Worked for a 3 person startup in app test automation. Owner had connections with pharma and we automated test suites via FDA spreadsheets in QTP. I took a salary hit to work there, owner knew it and after 6 months he provided a 90 day performance based salary increase. If I hit (his) goals, every 30 days he would increase my salary by 5K. I nailed all the goals and was brought close to market value after 3 months. The last 30 days was especially tough as, my only co-worker(3rd co worker slept all day and was retiring) was out on leave bc his father died. So, it was up to me. I completed the performance based goals at the end of November and got my raise. In December, I found out my Father was terminal with ALS. With my co-worker back at work by the end of December, I asked for 5 days off during the Xmas break to go visit my Dad. The owner fired me on the spot. He said that I wasn’t interested in meeting the FDA plan he set out in Q1 and to leave. Not a right-to-work state obviously, and it took everything inside of me not to resort to violence, at that point. Absolutely true story, and it still burns me up; he never even paid out my accrued PTO so, add theft to the list of offenses here.