How would you have handled this work situation? PS - I need a new job asap.

[LeeH]

Semi-short version of the story is that the company where I've been working since April made some decisions based on growth that didn't happen. Cashflow has been crazy tight long before I got there. The changes made it worse. A few weeks ago the owner was seriously considering shutting the whole thing down.

I had a choice. Collect a few more paychecks as the ship sank, or disclose that as the company's accounting dude and someone with experience running small businesses, that one difficult decision might eek the company out of the red and into the black.

Fire me.

The office was woefully overstaffed for a company this size. Then the scheduler quit after her hours were cut back in an effort to save money. The office manager, who had plenty of spare time, took over the scheduling. I knew she was smart and still had lots of free time during the day. I've spent years teaching accounting and QuickBooks and knew I could have her doing 80% of my job in a couple of weeks.

The owner agreed that this was the best course of action considering all the circumstances. Not sure if the company will survive or not. The office manager will expect and probably deserve a raise if she can handle everything. Still, the company is saving significant cash with an office staff of 1 instead of 3.

I've had few friends say I was crazy for what I did, but I really think the company and 14 employees would have crashed otherwise. It still may, but they have a chance now. Just didn't see riding that sinking ship to the bottom. After exhausting all my suggestions to conserve funds, I was the last straw. Would you have handled it differently?

Sigh. Trying to do some soul searching before beginning the job search. I desperately want to do something where I'm self employed or close to it, but health insurance takes a big bite out of anything I would do solo. I'm open to suggestions.

[Jim Bremner]

good on you, I hope that you land on your feet quickly

[DanielDudley]

Lee, my wife just did the exact same thing. But that alone won't save a company.

You are destined for better things.

[tevake]

There is something to be said for doing the right thing, especially when it costs you personally.

To me knowing that a person can look beyond their self interest and act for the betterment of the company. That kind of quality should attract the next employer's interest.

Good on you Lee, you did the right thing!

No ideas on the next job, but wishing you the best in finding a good one.

Cheers Richard

[aap1966]

Originally Posted by tevake

There is something to be said for doing the right thing, especially when it costs you personally.

To me knowing that a person can look beyond their self interest and act for the betterment of the company. That kind of quality should attract the next employer's interest.

Good on you Lee, you did the right thing!

No ideas on the next job, but wishing you the best in finding a good one.

This.

[svandamme]

I've done the same thing before, company went tits up anyway because of upper mgmt in other country, being complete tools.
but i still meet up with many of the ex team, and found a much better job.

Don't see it as lost job, see it as right time to find a better one.

[KFC911]

Remember that tune...sometimes it appllies to career choices too

Sail on down the line....

You'll find a cooler breeze in no time...good move imo...

[T77911S]

nice to see there are still good people in the world.
not sure how most sleep at night

[Porsche-O-Phile]

You did the ethical and proper thing - for you and the company. Don’t look back. You deserve better than living in constant fear of the whole thing going bust anyway. Find a better place on more stable footing and use your skills to make them even stronger.

Doing the right thing is never a bad idea. You did.

[masraum]

You did the right thing.

[wdfifteen]

I would have asked for a piece of the company. If you had asked for a partnership you could have gotten another job, worked part time saving the failing company (which obviously needs you), and maybe come out on the other end with a good job and a piece of a profitable company.
If the company failed you would be out nothing but time.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Often times doing the right thing is not the easy thing. You did the right thing. Kudos to you sir.

[ckelly78z]

Even if a severence package wasn't offered to you for doing the right thing, couldn't you now collect unemployment, or is being fired a no-go for collecting ?

It makes me wonder how you would explain the situation to your next potential employer.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just tell the truth. Say "I had a fiduciary duty to the company and as part of that I felt it was my duty to inform them that I was costing them too much and should be let go in order to give them the best chance of survival". What's wrong with that? If any HR doofus wanted to take issue with that, I'd walk out of the interview - I don't want to work for them anyway.

[Noah930]

You did the right thing. Hopefully, if you need references for future employment, your former employer will return the favor.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

You did the ethical and proper thing - for you and the company. Don’t look back. You deserve better than living in constant fear of the whole thing going bust anyway. Find a better place on more stable footing and use your skills to make them even stronger.

Doing the right thing is never a bad idea. You did.

POP beat me to the punch.

-What would I do? Don't second guess your decision. You can't change it so own it and trust you did the best thing.
-That said, you reap what you sow. You have a blessing coming to you for doing the right thing.
-I have worked for a company that had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. It sucks dreading the impending doom.

Take a few days mini vacation with a pre-defined end day. Reset your brain. Move forward with a positive attitude that you can feel good about the future.

[911boost]

+1 to everything so far.

Good job.

[sammyg2]

Overheard at a Job interview:

HR: "What's your greatest weakness?"
Prospective employee: " My honesty."

HR: "I really don't think honesty is a weakness."
Prospective employee:"I don't give a **** what you think."



And you want to be my latex salesman ...

[Evans, Marv]

You did the right thing. The end result for you would have been the same - just postponed a bit. I would discuss the type of reference you should get with your former boss. It could be a big plus when the next job possibility comes around.

[porsche4life]

Sorry to hear this lee! We are hiring right now but the start date won’t be until after Jan 1st.