I worked at a small startup for almost 4 years. I joined when the company was basically just an idea and helped build a lot of the systems and operations from the ground up. I also have an equity stake in the company.
Recently, I was let go. The reasoning was mostly financial, the industry is taking a hit right now and cash flow isn’t great, so they wanted to pay me out while they still could.
They’ve offered to pay out accrued vacation, prorated vacation for this year, and a few weeks of pay in lieu of notice, with an additional week conditional on signing paperwork.
That said, I’m feeling a bit off about the situation. They kept another employee who makes less than me but (in my opinion) contributes significantly less. Myself and another manager were often picking up her slack.
Now that I’ve been let go, they’ve reached out this weekend asking for two things: passwords and help locating a document.
I already provided the passwords, but I don’t feel comfortable continuing to do tasks after termination, especially outside of regular working hours.
I don’t want to come across as difficult, but I also don’t want my willingness to help to be taken advantage of.
My questions: 1. Am I obligated to help with things like this after termination? 2. Is it reasonable to draw a boundary and stop responding to these types of requests? 3. Could refusing to help impact my payout or severance in any way?
Appreciate any insight.