Getting fired is bad enough without your employer acting as if you owe them something.

So, what would you do if you were suddenly fired without a clear explanation, and then the very next day, they were frantically trying to get ahold of you? Would you call them back immediately to see what they want? Or would you take your time because you’re technically on vacation?

In the following story, one man finds himself in this situation and is not in a position to help them immediately. Here’s what’s going on.

Fired out of nowhere, now my old employer is blowing up my phone about “equipment returns” less than 24 hours later. What is going on?

So I was recently fired from my job in a way that still does not make sense to me.

No warnings, no prior concerns, no performance issues ever raised. Just a sudden meeting with leadership where I was told vague things about “fit” and “timelines,” but when I asked for examples, they literally could not give me a single one.

I’m still wrapping my head around it because up until that moment, I had every reason to believe I was doing well. I had recently delivered a big project that went smoothly, the client renewed for additional work, and leadership publicly praised it.

They started blowing him up the next day.

I also genuinely liked my coworkers and made a point of recognizing people and showing appreciation. So this was… jarring, to say the least.

Here’s where things get weird.

Not even 24 hours after firing me, my former employer starts blowing up my inbox and phone about “the dimensions of the equipment.”

I’m returning.

Now, the company owner wants to speak with him.

Not “hey, just ship it back when you can,” but multiple emails a day from the single HR person, plus missed calls. Then, out of nowhere, the company owner sends me a vague message asking if I’m “available to talk this afternoon.”

I had clearly marked PTO on my work calendar for Friday through Sunday. I was literally in the desert, very off-grid, with no service. And they’re still firing off messages like I’m ignoring them.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting here still trying to process getting fired, and they’re acting like I’m holding their equipment hostage.

He can’t help but think it might be positive, but he knows better.

Part of me irrationally wants to believe the owner is reaching out because someone realized the firing was rushed or handled poorly.

But the realistic part of me knows it’s probably just another angle to get me on the phone so they can pressure me about the return process or verify my location.

For the record, I fully intend to return everything promptly and professionally. I’m not trying to keep anything.

All he’s left with is a bunch of questions.

But I cannot get over how insensitive and tone deaf it feels to immediately harass someone for logistics less than a day after terminating them. Especially when they knew I had PTO planned and would be nowhere near home.

I have so many questions: Has anyone dealt with this? Is this normal? Are they trying to intimidate me? Cover themselves legally? Or am I reading too much into it because the timing is just so awful?

Any perspective would be appreciated. I’m still pretty shaken and trying to make sense of why they’re acting like this.

Wow! This poor guy sounds really stressed out.

Let’s check out if the folks at Reddit have any advice.

This is a great point.

Yet another reason they may be desperate.

For this person, he should make them wait.

Yet another person who thinks he should take his time.

They really messed up, and that’s not on him.

He should return their calls and equipment when it’s convenient for him.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.