VP of Sales fires 22-year-old employee weeks after his parents passed because his work performance deteriorated: 'He's not motivated at all.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Dec 13, 2025 8:00 AM EST

She didn't even offer support or give him a performance review before kicking him to the curb.

We all go through things in life that are not workproof. You can't be the best sales representative at a cosmetics store if you're constantly crying off your mascara because you're still grieving the loss of a family member. Anyone who expects someone to be their best in a public-facing role very soon after a significant loss is fooling themselves. Heck, even people who work remotely and never have to speak to a soul will suffer in their work performance when they are going through something challenging in their lives. We've all been there, and it's essential to give people grace when life needs to take precedence over work for a moment.

You can't expect someone to be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they are in desperate need of a life vest. If an employee is clearly struggling with something that is not work-related to the point where their work is suffering, having an open and honest conversation about what kind of support they need can be the most helpful thing. Even if your job can't be your therapist, it's comforting to know that your employer cares about your well-being.

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  • Tired businessman standing inside of the big window in office
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • Unfortunately, not all companies care about their employees' well-being, especially if it affects their bottom line. The Vice President of Sales in this story was so heartless that she fired a 22-year-old employee who had just lost both of his parents due to poor performance. He didn't even get the dignity of a Performance Improvement Plan.

  • Am I the bad guy for firing somone?

    I'm VP of Sales at a software company. One of our sales reps had both his parents die in a car accident back in early spring. He's 22 and been with us for like 10 months. He was honestly a great employee and we were thinking about promoting him in the next few months.
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • The job pays well for a new grad, around $90k with base plus commission, so we have pretty high expectations for the role.
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • After the accident we gave him a month of paid leave. He came back a few weeks ago and his performance has been really bad. He's not motivated at all, barely making cold calls, not reaching out to prospects like he should be. Our whole management team noticed.
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • Modern business people communicating with each other while working together in the board room
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • We decided to let him go because we felt like he'd need months to get back to where he was and we can't wait that long.
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • Called him into a meeting Friday afternoon and told him. He was calm at first then told us to go fuck ourselves. Got up, grabbed his stuff from his desk and left. I thought that was super unprofessional and rude.
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • Told my boyfriend about it and he said me and my team are heartless assholes. TL;DR: Fired employee few weeks after he came back from leave for his parents dying, he told us to fuck off, bf says we're heartless. AITJ?
    via u/Educational-Love5101
  • A man standing next to a woman in a blue shirt
    via Lia Bekyan (Unsplash+)

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

  • ItIsWhatIssss YTJ. Both his parents died and sure he had a month but he'd need more than that. Sounds like you didn't even have a conversation about extra support or a performance review, you just fired him. Yeah you should go F yourselves
    via u/ItIsWhatIssss
  • Someunluckystuff He's a young lad, who's just lost BOTH parents in such a horrific way. Are you that heartless, really? Did you really have to come on the internet to ask if you're a jerk, really? Are you that detached from human empathy?
    via u/Someunluckystuff
  • leolawilliams5859 JC how could your team possibly think that you were not the ah this man just lost his parents did you really expect him to come back and be working at full capacity. And instead of maybe giving him some time off tomorrow and grieve you decided oh well fuck it you're fired. Thank goodness I did not or do not work for you. Y'all are all a bunch of jerks
    via u/leolawilliams5859
  • Eastern-Eggplant4374 YTJ. Did you want to talk to him first like, "how are you, coping okay, counseling?" or just went straight to F you, you're fired.
    via u/Eastern-Eggplant4374
  • cupcakexoxoz You fired a grieving kid for being sad his parents are dead. He didn't tell you to go f*ck yourself because he's unprofessional. He told you because it was the most accurate and honest feedback you've probably ever received.
    via u/cupcakexoxoz
  • True-Struggle-9124 Yeah, sorry, YTJ. Both his parents just died. Of course he's not going to be performing well? | understand if you can't afford to pay him that amount in a job with high expectations... but i'm sure there could have been something you could have done to support him through this time. Or at least. try. He's just a kid! I'd apologise and try to make things right.
    via u/True-Struggle-9124
  • YTJ BigConfidence 1563 He lost BOTH OF HIS PARENTS in horrible accident and you gave him month leave and never followed up? The f you were thinking that would happen? That he will be all peachy after that time? I wish you fungating heamorroids.
    via u/BigConfidence1563
  • Jen0507 Oh man, that's not the nicest thing I've ever heard for sure. Did you talk to him, try to work with him, give him a PIP? Or were you all well sorry you're parents died but you suck now and we just don't think you're worth it. If you gave him zero discussions or opportunities for improvement, then yeah, you and your company are kind of big jerks.
    via u/Jen0507
  • Vegetable-Section-84 You are So disloyal heartless Hopefully your victim recovers and soon has: health, secure career doing interesting important work with excellent colleagues and excellent management, prosperity, friendships, security, LIFE Hopefully you have the day you deserve
    via u/Vegetable-Section-84
  • Jackrabbits4ever Just wow. I hope you never have your world completely destroyed and a few weeks later someone comes and kicks you down some more. Karma can be a bitch.
    via u/Jackrabbits4ever

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