Long time reader, first time poster. Earlier this year I made a decision that I was going to leave my company because things weren’t getting better one of those goals was actually start my own business. The year before we were given new contracts and in that contract it said because of though transition periods basically they would offer anyone willing to give a one year notice 25% of their annual salary if they stayed for that whole year. So here I thought this would be a great opportunity to help me and my family out through our own transition. A little back story, I’ve been with this company for almost 6 years and it’s an employee owned organization, sounds great right? Well my shares fully vest when I hit 6 years, so I put in my notice calculating it well past my 6 year anniversary mark. During the last few months I found a business to buy and I bought it, I started working towards building it out and preparing for my departure, always letting my bosses know what was happening. A couple months ago we had a huge health scare with our daughter and I told them immediately what was happening. About 6.5 months into my notice and before I take a 2 week training trip for our new business (I have 3 weeks of vacation and had used none) I get a call from one boss clearly feeling me out. He said he heard that my new business was opening in September and did I want to stay (they had already hired my replacement) so of course I said yea I want to stay I built my whole plan around having this income and I’m still planning to work my same hours (my son would help run my new business with my wife) I also mentioned that because of everything going on with our daughter health insurance is really important too. Fast forward a month later to August, we get the best news we could have received about our daughter (easily best part of this story, she’s my world) and our store is ready to open. So this week I’m asked to get on a call and I’m told we don’t need you any longer, your last day is next week. Then the severance offer comes. 1 month pay and health insurance until February 1st. Maybe it’s a fair offer? But I realized they never intended to let me work my year and did they think I’d just sign because of the health insurance and the fear I had about my daughter a month earlier? Also it’s a little more than a month shy of my anniversary so no full vest on my shares. In these almost 6 years I received one write up 2 years ago, I take my work seriously and was always accountable to my actions. At least I get to run a family business now and spend time with people who matter most.