Photo: TikTok
She says she felt incredibly disrespected after dedicating five years of her life to working for the company, only for them to replace her.
By Nia Tipton — Written on Apr 16, 2023
After returning to work after being out for some time, a woman was shocked and disheartened to learn that her job position had been given to someone else.
In a TikTok video, Sarah Martin, tearfully explained that she had shown up to her first day back at work after being gone for an extended amount of time. However, as soon as she walked through the door, she learned that the position she had been doing for the last several years was no longer hers.
Martin quit her job of five years after learning she had been replaced as manager after returning from sick leave.
In Martin's video, she shared that she was forced to quit her job, despite how much she had loved working there over the last five years. Despite how much she enjoyed her job, Martin knew she couldn't stay there after what had recently happened.
"I just quit my job. I'm pretty emotional because I love my job," she admitted. "I'm really good at what I do." Sitting in the car after having just left her employment minutes before, Martin said she couldn't keep driving anymore and had to pull over so she could talk about the entire ordeal.
"I have been working at this company for a little over five years, and I just walked out today." For the last three years, Martin had been working as a lead manager overseeing her own team of employees.
What she described as being a "slap in the face," Martin had been out of work through a pre-approved sick leave due to having surgery, but when she returned for her first day back, she was shocked to learn that her position as lead manager had been given to someone else.
"They replaced me today," she revealed. "They brought a guy in and they're like, 'This is your new lead.' He's gonna be the new guy, it's not me anymore."
Not only was Martin thoroughly taken aback by the news, but her team had similar reactions. Left with no other choice, Martin, a mother-of-five, said she simply quit in response to the news.
"I don't have a job lined up, I don't have anything lined up," she cried. "But I couldn't stay there another minute, I couldn't." She also pointed out that it wasn't worth it to stay there when she was only making $16.70 an hour, which she claimed is "nothing" to live off of.
By her employer replacing her at the drop of a hat, Martin rightfully felt disrespected by a company she had been with for half a decade. "I don't know what I'm going to do next, but I'm never going back there."
People offered Martin words of encouragement and promised that she was better off not working for a company like that.
In the comments section, many people sympathized with Martin's situation, while others demanded to know if such a thing was even legal.
Martin clarified that her job didn't offer Family and Medical leave, so while she was out sick, she wasn't getting paid. According to Society for Human Resource Management, employers are not required to disclose to an employee any reason for suddenly changing their job title, duties, schedule, or work location.
Since Martin's job didn't offer FMLA, her position wasn't protected under the act while she was out on sick leave.
"Don't ever look back and say [you] did the wrong thing," one TikTok user pointed out. "You did the right thing."
Another user added, "I feel you. You know your worth and you will find better, and will have respect!"
Martin also shared in the comments section that she had secured four interviews for different jobs that she had lined up and was even recently hired by a company that paid more than her previous job did.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics.