Employee resigns but is then fired for quitting their job. 'What's the point?'

Unreasonable firings often become the norm in toxic workplaces that have no concern for their employees. These chaotic and insensitive environments not only hinder productivity but also burn out employees physically and mentally. After a certain point, many workers who find themselves walking on eggshells at work prioritize their self-respect and boldly put in their notice. That's exactly what one Jersey Mike employee did when the disrespect in his workplace became intolerable. But in a twist of events, his boss fired him on the spot when he put in his two weeks' notice and u/PossibleChangeling couldn't help but share his disbelief on the internet.

The employee asked the Reddit community: "Boss fired me for putting in my two weeks. Is that legal?" The employee explained that he used to work for a Jersey Mike in Oregon, where he was responsible for making sandwiches. Things took a bitter turn when his boss yelled at him fiercely for being "a few seconds slow" in making a sandwich for a customer. This incident was the final straw for the individual and he decided that the job was not worth the disrespect. "So I decided to look for other work when I got home. I texted him that I was putting in my two weeks and he just told me not to come in tomorrow," he revealed.

This unexpected reaction from the boss left the employee baffled. "Honestly, what's the point of putting in my two weeks if my boss is just going to fire me the first thing he hears about it?" he asked the internet. As toxic as the boss's reaction seemed, many Reddit users pointed out that this practice has become quite common in many workplaces. "Do you now know that 'putting in your two weeks' means you quit? I've worked for companies where they'll ask you to leave immediately if you put in your two weeks because they don't want the liability of a person who's going to leave to be around any longer," explained u/fatogato. 

Some even provided suggestions on how to handle this situation. "It's legal. But I would file for unemployment and let everyone you worked with know if they quit, they should not give notice so they don't get screwed over too," said u/Raddatatta. "You won, and your boss is an idiot. Most companies will actually try to make you quit so they don't have to fire you so that they aren't on the hook for your unemployment claim. Go collect unemployment," remarked u/ozymandiasjuice. "Your recourse is to apply for unemployment. You can also advise former coworkers to learn from your example about what happens if someone gives notice to your former employer," chimed in u/Pesec1. 

On a similar note, a woman explaining why the notice system doesn't mean anything to employers went viral online. Social media content creator K—who goes by @ktalkstoyou on TikTok— pointed out that the practice of putting in one's notice never serves its intended purpose. She said that employees putting in their notice "means nothing" to the management, they either want the employees to work longer or simply wish to be rid of them. This struck a chord with many workers online who have faced similar reactions when they put in their notice.