Location: Texas, Dallas
Hello everyone I’m in a really REALLY bad situation
Can’t afford an attorney so need a bit of help
I recently accepted a new job in Dallas while living in Georgia and the hiring manager told me that I’d need to relocate to Texas for the job and would need to be in the office at least 1-2days a week. I told them that was fine but I’d need 3 weeks to finish up the self relocation.
My wife quit her job in GA, we signed a 12 month lease and packed up and moved to Texas from GA. I was already in GA recovering from a previous layoff living in an Airbnb so it was easy to just pack up and go.
Fast forward about 7 weeks into the role my manager abruptly asks me if I can talk on a Friday and during the call he asks me how things are going from my perspective I said good as far as I can tell he says well “Ive got some concerns a laptop made it to a new hire a day late after we asked you to fix the onboarding process, the project we dropped in your lap a few weeks ago seem stuck and you’re too slow answering questions related to contracts and saas spend’
Mind you I JUST started the job and all the items he’d mentioned were in progress and I’d provided updates in our weekly 1:1s
Well a week and a half later after just 8 1/2 weeks after moving my whole life to Texas, putting my son in school and signing a 12 month lease I was fired. When I asked for a reason as to why my manager said “you’re just not a good fit” I asked how he was able to evaluate that after just 8 weeks and he said “we need someone who knows what to do, not someone who’s figuring it out as they go” mind you I have over a decade of experience so it felt like a made up reason.
Now one day before I was fired I found out I have to go on Chemo on TOP of everything else.
The employer sent me a severance offer for 2 months salary and 2 months reimbursed cobra but I used all my money on this move and literally have NO funds to pre pay for coverage and given this new diagnosis I can’t go without insurance.
I know Texas is an at will employment state but is there anything I can do legally in this situation?
I know business priorities shift but I can’t help but feel like this was a made up role the whole time maybe? Because who fires someone after just 8 weeks into a new job?
During the call the HR manager said “you didn’t do anything wrong and the company bears responsibility for this outcome, so we’re offering you 2 months severance”
It just feels really really wrong 😔
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!