Employee gets fired 2 weeks after her wedding because her company doesn't want to add her spouse to her insurance: 'Friday morning, my performance was fantastic, I was getting praised, how would I suddenly be fired for my performance on Monday afternoon?'

It's wild to think that, in today's world, you could be one misstep at work away from losing everything.

In most places, employers have no obligation to keep you on past having the ability to look you in the eye and shake your hand while holding a knife in their other hand. A change in circumstances, even what is otherwise a positive personal development, could be seen as a threat to your ability to work and cause your employer to rethink and consider ending the relationship. You'd never think it would happen simply because you chose to get married 

Sure, there was already that performance improvement plan looming over your head, which basically gives management every excuse to boot you out the door for no other reason. But you had also been doing really well more recently and even been receiving congratulations for your work. And there you are, you never thought it would happen, but you're staring down unemployment. 

Author image for Brad Dickson Brad Dickson
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    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

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  • That's what this worker shared, reporting after her performance temporarily dipped shortly before her wedding. After her boss no-showed at her wedding, despite RSVPing that they would come with their family, she returned to work. The couple didn't even enjoy a honeymoon, choosing to save it for a later date in lieu of ot upsetting the balance at work.

    On returning to work, she added her new spouse to her employment medical insurance that morning and had a performance check-in with her boss that afternoon, where her boss had positive things to say, telling her how well she was doing.

    But the following week, everything was suddenly turned on its head. A call was scheduled with her boss on Monday afternoon, where she was told that she was being terminated, effective immediately. The added salt in the wound was that she wouldn't be receiving any of her commission since she wasn't finishing out the quarter. 

    All serve as an unfortunate reminder of the precarious nature of employment when employment is at-will, or there are other circumstances in the local employment laws that mean your employer has no obligation to continue a relationship with you and may terminate you for any reason they choose.

  • "Got fired 2 weeks after my wedding for a BS reason - is this allowed?"

    I got married a few weeks ago. In the closer weeks leading up to my wedding, my performance at work dropped (sales). I had a conversation with my boss about it and we agreed that after the wedding we'll work on improving my performance.
    via UseOk5027
  • As soon as the wedding was over, | immediately went back to work - I took no time off and didn't even go on a honeymoon or anything. My performance skyrocketed up and improved immensely almost right away.
    via UseOk5027
  • It has been exactly 2 weeks since my wedding. I filed to add my new spouse to my insurance as a qualifying life event/life-changing event. My company pays for the premiums for medical, vision, and dental insurance for me as well as my spouse (and any children if I had any,
    via UseOk5027
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  • which I don't at this time) without even taking a dollar out of my paycheck - this adds up to about $600 per person per month (or would be $1200 a month total for my spouse and i) that my company pays for to cover our insurance as one of their benefits.
    via UseOk5027
  • Thursday afternoon, I filed to add my spouse to my insurance. I had a one on one meeting with my boss early Friday morning where we spoke about how I was doing so well now and to keep it up on the same track. Friday afternoon another one on one
    via UseOk5027
  • meeting was scheduled for Monday late afternoon with my boss under the title of a "performance check-in" which I thought was odd since we just had a performance check in the previous business day.
    via UseOk5027
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  • I worked the whole day on Monday and then joined the meeting with my boss at the end of the business day. My boss joined, read off of a pre- typed document a specifically worded statement that my employment was being terminated
    via UseOk5027
  • effective immediately, and that someone from HR will be joining the call. Then he left the call immediately without even allowing me to get a word in.
    via UseOk5027
  • The employee from HR joined and immediately started talking about the off-boarding process to which I could barely listen to since I was in shock. I gathered myself enough to ask for more clarification on the reason and she said due to performance problems. Then she said my insurance will only be valid until the end of the month (12 days remaining).
    via UseOk5027
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  • If Friday morning my performance was fantastic and I was getting praised, how would I suddenly be fired for my performance on Monday afternoon? The only thing that changed that I could think of was me filing for my spouse to be added to
    via UseOk5027
  • my insurance. It sounded like a BS reason to fire me and they refused to provide more detail on the reasoning. Would the company fire me if they didn't want to pay the insurance premiums? Is that allowed?
    via UseOk5027
  • I have never been fired before so I don't know the process or next steps. They said they would only pay out my remaining PTO, but that I lose all the money in my online store account ($150), I won't get paid out for my remaining sick leave, and I won't receive any of the commission that I
    via UseOk5027
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  • earned in the last 3 months as I didn't work until the end of December due to being fired (which is about $8,000). I also won't receive any kind of severance package. Am I allowed to ask for a severance package or anything at all? Am I obligated to forfeit all of this as well?
    via UseOk5027
  • TLDR: Got fired for my performance (which dipped down around my wedding time) when I was told I was doing fantastic the previous business day. This follows me adding my new spouse to my insurance to which my company would have to pay the premiums for ($1200 a month). They are also refusing to pay me my earned commission since I didn't complete the quarter (Dec 31) due to being fired and are not giving me any kind of severance package.
    via UseOk5027
  • Is there anything that can be done/are they allowed to fire me like that? Are they allowed to not give me anything after an immediate termination, including my own commission or sick leave payout? Can I ask for a severance package?
    via UseOk5027
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  • retro_dabble Fired for performance issues in an at will state is unfortunately normal. Your employer is pretty heartless given your wedding circumstance so it sounds like that was your final nail in the coffin for you. Why would you want to go back after being treated like that? Just move on and apply elsewhere.
    via UseOk5027

