Employee gets kicked out without warning after resigning. Now company wants help unlocking their own phone (Exclusive)

A person (u/broad-bed3082) working for a company recently received a great offer to switch jobs. They immediately informed their boss and insisted that they counter the high pay. However, when their company refused, the person submitted their resignation and agreed upon a transition plan together. Things were fine until the company kicked them out without warning, but they later regretted it and desperately called for help within days. The person posted the story (now-deleted) on Reddit on January 6. In an exclusive interview with Scoop Upworthy, the former employee said the situation had been building long before the abrupt exit, claiming they were originally recruited from another company on the promise of a promotion and better pay that never fully materialized.

Five minutes after resigning, a VP came up to the employee and asked them to leave the office immediately. "I asked if they were serious, put my pen down, and complied. I left all company property there and removed my personal belongings, called an Uber, and went home," they recalled. Speaking to Scoop Upworthy, the employee added that the company had actually approached them while they were working elsewhere, promising better compensation and advancement. "The promotion came but they decided to wait on any pay increase," they explained, adding that they had essentially worked "at a loss…for a year before this happened."

The ex-employee was obviously mad at their former company for being so unprofessional, especially because they were holding back on clearing their final paycheck. "This was 12/23. I have emailed several times seeking my final paycheck (due 12/30), my 401k distribution options, and my COBRA information. None have been provided," they explained. They also told Scoop they still have an entire email thread documenting the delays in their final pay.

In fact, instead of allowing the person a smooth exit, they repeatedly reached out to them, asking for the password of the company's phone. "Again, I would have provided this, BUT I was kicked out immediately, and frankly, I left notes behind in which it should be accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort and look for the password," they wrote. Frustrated by the company's behavior, the person decided that they weren't answerable to them. "I’m not an employee, and they owe me a significant amount of money and other information and are well overdue per state law," they added. Reflecting on the situation now, they described, "Horribly rotten conduct if you ask me. I can’t imagine doing to someone what they did to me."

Companies giving their workers a hard time after they quit isn't something new; in fact, workers, when dismissed, are entitled to receive severance pay, a financial compensation after employment ends, but a study found that only 30% of dismissed workers actually received severance pay. This means that 7 out of 10 workers who are dismissed from their jobs do not get the compensation they should have been given. Likewise, another survey by the National Employment Law Project (NELP) found that over 2 out of 3 workers were terminated without a reason or an unfair reason, and 3 out of 4 received no warning before discharge. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit post, u/hkusp45css commented, "File a wage claim for the final paycheck. Ignore their calls, SMS, and emails. If you decide you want a few extra bucks AFTER you file the wage claim, tell them you'll be happy to come back on a contract basis for 300 an hour, with a minimum of 2 hours for any call. They'll either leave you alone or make the hassle worth your time. Either way, you win." Similarly, u/lilothesagenightowl shared, "I had a boss who kept reaching out to me after I left, asking questions for stuff they could have figured out on their own. I guess it was easier for them to just text and ask. I responded, telling them that they already have all the information they need for it." u/financial-point6095 wrote, "You owe them nothing. They overreacted and didn’t give a f**k how they treated you, and now they can stew in it."

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This article originally appeared 9 days ago.