Getting fired is never easy. Getting fired right before a planned vacation feels even worse. Our reader thought the timing was just bad luck — until they realized the situation gave them more leverage than HR expected. What happened next surprised all of us.
So, they tried to screw you over, that blows. You WERE SMART to get travel insurance. Since they technically, DID NOT terminate you, does your travel insurance know that? You don't want to get caught up in a fraud accusation. Make sure that your employer (at the time), doesn't mess up your claim.
Hi Bright Side,
I’d had my vacation approved for months. Two weeks off, flights booked, nonrefundable hotel paid. It was the first time in years I wasn’t bringing my laptop “just in case.”
The day before my flight, HR asked me to stop by.
They told me my role was being eliminated, effective immediately. No warning. No transition. Just “unfortunate timing.” When I asked about my vacation, they said, very calmly, “That won’t apply anymore.”
I went home stunned. I wasn’t thinking about revenge or policies — I was thinking about how much money I’d just lost.
That night, I forwarded my termination email to the travel insurance company, mostly out of desperation. I selected “job loss” as the reason for cancellation and attached the HR notice as proof.
The next morning, the insurer replied: they’d cover everything — flights, hotel, excursions — because my termination qualified as involuntary loss of income.
Here’s where it got interesting.
A few days later, HR emailed asking me to confirm whether I’d be “available” during my former vacation dates in case they needed clarification on my exit paperwork. I replied politely and CC’d payroll, asking whether I’d still be compensated for the previously approved time since I was now officially unemployed and available.
That email triggered something.
Within hours, HR called back, suddenly careful with their words. They explained they’d “miscommunicated” and that my termination date would be adjusted to after my scheduled vacation.
Which meant I was back on payroll for two more weeks.
They paid me to go on the trip anyway.
I spent that vacation interviewing, updating my resume, and signing an offer with another company — all while technically still employed.
When I returned, HR finalized the termination quietly. No apology. No explanation.
But the best part?
They paid for the time they tried to erase — and I left with a new job, no gaps, and my trip fully covered.
Sometimes the last laugh isn’t loud.
It’s just well-timed.
To the reader who shared this story with us — thank you. Speaking up about unfair treatment takes courage, and your experience may help others recognize when it’s time to protect their mental health.
Have a similar story? Share it in the comments — we’d love to hear it.
Awesome
Well played.
IF you WERE technically still employed, will your travel insurance STILL be covering your trip expenses? Make sure that you DON'T get caught in the middle of your companies BS. It could cost you more than your job. Like FRAUD charges.
Cheryl, agree with you! getting paid by the travel insurance company AND her employer is double-dipping, and the insurance company could come looking for their money since things changed and she wass again employed and covered for her holiday. She's be entitled to keep the travel insurance money if her employer had not rehired her back for the two weeks, but otherwise, insurer could make a good request for repayment to them of money they paid out to her....
1️⃣ Write Everything Down — Your Proof Is Your Power
Don’t rely on memory. Start keeping a record of every incident involving harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.
✔ Keep dates, times, and names
✔ Save emails, messages, and meeting notes
✔ Note any changes after your complaint (cold treatment, demotions, exclusion)
📌 If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen — at least not legally.
2️⃣ Follow Up — In Writing
If HR doesn’t respond, don’t chase them verbally. Email them.
“I’m following up on my complaint from [date]. Can you confirm the status and timeline for the investigation?”
Written follow-ups show that you tried to resolve things professionally. If they ignore you again, it’s no longer a mistake; it’s negligence.
3️⃣ Escalate — Go Above HR If You Need To
If HR remains silent, take it higher:
Your manager (if safe)
A department head or executive
Company ethics/compliance team
📖 Check your employee handbook — some companies require a second-level report.
4️⃣ Know Your Rights — Silence Is Not a Policy
You cannot be punished for reporting:
🚫 Harassment
🚫 Discrimination (race, gender, pregnancy, disability)
🚫 Retaliation after speaking up
🚫 Unsafe working conditions
If HR is ignoring serious claims, they may be violating labor laws — not you.
5️⃣ File an External Complaint (When Internal Fails)
If your company doesn’t act, outside agencies can:
EEOC — Discrimination & harassment
OSHA — Unsafe or harmful working conditions
Labor Board — Wage theft, overtime, retaliation
These agencies can investigate quietly — and your employer must cooperate.
6️⃣ Talk to an Employment Lawyer (Don’t Wait Too Long)
A short consultation can change everything. Lawyers can:
Request your employment records
Send legal warning letters
Stop retaliation before it escalates
Sometimes, just mentioning legal counsel makes HR suddenly take you seriously.
7️⃣ Protect Yourself From Retaliation
If you notice changes after reporting — that’s retaliation. Track things like:
⚠️ Schedule cuts
⚠️ Role changes
⚠️ Exclusion from meetings
⚠️ Sudden “performance concerns”
📌 Retaliation is illegal — and easier to prove than harassment itself.
If HR ignores your voice, it doesn’t mean your story ends there — it means you’ve reached the part where you fight back smarter.
I though in jobs where you get paid vacation and 401k and stuff like that, if quit or get fired, they have to pay you for the accrued time and return the money in the 401k to you. The same way that if you dont use vacation days by the end of the year and it doesn't roll over, the company cuts a check because you still earned it. Though it's been a long time since I got paid vacations or 401k so maybe its changed.