  • Another comment the original poster shared about their boss no-showing to their wedding which I found especially egregious:

    I even invited my boss to my wedding, who RSVP'd yes for himself, his wife, and their three children. No one showed up. (Our wedding events are 3 days long, he RSVP'D yes to all 3 events for all 5 of them). He didn't make one appearance. Talk about a waste of money on all of their heads per plate for 3 events!!!
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 A hard truth I needed to hear. Thank you!
    via UseOk5027
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  • Massive Ambassador_6 Get your unemployment and then talk to a employment lawyer and see if any options are available to you. It wouldn't hurt to ask especially if you have it in writing. Being in an at will state may hinder any compensation but what harm is it to look?
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 That's solid, thank you!
    via UseOk5027
  • Solid_Mongoose_3269 Most states are at will, you can be fired for putting ketchup on your hotdog (it'll be worded differently). Severance is usually a courtesy, its not required. That commission I would investigate though
    via UseOk5027
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  • OP UseOk5027 Dang. And no compensation at all following that is allowed? That's rough.
    via UseOk5027
  • JohnnyBananas 13 Take this as a sales rejection and now get back to work selling yourself to your next employer.
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 A hard truth! Thank you!
    via UseOk5027
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  • Busybee0412 It sounds like they may have wanted to let you go prior but they let you get through your wedding?
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 That's how it sounds to me too, unfortunately.
    via UseOk5027
  • floridaeng Research to find a labor law specialist and get a 1 hr consult. You may have to pay something for their time, but if they can get you that commission pay it will be worth it. What other remedies you may have will depend on your state laws. Even if you are in an "at will" state the fact you received the good review and then were fired immediately after you filed that change of status may or may not violate state laws on retaliation. Edit to add - I hope you're able to get your commissi
    via UseOk5027
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  • OP UseOk5027 Thank you!
    via UseOk5027
  • Solid_Mongoose_3269 Yea. Severance isnt guaranteed. I got laid off a few months ago, still looking, and I got 2 weeks for 3 years, and no notice at all it was coming.
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 Oh man, I'm so sorry!! It's not a fun boat to be in. You deserve more for your time there.
    via UseOk5027
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  • OrigRayofSunshine File for unemployment now, so there's a little bit coming while you're looking.
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 I definitely will!
    via UseOk5027
  • omegamun This absolutely sucks, is horribly unfair and your boss is an absolute asshole for firing you for what appears to be a slight increase in the company's insurance premium. No company run this poorly will survive for long, so just as well you get a new job at a stable company.
    via UseOk5027
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  • OP UseOk5027 The company has not been performing well at all lately and have been having major restructuring over at corporate with upper management.
    via UseOk5027
  • Rickets_of_fallen Go work harder for their main competition lol
    via UseOk5027
  • OP UseOk5027 This is definitely a possibility!!!
    via UseOk5027
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