not! I don't even smoke marijuana (it's legal here, but you can be fired for it) and instantly start trying to appeal to my boss, “I've ALWAYS been 100 with you! I've always been so honest, I always tell on myself! I do not do drugs!”
The clown show starts up, I'm told I'll be escorted by my boss, the head of nursing, and security, out to a second building where I'll be asked to provide a urine sample.
At this point I'm bewildered, of course I'll go! The entire time I'm telling my boss, “this is going to come back negative, I'm going to pass.”
He just smiles at me, with the head of nursing looking at me as if I was nothing, and goes “well we really hope you do too!”
I finish up, my locker is cleaned out for me, I'm stripped of my badge and escorted to my car.
“If you pass you can come back, this is paid leave until we figure things out”
Note, it wasn't because I made errors, it wasn't attendance, it was the fact that I was happy at work… I was smiling more… I was laughing every once in a while…
It fet like my life was over. The whole drive home, I'm crying my eyes out, pounding on the steering wheel, I felt so embarrassed, degraded, used, betrayed, confused.
It took a whole month for my results. I didn't leave my bed for most of it. I live alone, and couldn't bring myself to tell anyone.
Well, it comes around and I'm cleared of all accusations. My boss tried to act like he was on my side the whole time, but the damage had been done. “Well, you just got a free vacation!”
It was the worst month of my life
Hoping, like an idiot, that things would smoothe over, I keep working. But now my boss had been embarrassed by me coming back, everyone was like “I heard you got fired”, and my boss was harassing me for things he'd never ever come after anybody for, like not “smiling through the phone” or having my elbows on the counter.
I found a better job, the writing was on the walls. I barely escaped the first attempt, I'm sure it wouldn't be long until I was fired for something else.
You know, when I found that new job, when I got the offer and it was better than I was currently paid, I was so FUCKING HAPPY!! I couldn't bring myself to do one more second at that place.
I waited that afternoon until my boss left work, I called his work phone and left a voicemail, telling him I didn't feel comfortable anymore, that I couldn't bring myself to continue working in this hostile environment.
It felt so good. He never reached out to me in response. Felt bad for my coworkers, because we were short and it was flu season.
Never forget, these places don't care about you. I learned my lesson. Did I do everything perfect? Far from it. But do I regret the final outcome?
Well, it's been 4 years and I make way better money. Still don't trust management, never will. The illusion that HR is here for me, was shattered forever.
Nah, I don't regret shit.