Getting fired is no fun for the employee or the employer. But all jobs come to an end someday, and people have very different experiences and feelings about it. Whether it’s about the ways people get fired, how common it is, the reasons, and the rights of the people and companies involved, there’s a lot to know about terminating employment. These eight facts will help shed light on an experience that most workers face at some point.
8 Firing Facts
1. The cancellation of regular meetings might signal you’re about to get fired. (Source)
If regular one-on-one meetings with a boss are cancelled, this could be a strong warning sign that the boss is preparing for your exit. Context is important, so think about the reason for these cancellations before panicking. Exclusion from committees, lunches, and get-togethers is another bad sign.
2. Many employers can fire “at will,” but there are some illegal reasons for termination. (Source)
These reasons include discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or marital status. It’s also illegal to fire an employee in response to them enforcing their legal rights or because they reported the business or manager to the police.
3. There are several legal reasons for termination that are the most common causes for firing an employee. (Source)
Some of the most common reasons to dismiss an employee are incompetence, insubordination, attendance issues, theft, sexual harassment, and physical violence.
4. Gossip might come back to bite employees in the form of firing. (Source)
Gossip can be considered workplace bullying, which usually involves a write-up or HR complaint before it leads to an employee’s termination. If the gossip or negativity is leveled at a boss, it might be considered insubordination or reflect on the employee as a negative representation of the company.
5. Employees who are fired should accept help with a new job transition. (Source)
Think twice about burning bridges when you lose a job. Your former employer can offer some powerful resources in your job hunt, like recommendations, referrals, severance, and more. Make sure you’ve saved all documents you might need later. Don’t storm off the premises without these items.
6. Social media can cause a problem for employees. (Source)
Think twice before making social media profiles public. It’s fairly common for employers to fire employees who they feel misrepresented the company on social media or showed themselves behaving inappropriately.
7. The most common phrase used when firing an employee is “letting you go.” (Source)
The phrase “effective immediately” is used often, too, and a common alternative is “terminating your employment.” Many employees wish their managers showed more empathy during this process, while managers often regret their word choices.
8. 47% of Americans do not feel prepared for a layoff. (Source)
Preparing for a layoff mentally, emotionally, and financially can help ease some of the stress of fearing layoffs and the shock and pain of it actually happening.
Featured image photo credit: Antoni Shkraba Production
