Work & Employment Crises
82 guides
Browse PanicStation.org guides for stressful workplace and employment situations.
These guides cover moments such as missing pay, sudden changes at work, pressure from managers, investigations, disciplinary worries, difficult HR contact, workplace messages, unpaid work pressure, or confusion about what to say next.
PanicStation.org provides general information only. It is not employment advice, legal advice, union advice, financial advice, or professional representation.
a client disputes your work and stops payment while deadlines are still approaching a client or customer is being verbally abusive and you are expected to keep engaging a client stops responding after you submit an invoice that is now overdue a colleague sends you aggressive or intimidating messages outside of working hours a customer or client is threatening you online because of your job a former employer is contacting your new workplace without warning a freelance platform suspends your account while you have active work in progress a manager asks you for detailed medical information a recruiter asks you to start work before you have a signed contract a staffing agency changes your assignment end date with little explanation HR is ignoring your reports of repeated unwanted behaviour at work and the situation is escalating you are accused of time fraud or timesheet discrepancies at work you are asked to approve time records for others when you cannot verify them you are asked to be a witness in an internal workplace investigation you are asked to pay for a work purchase with your own money you are asked to pay for training or equipment before starting a new job you are asked to send passport or ID scans over an insecure channel urgently you are asked to share your work login details or approve an unexpected multi-factor prompt you are being targeted or bullied in a hostile work group chat you are contacted by an external investigator or lawyer about your workplace and are unsure what to share you are copied into an internal email about you that suggests misconduct or dismissal you are instructed to do work that requires a certification or license you do not have you are locked out of your payroll or HR system before a deadline you are placed on a performance improvement plan unexpectedly you are placed on paid leave during your notice period with no clear explanation you are presented with a new non-compete or restrictive covenant after you resign you are removed from a client account and the client asks what happened you are suddenly moved to a different team or manager after a conflict at work you are suspended from work pending an investigation you are threatened with legal action over a mistake made at work you are told a work complaint must be handled informally and you are uncomfortable with that you are told not to contact certain colleagues while a workplace matter is being reviewed you are told to start working on-call immediately without prior agreement you are told you must switch from employee to contractor status immediately you are told your background check has failed after you have already started your job you are told your company is being sold and your employment terms may change you discover false or inaccurate information in your personnel file or HR record you discover rumours about your performance are being circulated at work you get repeated password reset emails for work accounts you did not request you have a mandatory work training deadline approaching but have not been scheduled or assigned to complete it you hear credible rumours of layoffs in your department you lose access to your work email and systems without warning you lose your company ID badge and are worried it could be misused you notice emails or messages being sent from your work account that you did not send you receive a demand to return company equipment with threats of action you receive a formal disciplinary hearing notice at work you receive a legal letter from your employer alleging a breach of contract you receive a legal threat from a former employer about contacting clients or colleagues you receive a suspicious email asking you to change your payroll or direct deposit bank details you receive an urgent message asking you to buy gift cards or make a payment for work you receive unexpected account verification or welcome emails at your work address you sent confidential information or a file to the wrong person at work you suspect someone is using your name to approve purchases or invoices at work your approved time off is cancelled with very short notice your building access badge stops working and you are told to wait outside your commission or bonus is withheld or missing from your paycheck your employer announces the business is entering bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings your employer asks to search your personal phone or laptop for a workplace investigation your employer changes your pay, hours, or other terms of your employment your employer changes your resignation notice period after you have handed it in your employer is reviewing roles and has asked for an updated CV or resume your employer or provider tells you your benefits or health coverage have been cancelled unexpectedly your employer refuses or limits your job reference your employer refuses to accept your resignation and insists you stay longer your employer says you must repay an overpayment immediately your employer says you must repay training costs when you resign your employer says your bonus is being clawed back unexpectedly your employer tells you to relocate or change your work location your employer threatens to report you to your professional licensing or certification board your employer warns you that they may not be able to pay your wages your final paycheck is delayed and you are told it will be sorted later your manager demands you attend a meeting while you are on medical leave your new job start date is postponed after you have already resigned your overtime or shift premiums are missing from your pay your pay does not arrive on payday your pay statement shows an unexpected deduction you do not recognise your probation period is being extended unexpectedly your professional certification or license is expiring soon and you cannot renew it in time your work expense card is frozen or declined while you are travelling your work schedule changes to nights or weekends with little warning your workplace closes suddenly and you cannot get clear information about your final pay your workplace retirement contributions have not been paid into your plan