Esthetician gets fired on the spot when med spa shuts down, former employer quickly realizes they still need her for a treatment only she can perform: ‘They just assumed I’d agree to help’

Cata Holmes • Writer

Aug 15, 2026 7:15 PM EDT

Firing a valuable employee is one way to learn a very expensive lesson…

A full-time esthetician was laid off effective immediately when her med spa announced it was temporarily closing. Two weeks later, her former employer started asking her to return for appointments. The problem? She's the only licensed person who can legally perform those treatments. Now, after already filing for unemployment, she's wondering why she should keep solving a staffing problem they created themselves.

I actually love when things like this happen to managers. Firstly, they open a spa and only four months later they decide to close that specific location and fire every single person that worked there. The one who got the most damage was the OP, because she was the only one who worked there full-time, doing services, taking appointments, and doing more administrative work.

Now, they decided to close the location, which is very sad, and she has to look for a new job as soon as possible. But here is when the funny part comes around. According to the story she shared in r/OfficePolitics, the same place contacted her because they still need them to take appointments, answer the phone, and basically keep doing all the work she did in the past.

But honestly, what exactly did they expect? You can't hand someone a letter saying their employment ends immediately and then casually call them two weeks later when you realize you still need their labor. If she was important enough to keep the appointments running, perhaps that should've crossed someone's mind before firing her.

The best part is that the OP isn't refusing to do a job she currently has. They're asking a former employee to return and fix the exact staffing problem they created by letting her go. At that point, helping them out isn't being a good employee anymore; it's doing a favor for the people who just left you unemployed.

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*Licensed esthetician performing a facial treatment similar to the services the former employee was asked to return and provide after being fired.*
*Models for explanatory purposes only.*

I was let go from my job about two weeks ago after the business had been open for four months (med spa). They said they were temporarily closing this location. I was paid hourly plus commission.

Esthetician + assistant... very important to know.

I performed treatments for commission and received hourly pay for admin/other tasks. If you've worked in beauty or aesthetics, you probably know exactly what I mean.

I was the only regular full-time employee. Everyone else was basically "as needed," so they weren't really laid off because they only come in when they have

Okay... pretty sad, but hey... what can you do, right? Being laid off is normal.

clients booked. I have a written letter saying I was laid off effective immediately, dated the same day they gave it to me.

I love when they realized they need their most valuable esthetician to come back ASAP.

Now this same place is asking me to come in and perform services. I'm the only licensed person there who can legally perform the specific type of treatment they're trying to schedule. Am I being

unreasonable for not wanting to go in? My employment with them ended, so I don't understand why I would go back to work for someone I'm no longer employed by.

Honestly, I feel like they messed up by laying me off because now they don't have a backup person to cover these appointments. I think they just assumed I'd agree to help them out and keep things running for them.

They also told me I qualified for unemployment in my state. I filed and am still waiting to hear back. Is this a way for them to mess up

my unemployment claim? I don't see how I could be qualified if I'm still going in to work for them after being end.

I'm not sure what the smartest move is right now and I need advice.

*Esthetician working at the front desk of a med spa before the location shuts down and she is laid off.*
*Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes.*

This comment section was very funny because most readers want the OP not to go back there at all. If they realized they didn't need her, then let's have them find a new person. She should find somewhere else to work, where they are more respectful of her time.

Useful-Search-1045 Time to renegotiate your split. Sounds like you can do a 70/30 split if you're the only they know to perform a certain service. Thats your negotiating power. Keep the 70% split and only come in when they book you. Forgo the hourly. And make sure you get a cancellation fee if clients book and cancel on you without notice...

sendmeyourdadjokes Part of unemployment is that you are actively seeking work. If the employer is offering you work and you decline, that could mess with yoh receiving the unemployment. Personal feelings aside (obviously theyre idiots) do you want/need a job?

Clear_Food2183 It sounds like they are playing games. I'd just leave them unread.

kmtblk Don't confuse an employee and bring a contract worker. Depends on how much money matters to you.

Transplant-SAM Sounds like you need to create an LLC and charge them your own rate for services. That should shut them up.

Esthetician treating a client at a med spa, the type of work the employee’s former employer still needed her to perform after laying her off. — *Esthetician treating a client at a med spa, the type of work the employee's former employer still needed her to perform after laying her off.*
*Stock photo unrelated.*

hisimpendingbaldness Negotiate a rate of pay for you to come back. Make sure it is much higher than you were receiving.

TerrificVixen5693 I'd send them an invoice and go from there on if you decide to go in or not.

mxldevs Tell them you are no longer employed there and if they would like some help, here are your rates as a licensed practitioner.

teamhog You either work directed or you don't. There's no gray area.

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