HR fires 'easily replaceable' employee without evidence, ends up costing the company $60K a month

Sometimes, being let go from a job can lead to unexpected opportunities, especially when someone’s true value speaks louder than corporate decisions. One employee, u/BeaconIcon, shared his experience of being fired without any real evidence of wrongdoing, only to turn the tables in a manner his former company never saw coming. The employee detailed how his firing cost his old employer their most lucrative client. At his previous job, he handled the company’s biggest client and all of its projects. However, things took a turn when a colleague was fired for harassment, and shortly afterward, he became the target of a retaliatory complaint.

"HR was very vague when they fired me and showed no proof," he shared. "They said they would just replace the two of us and move on." The employee added further, "After I got fired, the client called me with some usual questions and I told them I was fired and didn't work there anymore. I heard through the grapevine that my old company struggled to keep up with the workload, even though they hired one person."

He didn't expect what came next. Two weeks after his dismissal, the client he had previously handled gave him a call—not for business as usual but to offer him a job. "I never sent them an application or interviewed with them," he explained. "They just asked me to come in to discuss an offer." The client, who was worth about $60,000 a month in billables, decided to cut ties with the company altogether, opting to hire him directly.

"And since the client hired me, they lost that contract," he added further. The old company's attempt to replace him had fallen short. His story sparked a wave of reactions on Reddit, with many users chiming in to discuss the lack of due process in workplace investigations and the importance of being indispensable. u/stickynotesandblood said, "This has to have been the laziest investigation of harassment I've ever read. HR would know who lodged the complaint against the first guy, so the second complaint against you being a retaliatory complaint should have gone no further. However, it doesn't seem that common sense is common here. Thankfully, your client knew your worth and took you on to cut out the middleman. I hope they show you their appreciation and you have a fulfilling career with them."

u/Eastern-Pizza-5826 added, "I keep reading about employees getting falsely accused of harassment and the company firing without even investigating because they have a 'no tolerance' policy. That's ridiculous." u/comicsnerd shared, "I saw this happen a few times (though not for harassment). The customer hired the person who was fired. HR threatened with competition clauses in the contract. They forgot that this only applies if the employee resigns. Not when they fire them."

"I need to know that the old company knows they lost that business due to you. That's what will make this whole story so much sweeter," u/HalfSoul30 remarked.

"Hopefully, you have records that they contacted you first and not the other way around. Most employment contracts these days include non-solicitation clauses," u/sg0682402054 advised. u/freerangetacos suggested, "Buy the former company for a low price. The support structure from some of the other people could come in handy. Fire the HR department and replace them with actual people. Definitely, don't let the former owner/past boss anywhere near the place. They are out."