It is a sad reality that companies often have to fire employees to cut budget or for any number of other reasons.

What would you do if your company fired you, but then immediately offered to bring you on as a temporary contractor to finish a project you were working on?

That is what happened to the software developer in this story, so he demanded double the pay and continued his job hunt.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

It’ll cost you more than that.

I was the sole developer building an app for a client.

My “manager”, let’s call him John, had no idea how app development worked and frequently asked questions revealing a breathtaking tech illiteracy that made me wonder whether he’d ever even seen a computer before.

He didn’t have our backs. He was only interested in pleasing the sales team and the people above him.

Software development can be very difficult.

I was extremely stressed out, doing my best to meet impossible checkpoint deadlines with no resources.

I got interrupted mid-day to attend a surprise meeting with all of the other developers.

We were all laid off, effective immediately. Stop what you’re doing. Pack your stuff. Turn in your badge.

I felt a mix of panic and relief.

I can see why he would feel this way.

Panic: I’m unemployed. I have very little runway in savings.

Relief: I don’t have to do this anymore. I don’t have to deal with John anymore. I don’t have to deal with the app or any of it.

I grabbed a box, scrawled “Ex-Box” on it with a sharpie, and started packing up.

Why would they fire him and then hire him on as a contractor?

John stopped by my desk and asked if I’d be interested in working on a contract basis to finish the app.

I hadn’t even left the building yet and John was asking me if I wanted to get paid to do the job I’d just been laid off from.

As much as I wanted to tell him off, I needed the job, so I told him yes.

John said he’d talk to upper management to figure out the details and he’d call me.

Good idea, never put this type of thing off.

I went home and dusted off my resume. Started job hunting. Talking to recruiters. Applying. Scheduling interviews.

A week later, John called. He’d talked to management and they’d agreed to pay me a perfectly reasonable amount on a contract basis to complete the app I’d been working on.

It was a lifeline that would keep me afloat until I found something else.

So, I was surprised to hear my mouth saying “I can’t do it for that amount. I’d need more.”

Good for him, he knows that he has John in a tight spot.

John sounded stunned and suddenly very nervous.

He had to deliver this app, and I was the only person who knew anything about how it worked and the state it was in.

He stammered, and asked how much I’d need to get it done.

Again, my mouth shoved my brain into a locker and–to my horror–said “Double. I’d need double that.”

This would be very scary.

I slapped my hand over my mouth. I’d obviously lost my mind.

I was sacrificing myself, spitting on a perfectly good offer, one that would keep me fed and warm under a roof, out of spite and bitterness toward John and The Company.

Silence.

I heard him go pale. “Um. What? Double? Okay. I see. I’ll go back and ask, but they’re not going to go for that. There’s no way.”

He sounds a lot calmer than he was.

“Okay. Welp. Let me know what they say.”

[click]

OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. What did I just do? Did I really just wave off the rescue boat? AUGH. I’m so stupid.

Well, this is very good news.

I land an interview a few days later. It goes incredibly well and seems like a good culture fit. They all but told me they’d be making me an offer.

I’m confident I’m about to have not just a job, but a job that is so much better than the one I’d been unceremoniously punted out of a few weeks before.

I’m finally starting to breathe again. I’m going to be okay.

Nice! Having two options is amazing.

The phone rings. It’s John. He sounds happy. He has amazing news.

“I can’t believe this, but management has agreed to pay you double the rate we initially offered you because we really need to get this across the finish line. Can you give me an estimate on how long you’ll need to finish it?”

”Sorry, John. I can’t do it. I’ve got something else lined up.”

Oh wow, I bet John was freaking out. Honestly, I think I would have taken both jobs and just done the contract one in the evenings for the extra money.

Let’s see what the people in the comments on Reddit have to say about this amazing situation.

Yes, this is the way.

This would have been so fun, and easy money.

Yes, his brain had his back.

I want to know too.

Yes, his brain was taking care of him.

He was in a position of negotiating power and didn’t even know it.

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.