Employee gets fired on the spot after giving their 2-week notice, boss then calls them later begging them to come back and finish out their notice period: 'I gave 2 weeks' notice. They fired me on the spot, then begged me to finish the week'

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
May 23, 2025 12:00 AM EDT

Giving two weeks ' notice when you work in a jurisdiction that has "at will" employment is always a risky move. They can fire you on the spot without cause anyway, so why are you giving them a cause? Doing so is merely a good-faith gesture and a sign of trust and respect, and possibly a desire for a continued relationship with an employer who has shown you the same over the course of your employment and relationship with them. Of course, people can surprise you in the worst of ways, so it's always best to consider this carefully.

A lot of reactionary and egotistical managers and business owners will take your intention to depart them as a slight and won't take kindly to their loss of control over you, so when you give them forwarning that you're planning on leaving anyways they'll exicese the last little bit of control they have over the situation and end things on their terms, and in their mind saving the cost of paying you for the next few weeks. This, of course, is very short-sighted. The thing is, two weeks' notice exists solely to pass on legacy knowledge of your position and to provide continuity and train a replacement.

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  • 01

    "They fired me on the spot, then begged me to finish the week..."

    So i gave my manager 2 weeks notice. I thought i was being professional. Courteous and respectful. His responses? "Well if you're leaving anyway, might as well make it today" said it in front of the whole team too, like it was some mic drop moment. I just said, "Alright" and walked out. No scene, no drama, just gone.
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  • 02
    Next day, I start getting texts, apparently no one else knows how to close the weekly financials, because I was the one who trained the manager and wrote the SOPs. By day 3 he's calling me: "Hey.... any chance you could come back for just a couple shifts? Just to help us transition.." I said I'd consider it, if we restarted the clock on my two weeks. He didn't like that idea. Guess we're both short staffed now.
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  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10509208064
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    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 04
    vexatiousmonkey • 8h ago The 2 weeks notice is to give an opportunity for cross-training - Your manager is/was a . I'd let him wallow in the mess he's made.
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  • 05
    LowDetail1442 • 8h ago This shows why workers do not owe 2 weeks notice. Companies fire you with zero notice.
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  • 06
    chrisb8346 · 8h ago No, he made it clear you're no longer an employee. Any going back is now contractor rates at 3x your original pay, 8 hour minimum, paid upfront
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  • 07
    samweist... 8h ago Edited 1h ago • • I am not your lawyer. But in some states and some classifications that if a worker puts in their two weeks and is willing and able to work the two weeks out and the company elects to terminate you, they owe you for the two weeks notwithstanding. I would look at your jurisdiction and write a letter to the company/ HR demanding your two weeks pay if applicable and then tell the manager to STFU.
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  • 08
    FlareBlitzCrits • 8h ago . You will consider it as a contractor, at 3x your rate. Get document signed before you begin work.
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  • 09
    Only_Tip9560 • 8h ago What a chump. This is what a manager who can't regulate their emotions does to a business. The guy was p ed off in the moment that you announced you were leaving and allowed that to determine his actions rather than thinking about what was actually the best for him and the business. If he was one of my direct reports he'd be on a PIP for that nonsense.
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  • 10
    EclipseNine · 8h ago • I said I'd consider it, if we restarted the clock on my two weeks. He didn't like that idea What!? Why would you want that? Why would you want to stay longer at your old rate and why would your boss have a problem with that? You're offering him a gift by not coming back as a contractor a an exploitative rate.
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  • 11
    Embedded SoftEng. 8h ago "No, see, the problem with that idea is that I am no longer an employee. I would still be an employee if you had behaved like an adult and accepted my two weeks' notice, which, by the way, is explicitly to give the employer, you, the time needed to perform such a transition. You chose to throw my two weeks' notice in the trash and fired me on the spot. You made a statement, with the entire team as witnesses, that you didn't need the two weeks of transition time I was off
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  • 12
    "Now, you find, after the fact, that you do need some transition time to replace my contribution to the team. "Too late. You fired me. I'm no longer an employee. For me to come back under these circumstances would be for me to donate my labour to you free of charge, and I have bills to pay.
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  • 13
    "So, I have a counter-proposal. Bring me back on, as a contractor, for three times my previous salary, with a guarantee of a minimum of four weeks of pay, and I'll come back and assist in any manner I can for up to 26 weeks. "Don't contact me again unless it's to schedule a time and place for us to sign that contract."
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  • 14
    TheHip41 8h ago To the new people here Use up PTO Find new job Quit without notice I've never seen someone fired and given anything other than an to their car the same moment.
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