I lost my job.

Dude. Seriously. Who wants to sell dog food forever. This is a good thing. You have potential.
 
Billy said:
Yes. No notice of intent, no consultation. Definitely CCMA territory.

However, going the CCMA route is not good for future employment prospects.
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There was a consultation. He took him to the pub! :D

Sorry to hear mate. If I were you I would NOT go to the CCMA. I was taken twice and I gave VERY bad recommendations when I was called by potential new employers.
 
The question is do you really wanna work for these kind of people? It's almost like women who return to abusive relationships.

Now I know nothing about the CCMA but I would personally put some serious time into my CV, phone recruiters and stay focused and as positive as I can. Something similar happened to me a few years back. I just shook it off, removed those douchebags from my thoughts and in a week found myself a much better job. Also, get used to the fact that a lot of people in power are idiots and learning to negotiate the idiot minefield is a skill in itself.

Good luck, these kinds of lessons are good teachers for the future if you ask me.
 
Your boss sounds like a pretty good guy if he takes you to the pub to tell you this because from my perspective this sounds like a early warning for something that is going to happen later.

Honestly we went through massive retrenchments at my previous company and although I made it through it was one of the kakkest most demoralising exercises ever and I actually left soon after because of it and just feeling like a number.

Now oddly enough in my new company I wish they would retrench me so I can get the hell out. I'm trying every which way to get out but I'm leaving in the first place because of crazy and unjust clock watching and that makes it even more impossible to get another job lined up as going to an interview is an absolute nightmare.

At least if I got retrenched I would be paid for a number of extra weeks and I could really put my full efforts into finding something else without being absolutely drained at the end of every day by my current one.

******

As for everyone jumping up about CCMA stuff it sounds to me like his boss was doing him a favour by giving him an early heads up about what is yet to come.

He hasn't been fired outrightly and the procedure hasn't even started yet.
 
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Lupus said:
If he is retail I don't think the ccma will help much unfortunately they don't take much credence to the law and contracts.
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Lupus, the BCEA apply regardless, and the CCMA is the authority to uphold the law. You domestic cleaner can take you to the CCMA should they fulfil the basic conditions of being employed (such as a certain number of hours a week, not being casually or contractually employed). You need to go through specific processes in worker dismissal, and if you would like a termination agreed upon by both parties then a severance agreement must be signed.

EDIT: at the very least an agreed upon one week of severance pay, and UIF benefits should form part of this agreement. If they haven't been paying UIF this may be of serious consequence to the company. Ultimately it is essential to determine if this is a termination of employment or not.
 
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Hamster said:
I'm no expert but IIRC they won't be able to hire any new staff without offering the job to the retrenched employees first. If your lively hood depended on it or you had a family I'd go to the CCMA but in this case rather not. Get a good reference from them and let it be. You are way too young to start burning bridges already.

You can see this as a blessing in disguise (not now, but eventually) that helped you move on with your career. You can't work there forever anyway. It is a bit of a shock to your system though and you probably feel very vulnerable and humiliated right now. It'll pass (not now, but eventually). Good luck ;)
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Some nice advice here. There is no shame in being retrenched, it sucks but it's not something you have any power over and with our economic climate, even the worlds, it's a real concern these years more than any other. I'd not go CCMA, rather push for good references, maybe a letter stating the retrenchment. Look for new work and remember having been employed for the time you have, you can claim UIF on retrenchment.

I agree with Hamsters best advice, get back on the horse and try again elsewhere.
 
:( dont be discouraged, hold your head high and keep going !
 
Really sorry to hear this news Swag. Just try and not depressed about it. This same thing happened to me some years ago. I was retrenched and all the offers I got meant I would have to cut my salary in half. So, I started my own business and the company that retrenched me actually hired my company back. :wtf: Long story short, try and look for the positives. Remind them, not necessarily through lawyers or the CCMA that they are bound by law to at least give you a proper notice period (including pay) and pay you any leave owed and possibly (depending if you were permanent or contracting) a severance package. Keep it professional.

And good luck! Keep us updated if you don't mind.
 
InternetSwag said:
So I'm working a late shift and our operations manager phones me 15 minutes before we close, 'hey, can I buy you a drink after work?' I ask him if x person can come with, also an employee. He says no, I want to talk to you alone. I got pretty nervous, not knowing what to expect. We meet up at a pub and he buys me a drink and gives me a shot of tequila.

He tells me he has bad news, the company is letting me and some others go at the end of January-Early Feb. I sat there shocked, could not look him in the eyes and I tried my best to fight back the tears, they did well up though and a tear ran down my cheek despite trying so hard not to. I sat like this for about 3 minutes, not saying anything. Not knowing what to say.

