I’d like to keep it somewhat vague just in case my employer browses this sub. My current role is being removed from the company, completely. I was told this after the fact, and there have been attempts to offer me a new role in the company, but not without some complications:
1. The new role is absolutely outside of my scope, skill level, and interests. Think food inspector vs front of house.
2. I’ve been told I will have no support moving forward, and if something goes wrong everyone will blame me. Apparently, it’s historiocally a role everyone holds accountable for these things.
3. They’re aware of my language limitations as this role will require native Japanese, and upon my original hire that was not necessary. This is being used as a deterrent on their side to make sure I’m wary about taking the role.
While I would take the role to try it on and see, I’d much rather not. In a perfect situation, if offered a severance package I would voluntarily resign so they can hire someone competent for the role. They’re actively looking for someone now for it anyways.
I’ve already reached out to the Tokyo Employment Consultation Center, but would love to know if anyone has experienced something similar. Thank you all and I hope everyone is staying as cool as they can in this heat!
19 comments
That’s tough and sorry to hear. They likely have a strong case for if/when you fail in the new role.
They can even excuse their current candidate search under the assumption you might decline the position.
Either take the role and hang on for a bumpy ride, they fact they offer this means they know there are rules they should observe so it’s likely you’d get a few months of performance management before being exited.
By the implied industry I’m suspect they don’t throw money around on large severances.
If there isn’t another role you can target you might want to think about how many month you’d need to find a new job. Then do you want to get for severance or do that job hunting whilst struggling in the new role.
Oh. Is there any needed role in the company you could do currently occupied by a native Japanese speaker? If so. Propose that you take that role and move the incumbent to the role from hell. This will make them realize this isn’t simply a case of your lack of language skills.. and could at least open the door to severance package discussions..
In general if severance is on the table it would already be offered/discussed. What I’m afraid for you OP, this isn’t the case and they are expecting you’re the one resigning from what I read what you described.
Ask if there is a severance program/package. If not, take the role (if that is all that is available), ask for support/training.
Separately in either case start looking for a job.
They are being quite unprofessional so take the job and return the favor. Do the bare minimum and call in sick from time to time. If they let you go, you get your employment insurance to pay out while you find a new job right?
Do not resign voluntarily. They will owe you nothing if you do.
I’ve heard of this practice before in Japan where people are asked to resign. Pretty sure the reason is it’s cheaper for the company as they wouldn’t owe you any severance etc. Personally I don’t think I’d resign rather I’d look for another job and then let them fire me.
Maybe you should try telling them like it is: if you leave of your own accord you don’t get unemployment benefits for two months, but if they terminate you, you can get them straight away. If you put it on the table they might come round to it. Otherwise, I suggest you don’t move and make life as difficult form them as possible..and look for a new job at the same time.
I don’t know what type of relationship you have with your boss but try being frank. Say that you could accept the new, unsuitable role and struggle for months, which will be financially detrimental to the company since you’ll most likely be unproductive and require a lot of help (which they’re clearly not willing to provide). We can continue like this indefinitely combined with months of performance management until the company is in a position to legally fire you, at which point you can qualify for unemployment. Or, they can just offer you a few months severance and everyone part ways less stressed and happy.
ya seriously take the job and purposefully fuck around.
they wanna fuck you then go ahead and fuck them.
What they are attempting to do is illegal – specifically the change of role *without training or support*. They have a legal obligation to provide you with the training and tools needed to successfully perform your job. It’s quite clear that they are attempting to force you to resign.
Document everything as you go, starting from everything you documented in this post. In particular, if your current position magically re-opens after you’ve taken on the new role, that’s a huge red flag that can support your case.
Document the lack of support – and request all the training and support you need, including language training. Request it before you start the role. Document the refusals. Let them try to send you down the river, then you will have something to work with if you end up needing to take legal action.
In the meantime, look for a new position on the side – there’s no way you have a future at this organisation anymore.
Tl;Dr they want you gone without having to pay for it. Listen to hoon for what you should do.
As for experience:
Former manager went through something similar. Big boss hated him, and wanted him gone. So started with the same behaviour as what you’re going through. He was stubborn, so powered through, and adapted to his new position.
Then came the attempts at bullying and passive aggressive bs. Didn’t faze him, as literally all of us other employees had his back over the big boss and didn’t join in on the bullying.
Eventually big boss got annoyed the bs didn’t work and just fired him without notice. Long story short: He sued for unlawful termination, won and got a nice payout. We laugh about the idiot big boss to this day.
How long have you been working there? Are you able to do the new job under your current visa?
By the sound of it you should ask for a promotion. Especially since it will be much harder work… Imagine their faces when they are trying to get you to quit and you all for a promotion… Also do you know how much someone doing that job is making? A promotion will add to their expenses when they eventually try to sack you. you could get a job like on the show silicon valley where you just hang out on the roof all day while getting paid.
Obviously you might have to sacrifice a good reference/referral.
Alternatively you could approach them with your own severance conditions. You could make your conditions slightly more palatable for the company so as to encourage this route…. Like…I won’t report you and I want this much money to part ways. Sorry. I don’t have any precedent for this. I’m just thinking out loud.
Also, how easy could you find another job elsewhere and how are you doing for cash?
It sucks that you are being put in this situation.
I hope it all works out for the best.
You’re in a tough spot. I would just say cowabunga dude let’s give it a shot. Worst comes to worst they fire you in which case $$$
This is a lot like what a former job of mine (a Dentsu subsidiary) did. The guy who hired me for his own planned project got promoted to the head office and nobody else there knew what to do with me, so they put me on cold-calling sales (in Japanese) to try and drive me out.
I hung on long enough to get a transfer into a position at Dentsu that was much friendlier and where I could actually be productive, but it did a number on my health (and it says something that Dentsu was the less stressful option!)
Lawyer up. Msg me if you want more deets.
Don’t resign, get terminated.
I’m dealing with this right now. Got terminated and they’re offering me jack shit. Thanks to people on reddit and the lawyers that gave me free consultation, I’m fighting the termination, looking to get a contract payout or remain on the payroll and have a job I’m technically not working.
Japan labor laws favor the employee.
I was strong armed into “voluntarily” resigning by the CEO of an international company that had an office in Tokyo. They were laying other people off too but bc I was in Japan I had to “voluntarily resign”.
My advice is to know your rights, ask for more, and get a lawyer involved.
DO NOT EVER RESIGN VOLUNTARILY. As others have pointed out, they are doing something illegal, you need to talk to a lawyer, check your ward. Or check for a union free consultation. Check into Tozen union, I think they do those.
A similar thing happened to my wife.
Basically what the company was doing was completely illegal, and she recorded the video calls she had with HR where they admitted to everything. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to win a significant amount of money in court and the margin gets even thinner after paying lawyer fees.
My wife decided it wasn’t worth the trouble considering all of the issues she already had with the company previously and wanted to get out anyway. She called them out on the illegal stuff, told them she had recorded evidence, but would shut up and leave for an appropriate severance. She ended up walking with about a year’s worth of pay after only working there for less than two years.