Star employee gets unjustly fired, negotiates one full year of compensation then starts working for top competitor: 'We have to fire you because you are too expensive'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

It's hard to find a perfect way to tell an employee that they're being let go, but telling them that the reason is that they're "too expensive" is a bit problematic. At that point, you might as well just not say anything at all. The phrasing feels personal and pointed, as if it's the employee's fault that they're earning the salary that both parties agreed upon. 

Of course, the classic company lines rarely work well either. Chalking up the decision-making to an "overall restructuring of the company" or "cutting down on costs across the board" tends to be part of the classic script when firing someone. No matter what is ultimately, it's going to hurt in some way. It might help if the employee isn't caught completely off guard, or if there is a way to drop the hint that there are going to be layoffs. While every big company handles these "restructuring" difficulties in its own way, listening to the wishes of employees is always a good start to figuring out the best course of action. Obviously, you're not going to go around the office asking people hypothetically how they would like to be fired one day. Otherwise, that would cause even more panic.

Still, there are ways to gently figure out what works best for each employee. It is, in fact, the job of managers to read those social cues. It's an inevitable part of collaboration. So, why don't managers tailor the talking points of this challenging conversation to the individual rather than resorting to a standard script or an unprofessional line that could cause even more unnecessary pain? 

This manager clearly did not handle firing the author of this tale well, and though the experience was dreadful, it was the author ended up having the last laugh.

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  • 01

    "Fired because I'm too expensive"

    A young businessman sits on the stairs next to a cardboard box of his supples and a few flying pages.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Of course, not every employee works in a field that would allow them the possibility of negotiating a full year's salary as part of a severance package. However, knowing your worth is crucial for negotiating any person's departure, regardless of the industry. Hopefully, there's something anyone can take away from this author's self-confidence and self-belief!

  • 02
    I have spent the last 5 years working for a German company as Technical Director for Southern Europe.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 03
    During those years, I have been in charge, multiple times, of supporting my colleagues and customers in Eastern Europe and even, because of the language (I am Spanish), in the LATAM area.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 04
    I was called to a meeting on a Monday morning in one of our offices 1,100 km from my home (680 miles or 10K football fields, for Americans). That forced me to travel on a Sunday.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 05
    That Monday, after 3 hours working with the rest of the team on strategies and actions for the different markets and clients, my boss, who had come from Germany, told me that he had to talk to me during the coffee break.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 06
    He was waiting for me in a room together with the HR Director and the Country Manager. -We are happy with your performance, but we have to fire you because you are too expensive and we are making cutbacks.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 07
    All I said, with a sneer, was: - I am expensive if I don't produce for the company a considerable profit, regardless of what my salary is. They showed me my severance package and I had to speak again:
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 08
    - Do you remember that you made me sign a "golden parachute agreement" whereby I could not leave the company without giving a year's notice? Well, that also obliged the company to compensate me with a year's salary and bonus if you fired me.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 09
    They have been calling me for a month to ask me for help with some clients or scientific researches that has been left half done: I have asked them for 1,000 €/day for an 8-hour workday or 600 for a half-day workday, expenses aside. They have finally stopped bothering me.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 10
    Best of all: tomorrow I'm going to sign as Technical Director for EMEA with the world biggest company in my sector, their direct competitor (since they fired me, the non- competition clauses do not apply).
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 11
    A young businessman sits on the steps of a building looking despondent next to a cardboard box of office supplies and loose documents.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    PsychedelicMagic1840. 6 hr. ago You sound like a friend of mine who was just let go from a German nutrition company for the same reason.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 13
    STUNTP 3 hr. ago for the same reason It is the most common reason, outside of performance and restructuring, why high-level (compensation-wise) people are let go.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 14
    Babbeldibab 4 hr. ago Im guessing this is costing them more than keeping you. Good on ya!
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 15
    DrFabulous0 2 hr. ago This happened to me. I'm a simple man who fixes bikes for a living. I was fired because they said they couldn't afford my rate then came back as a subcontractor earning 4 times as much for the exact same job.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 16
    KL_boy 3 hr. ago 1000 euros a day is what standard IT contractors are charged out. Business consultants are 2.5K per say.. You are under billing yourself
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 17
    Not_Bill Hicks 2 hr. ago the good old, fire someone who makes 5 million, but costs 200k, so we can replace him with someone who will make 2 million but only costs 150k. Corporate logic
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 18
    David_Apollonius 3 hr. ago Did they pay for your 1100 km of travel expenses? And for your boss? And you got a full year of severence pay? And they thought YOU were expensive? They should have fired themselves instead.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 19
    El_Kurgan_Alas OP 31 min. ago What I have heard is that new CEO is firing a lot of people (even my ex boss)
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 20
    ineedatinylama · 2 hr. ago I got my hours cut because I was "too expensive." Too expensive means you are one one of the best employees with loyalty to your company.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas
  • 21
    I quit, went to a competitor, they were happy to pay me more because of my loyalty, work ethic and knowledge.
    via El_Kurgan_Alas

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getting fired workplace-stories fired work stories toxic-workplace job fired story work Horrible Bosses company money toxic-work-environment
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