He asks me, how pissed off are you right now? I say not at all, it's still sinking in. Then I asked him who the others are that are being let go, they all worked there about 3-4 months max. Me? I worked there for 14. I asked him why, he said there's just too much staff.

This was all such a shock to me, since my friend resigned a week earlier, so I asked him who is going to replace him? He says no one and that they are using the staff they have more.


So we say our goodbyes and I put on a strong face, but as soon as I stop to leave and drive home the tears just couldn't be held back anymore. It's such a horrible feeling and I honestly would not wish it on my worst enemy.


I'm so angry, I did a lot for the company. It's not like the company is not making money, just two of our 10 stores in one center make about 1.4 million a month and that's just two stores. I did so much more than just retail work, I did admin, worked about 4 months with more than 220 hours - maxing 236 once, which is actually illegal I'm told. But I didn't care, I thought if I did the hard yards it would pay off in the end.


I don't know what to do. I'm angry, I feel like setting up a meeting and murdering my boss just to show that just because they are in power does not make them God. Maybe not kill, just disfigure her face so she has something to remind her of me every time she looks in the mirror. Something that'll last as long as my distaste about this entire situation.

But, that's just foolish talk that'll never leave the corridors of my mind.
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There are greener pastures somewhere and your new Job is to find them.
Your life did not start with that job and so it proved not to end with it.
 
just ask for a good reference, the CCMA route can also be expensive and might not be worth the effort. A good reference can get you further than that extra bit of money that you might need.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Your boss sounds like a pretty good guy if he takes you to the pub to tell you this because from my perspective this sounds like a early warning for something that is going to happen later.
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Yeah this sounds more like a heads up than an actual firing.

Push for strong reference & perhaps and extra month or 2 on an outside contractor basis to help them "transition". ;) Grade A corporate-speak skills go a long way...
 
Provided they follow the correct procedure in letting you go, get a good reference from your boss and move on. You have some time to start job hunting for something else. Do NOT burn bridges when you leave.
 
Nicodeamus said:
just ask for a good reference, the CCMA route can also be expensive and might not be worth the effort. A good reference can get you further than that extra bit of money that you might need.
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+1

I'm sorry for you predicament. Don't go the CCMA route. From the comments, I'm assuming you are young and you don't have huge responsibilities such as kids, huge mortgage, etc. Get a good reference from your employer and start applying. If you worked hard and your former employer took notice of this then your former employer will tell other potential employers only the good news. Your former employer took you to a pub, this shows that this wasn't an easy thing for her either and it also shows that she cared. Don't burn bridges when still young. Take the positives from the company and look to a brighter future.
 
Aqua_lung said:
Was this your first job? One thing I've learnt is that no-one appreciates extra effort, just do what your expected unless you're working with the CEO directly. I worked my ass off last year but got no bonus, ****ty designer completed his projects that look like **** but since he completed it he gets a bonus.
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I learnt a long time ago that employers look for a few things when deciding who to let go and who not not:
1. Who delivers
2. Who gives the least grief
3. Who makes their managers look good.
4. Occasionally retrenchments are used to settle some old scores. So if you had a confrontation with a manager and he lost, don't expect to be one of those not being sacked.

It doesn't matter how smart you are or what skills you have, it's delivery and whether you are perceived to be a team player or not. Note I use the word "perceive". You might think you are a team player, but it's not what you think that makes a difference with regard to whether you are retrenched or not.
 
zippy said:
I learnt a long time ago that employers look for a few things when deciding who to let go and who not not:
1. Who delivers
2. Who gives the least grief
3. Who makes their managers look good.
4. Occasionally retrenchments are used to settle some old scores. So if you had a confrontation with a manager and he lost, don't expect to be one of those not being sacked.

It doesn't matter how smart you are or what skills you have, it's delivery and whether you are perceived to be a team player or not. Note I use the word "perceive". You might think you are a team player, but it's not what you think that makes a difference with regard to whether you are retrenched or not.
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Regardless, just meet your goals... no guarantee not being retrenched. Meet the standards expected, no need to exert yourself unless it guarantees a reward.
 
When one door closes, two open somewhere else.

Never ever give up. Keep moving.
 
alf101 said:
Ideally you want to exert yourself, learn as much as you can, make sure you are the best at what you do, and make yourself indespensable.

Otherwise you'll get nowhere ever.
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Yes, but those should be personal goes not just to impress the boss.
 
Sorry to hear dude. I know that feeling.

Yea.. have been in that boat in the past (retrenced, contracts cancelled but the company due to budgets). I have learned companies don't care about you. As soon as you accept that, you won't feel that blade in your back. You can work hard be a good employee.. but the end of the day.. they'll let you go without blinking.

But like the other posters said . Chin up, new doors open.
 
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