Worker Fired From Her Job Via Text Message 3 Days Before Christmas
When one door closes, another opens.
Antenna / Unsplash Most people have their fair share of stories about toxic workplaces and terrible bosses. It’s almost a rite for members of the American workforce to commiserate together over their professional struggles.
It seems harder now to find stable, consistent work than in years past, as one woman learned after losing her job at an unfortunate time.
A worker was fired from her job via text message just 3 days before Christmas.
Minnah Mac revealed how she got fired, saying, “I got up this morning, I got ready for work, got in the shower, ate breakfast and everything, then I get a text message.”
“Good morning,” the text began. “Please don’t come in today. Westgate Resorts has terminated your employment with the company effective as of today, December 22, 2023. Thank you for your time and I wish you success in all your endeavors.”
Mac described her rollercoaster of emotions after getting fired by text, starting with disbelief, eventually landing on feeling fine.
“I think I’m straight,” she said. “I think this is God, I think I probably shouldn’t be working for a company like that.”
Photo: Mimi Thian / Unsplash
Despite the harsh delivery of the news, she seemed to be in high spirits, accepting that the job wasn’t the right fit for her.
She believed that the company was dishonest and essentially asked herself, “Who would want to be a part of that company, anyway?”
Four days earlier, Mac shared a post in which she expressed concern that she was going to get fired. She was sent home from work because of something that was flagged on her background check which she declined to explain further.
“I’m pretty sure at this point they’re going to call me and fire me, so, yeah,” she said. “Back to the drawing board.”
Mac made a follow-up post in response to comments that it’s illegal to fire workers via text, noting it’s actually not illegal to do so in California.
“It is frowned upon and unprofessional, but it is not illegal,” she said. Yet her struggles with her former workplace seemed to be ongoing, as she's yet to be given her last paycheck.
“I noticed that I didn’t get my check; they’re basically giving me a hard time, they’re saying I need to take it up with the accounting department,” she shared. “I asked how to contact the accounting department and I didn’t get a response back.”
Photo: Andrew Neel / Unsplash
“So, yeah, they didn’t give me my check,” she reiterated. However, California employment law holds that employees who are terminated receive their final paycheck immediately, according to California Labor Code 201.
Despite the legality of a termination via text, it more importantly calls into question the integrity of the company.
You can tell a lot about a company by the way they deliver difficult news. For the company to fire Mac by text shows that their communication skills left much to be desired.
There’s truth to be found in the saying that when one door closes, another opens. While being fired right before Christmas isn’t the best timing, Mac can look forward to a future position where the management maintains direct lines of communication and doesn’t rely on text to give people bad news.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.