Well your response implies that I am irresponsible or that I don’t work well with others. Why would I honestly post this topic if there was a legit reason for them letting me go. If there was a legit reason I would not have went on to treebuzz to post this topic. I wasn’t aware that every single detail needed to be put out there. I was simply putting it out there for general discussion. I also like how guys are so critical and quick to jump to conclusions that “there has to be a reason.” It’s too bad this community nor any community of arborists seems to be very supportive these days. Everything is a pissing contest. I guess arborist comradery is a dying thing. The original question or topic was not “I’m not a good employee....” Anyway, thanks from the few guys that actually had something positive to say. People are not always fired because they were assholes or bad employees. Did you ever stop for one second to think that maybe, just maybe, there’s a possibility that there are not good employers out there that screw over employees for their own gain? Aren’t we all human? Whether employee or employer nobody is perfect. I was and always have strived to be “top employee” no matter where I am at. I have a wife and 4 kids so being irresponsible is not on my agenda sir. Again, had I obviously been negligent, disrespectful, dishonest, irresponsible, or had done anything else that would have been an OBVIOUS reason for my termination, this post would not exist. This was for simple discussion of being passionate about what you do. This was not a trial of whether I was a good employee or not. Please read original post carefully.
Yeah, the thing about this termination that bothers me is the blindside aspect of it. I have worked in an industry in which every job is temporary, only lasting until a project is complete. When an individual ends up leaving the project, how far along in the process, is variable, however. When the project is in full swing, they need all hands on deck, and everyone's job is pretty secure, within limits. As the jobs start winding down, though, and the companies need fewer and fewer people, they have to make choices about who to keep, and who to let go. I take no offense when it is my time to go, because I know they are just playing a game of chess, and I'm just one of the pieces on the board. They must make these choices. I'm generally just grateful that they were able to provide me with work for as long as they did.
At times like those, when they are simply reducing the number of employees because of a lack of need for so many, they issue a layoff that is referred to as a "reduction in force", and if they were happy with the work you did for them, and had no problems with you, they check a box that says "Eligible for rehire". All of this is also known as "getting a clean layoff". Which is what it sounds like your employer gave to you.
The point I was working up to here is that sometimes when a job is winding down, or work is becoming more scarce, people give off subtle hints that your time for a layoff may be coming soon. Sometimes they turn out to be false cues, but often the hints that are picked up on turn out to be true. It can help you to plan your next steps if you see a layoff impending.
The thing that strikes me about your layoff is that your boss either had some kind of an issue with you that he felt could not be changed by talking to you about it, or it was just a money thing. Possibly he felt he was paying more for your services than he felt he was getting back in value. Or he just was having a hard time finding enough work to justify keeping you. I'm wondering if the boss is able to climb and cut himself, so that if he laid you off, he'd just jump in and do the work himself, and save himself the money that your wages and benefits were costing him. I don't know if his business was that small or not.
I know I've jumped into making a comment here at an earlier part of this thread, and that all of this stuff might have been discussed already. I just need to read through to the end of the thread to find that stuff out. I thought I'd comment anyway, while these thoughts were fresh in my mind.
Good luck with future opportunities.
Tim
