(MENAFN- Live Mint) A Reddit post has sparked conversation online after a user claimed they were abruptly fired from their job without warning - only to have their former employer repeatedly contact them within 24 hours demanding the return of office equipment.

The user, posting under the handle DustyJames3 on the subreddit r/antiwork, wrote that they were let go in a sudden meeting where company leaders cited vague concerns about“fit” and“timelines.” When the employee asked for specific examples or performance issues, they allegedly received none.

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According to the post, the firing came as a shock because the user believed they were performing well. They had recently completed a major project that reportedly led to a client renewal and even public praise from company leadership.“So this was... jarring, to say the least,” the user wrote.

What followed, however, left the employee even more confused.

Within hours of being terminated, the company allegedly began sending multiple emails and missed calls regarding the“dimensions of the equipment” the employee needed to return. Instead of a simple request to ship it back, the user described the messages - including several from HR and one from the company owner - as persistent and urgent.

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The post notes that the employee had already marked upcoming paid time off on their work calendar and was travelling in a remote desert location with no phone service when the calls began.“I'm sitting here still trying to process getting fired, and they're acting like I'm holding their equipment hostage,” the user wrote.

Despite planning to return all company property“promptly and professionally,” the user said the timing and tone of the messages felt“insensitive and tone deaf.” They questioned whether the company was attempting to intimidate them, cover itself legally, or simply mishandling the termination process.

“Part of me irrationally wants to believe the owner is reaching out because someone realized the firing was rushed or handled poorly,” they added.“But realistically, it's probably just another angle to pressure me about the return process or verify my location.”

The post has drawn wide engagement, with several Reddit users sharing similar experiences. Many suggested that companies often become hyper-focused on asset recovery immediately after a termination for compliance or financial reasons. Others said the sudden firing combined with the urgent equipment requests could indicate internal miscommunication or fear of liability.

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The user ended their post by asking:“Has anyone dealt with this? Is this normal? Are they trying to intimidate me? Cover themselves legally?”

The thread continues to receive responses from workers around the world, reflecting broader frustrations with opaque workplace practices, abrupt dismissals and poor communication during offboarding.

Internet reacts

A user wrote,“Tell them to send you a prepaid shipping label and you'll return it. Don't box it up and return on your own dime.”

Another user wrote,“You want to return items via registered mail because you want proof the items were received. Too many people drop stuff off or send it back and the business later claimed they didn't because Dave in reception or Sue in stores didn't let the appropriate person know the items had been returned.”

“Let 'em sweat. Relish in their anxiety. Don't make them any sort of priority. Let them know they don't matter to you. You know they'll get their junk back. They obviously care as little as they can about catering to your needs, so don't you dare cater to theirs,” the third user wrote.

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