'I got laid off': Employee develops startup for two years, was promised shares, gets laid off right before the company launch

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 31, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

Imagine developing a startup for two years only to get fired right before the company is officially registered. As upsetting as this situation may be, we've seen employers behave this way before so we cannot say that we're surprised by this. When it comes to startups in particular, we know this kind of shady behavior is pervasive. What's especially upsetting, in this instance, is that the developer seems to be integral to the success of said startup. In fact, his work was not only an integral ingredient, it was the ingredient. 

 

This thread was posted to Reddit by u/chtulu-, who also learned the hard way that if your verbal deal is not expressly written down in a contract, those promises can be taken away from you in an instant. Now, to be fair, this psychologist-turned-entrepreneur seems to be completely lost without the help of OP. With him gone, this startup is also surely bound to fail, especially considering that the CEO did not seem to learn any of the technical elements that jumpstarted her business in the first place.

 

While we feel bad for OP if he is unable to get his well-deserved promises, we also feel that this battle may not be worth fighting given this startup's level of instability. Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions in the comments section. When you're finished, feel free to check out this post about a long-time employee who was pushed out of his company for a nepo baby.

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  • 01
    Font - Was promised shares in a un and after 2 year everything" Was promised shares in a startup, worked 2 years and the day before
    via u/chtulu-
  • 02
    Font - Was promised shares in a startup and after 2 years of work, before the registration of the company, I got laid off saying I wasn't necessary Was promised shares in a startup, worked 2 years and the day before registering the company got told I wasn't necessary
    via u/chtulu-
  • 03
    Font - A psychologist from Warsaw wanted to make an app related to her field (she didn't even know what was necessary to make that, she had and still has 0 technical skills) I gave her advice, explained everything that was necessary,
    via u/chtulu-
  • 04
    Font - prepared the business plan, how much everything should cost, made promotional videos and wrote down all the nice to have and must have. When she finally found an investor (that has seen those videos and thanks to that she got the money) we started talking to an external software house that had to realize the app. I was present at every call, was even cited as CTO in many documents and the promised shares were 15%. Then an external guy came in and she had some kind of affair with him and t
    via u/chtulu-
  • 05
    Font - and that I as CTO had to be below the COO (this new guy) and I wasn't gonna get any shares as I was more of a hired worker. I got mad and left the project. Past a month they call me to make me sign some document where I had to accept 3000zł (750$ LMAO) for 2 years of work and agree to never want to perform legal actions against them. I said I wan't ok with that and they said it's all they can give me and that we worked together on that and I shouldn't ask for a payment as we worked simult
    via u/chtulu-
  • 06
    Font - What do you advice? In this case I spoke to a lawyer, and have to gather evidence and write down the approximate hours of work I put into it. Anyone had a similar situation? (The day after I left the project they registered the company and my shares went to that new guy) Can't tell more as I signed an NdA.
    via u/chtulu-
  • 07
    Font - Hobnail-boots- 1 day ago If you didn't get your "promise of shares" in writing, you didn't get a promise of shares. 1.4k Reply Share
    via u/chtulu-
  • 08
    Font - chtulu- OP 1 day ago I have a video call of her admitting to it T801 Reply Share
    via u/chtulu-
  • 09
    Rectangle - Hobnail-boots 1 day ago Save & document everything! 685 Reply Share
    via u/chtulu-
  • 10
    Font - cious chtulu- OP 1 day ago Fortunately before I got that info from them, I started doubting and have every call recording and everyhting went through mail ;) The thing is I'm 25, I'm a little scared of suing as I don't have that experience and many people scare me off saying if I lose I'll have to pay lots of money etc. Now, I'm pretty confident I have all that it takes, but how much recompensation can I ask for? Once I declined a job offer as a backend developer where I could have got 16
    via u/chtulu-
  • 11
    Font - PyroJungle 1 day ago I'm actually somewhat in the same position as you now. They admitted to everything on video call and there was alot of verbal agreements going around but unfortunately when push came to shove they just threw the contract at me (which obviously didn't include any verbal deals made) and told me to get bent. I chased and chased and pleaded and pleaded that they knew what they were doing/remember the calls but unless you have hard evidence/your own recording of them sayin
    via u/chtulu-
  • 12
    Font - chtulu- OP 1 day ago I have a recording of that, where I was saying that "at first I wanted 25% of shares, then we agreed for 15%" and she didn't deny, just said, "we were talking about giving you shares after a second investor would come in" which doesn't make much sense, but if she said that, it's a confession and I could in theory ask for my shares when they get another investor to invest money, but how will I know if someone invested?
    via u/chtulu-
  • 13
    Font - Child Of1970- 1 day ago For now working to live, n... How did you sign an NDA with a company before it existed? 40 Reply Share chtulu- OP 1 day ago . I signed it with the psychologist, she has a registered one person business :
    via u/chtulu-
  • 14
    Font - LaughableIKR. 1 day ago Reading your replies. You have video evidence of the agreement and the timing of your firing. I'm sure the courts will pay you accordingly.
    via u/chtulu-
  • 15
    Font - chtulu- OP 1 day ago I even have the recording of when they wanted to humiliate me and said I was acting just as a normal worker and not a shareholder, even documents given to us by the software house citing me in multiple places as CTO
    via u/chtulu-
  • 16
    Font - The Eclipse0 2 pieces of advise: 19 hr. ago Never, EVER believe a business when they promise additional compensation years down the road if such and such happens, or if you wait x number of years for it. Never ever. Consider yourself lucky, I wasted 5 years of my life falling for similar lies when I should have been job searching. Next time, include a switch in your software.
    via u/chtulu-
  • 17
    Font - sendintheotherclowns. 15 hr. ago If you're promised something that isn't baked into your contract and given immediately you're not getting it.
    via u/chtulu-

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getting fired boss workplace-stories employee fired work stories toxic-workplace toxic-boss Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit company toxic-work-environment
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