Cancer treatments and recovery sometimes require employees to take a considerable amount of time off work.

In today’s story, one cancer survivor thought his company was supportive of his recovery, but when he returned, his boss wasn’t supportive at all!

In the end, the employee gets back at the boss by doing a good job.

Let’s see how the story unfolds.

Want to put me on Performance Review for having Cancer? Ok…

After several checks, it was confirmed I had cancer and had to be in hospital for a while.

I worked in Recruitment, and to my knowledge (to my face/in calls to me anyway), my company was supportive of my battle.

Whilst at home recovering from an op that I had to have to remove the cancer and to help with recovery, I kept on working/kept up with my clients etc, even though I took three months off unpaid leave – I just wanted to show my company that although I was off (like I asked for cancer or something 🙄), and also wanted to show them that I was grateful of their support and understanding of what I was going through.

This was not how OP expected the Director to react.

During this time I made several high profile placements, and due to most having long notice periods (technical Directors etc) they wouldn’t start for a few months and we invoice/bill clients on start date.

The pipeline I had generated was worth $200k in a single month – which was the highest ever in the 10 year history of the company (a very good month would be about $20k-30k generated).

When I came back, I had a meeting with the Director, and I was about to thank him for his support etc and to excitedly tell tell him about my pipeline, however before I could, he said he was happy I was healthy, however he “had to put me on Performance Review for missing a critical time in the business and for not hitting my targets”.

There was no point in arguing.

I looked at him and said “As you know, I had Cancer and also took the time off as unpaid”

Director: “Yes, however not meeting KPI’s whilst still employed by us means I have to do this to be fair to others in the team”

I looked at him shocked, but then did the math in my head, and just said “Ok”.

Now it takes about 30 days for payment to hit our accounts. So I bid my time.

The truth came out at the monthly meeting.

That week the first batch of my new placements dropped.

I quietly invoiced.

The next week more followed.

Third week our division had our monthly meeting where we each have to share the pipeline for that month.

It got to me, and I said “I’m currently on $161k, and have another $40k pending.

I wish I could’ve seen his reaction!

You should have seen his face!

His boss was at that meeting also.

Most of my team knew what had happened to me and had my back and smirked.

We got paid commission monthly, and I knew I had another 5 weeks before these would be paid out.

OP didn’t work for this company much longer.

So I just quietly worked, and luckily was also approached by one of my internal clients that wanted me to come work internally for them (I am actually still with them to this day!)

As soon as that wedge of commission dropped, I called a meeting with the Director.

He was all smiles and said “OP, I knew there would be no hard feelings about having to put you on performance review, and we are taking you off it. I see now it was completely unnecessary”.

Nothing would make OP stay.

I told him thanks, but I was giving him my notice. I said that “Having gone through the stress of what I had to go through, really made me think what was important at the end of the day”.

He and his boss (his boss apparently did not know about the Performance Review – dunno if true or not) tried to make me stay by offering raises and promotions etc.

I, of course refused.

A couple of people I know are still there, and to this day, my record of highest biller in that company still stands.

That boss definitely had to eat his words.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Beating cancer is the best part of this story.

He definitely left “with a bang.”

Here’s another nightmare job story.

The director really was sending the wrong message.

This is a good point.

Talk about a toxic workplace!

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.