I Just Got Fired - Long.

[Mom2Nick]

Yes, and in this excellent, booming economy that you are enjoying I am sure quitting their jobs is an ideal choice for many. They won't have any trouble at all finding a new job.

As an employee AND an employer I would never want to work anywhere but in an at-will state. That's clearly not enough for you though so I guess you need to decide how much of your time you want to continue to invest with your eye rolling and comments regarding something you don't even have to deal with.

 

[Robinrs]

How so?

It seems to me it would create an atmosphere of fear. I read posts all the time on this board about people being mistreated by their employer (verbally abused, etc) but being afraid to react in case they are fired because they work in an "at will" state.

What makes at will "wonderful"? Wonderful for an employer, yes, I imagine it is.

I thought the same thing when I moved to Georgia, I thought WOW, the employees here are SCREWED!!

20 years later as an employee AND an employer, I don't think so anymore. There are STILL strict rules and criteria to follow if you want to fire someone, and it takes time and documentation. I have never seen it used misused but I'm sure it can be.

It's like the DIS, you can be "fired" from here "at will" too... That's life. There are rules for everything.

 

[Todd&Copper]

The great results of this thread have encourage me!!!

This morning I walked into my bosses office and punched him in the face. He was so appreciative that I got a promotion and a raise!!!! Yeah me!!!!!

Maybe on Monday I will give it a try and use George Carlin's "7 Words" on my supervisor. Wish me luck!

 

[FayeW]

As an employee AND an employer I would never want to work anywhere but in an at-will state. That's clearly not enough for you though so I guess you need to decide how much of your time you want to continue to invest with your eye rolling and comments regarding something you don't even have to deal with.

You're right...your endorsement of the system is not enough for me. Why should it be? I would rather hear more stories like cteddiesgirl's. Those stories are more in keeping with how I perceive the system to work.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I've only read the original post, but I have to say I never would have spoken to my boss in that manner unless I wanted to quit. That said, you're boss sounds like someone I wouldn't want to work for either. You'd be happier somewhere else! Good luck and I hope you find a job where you don't have to put up with as much bull.

 

[Mom2Nick]

You're right...your endorsement of the system is not enough for me. Why should it be? I would rather hear more stories like cteddiesgirl's. Those stories are more in keeping with how I perceive the system to work.

Yeah - most people that have already formed opinions about things they know nothing about will only want to hear stories that support those opinions.

 

[Nancy]

Then how come I read posts on this board every month from people who's bosses are absolute jerks, or who are forced to work overtime (sometimes unpaid) or have supervisors who are verbally abusive to them and they are afraid to "make waves" or say anything incase they are accused of being trouble makers or labelled "difficult" and will lose their jobs because it is "at will"?

We have all read those posts. Many times the response to the OPs is "suck it up, do what the boss tells you, you are in an at will state and if you don't toe the line you will be fired". Seems like an awful way to live, frankly, being afraid to make people treat you fairly and decently in case you lose your job.

You have to remember that you are reading on the internet...not exactly the best source of information around at all times.

The majority of the at-will states do not follow the idea of at will, thy allow for a lot of exceptions. If you work in a state that is at will but belong to a union or have a collective bargaining agreement they can't fire you for whatever. Some employers have employee handbooks with all kinds of good information about what could be grounds for firing. Most at will states will not fire you just for saying Boo to your boss. Yes, there are some but not most. There are also a lot of people who aren't really knowing of what each at-will state will follow..heck I don't even know if I live in an at-will state and I've been working for over 30 years. (never been fired but did quit in the middle of the day once, just walked off the job due to idiot boss and how he treated me. If it was today I could have filed for harrassment and won)

 

[DevilDuckie]

You're right...your endorsement of the system is not enough for me. Why should it be? I would rather hear more stories like cteddiesgirl's. Those stories are more in keeping with how I perceive the system to work.

So you only want to hear stories that support a position you made without full knowledge, not those that might give you the rest of the story?


Ah, the blessed, blessed sound of willfull ignorance.

 

[Michelle67]

You're right...your endorsement of the system is not enough for me. Why should it be? I would rather hear more stories like cteddiesgirl's. Those stories are more in keeping with how I perceive the system to work.

You don't care what those of us who have worked in this environment for decades have to say, unless own stories are in line with your perception of it? Okay...

There are jerks everywhere that can make your life miserable, whether you are in an at-will state or a right-to-work state. Actually, while they may not always get their come-uppance, the jerks are actually a lot easier to get rid of in an at-will employment situation.

And you mentioned people having to work unpaid overtime; that is actually illegal unless you are salaried, in which case "overtime" does not apply to you. So unpaid overtime has nothing to do with at-will employment.

 

[Robinrs]

You don't care what those of us who have worked in this environment for decades have to say, unless own stories are in line with your perception of it? Okay...

If it makes her feel better...

And cteddie's example holds more validity? Especially the remark about the disabled...

 

[MAF]

I'm sorry but I think you were wrong for refusing to sit down in the conference room. I think you could have handled things much more maturely than she obviously was handling it. You would have looked better and she would have looked the fool for your upper boss.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

If it makes her feel better...

And cteddie's example holds more validity? Especially the remark about the disabled...

What about my remark about the disabled? I've seen it firsthand. My own sister is deaf. Every single time she'd try to get off disability and work, she'd be able to work only a short time before "losing" her job. Then she'd be out of work for a long time and have to wait forever on a list to get disability again after giving up on trying to work. My parents had to pay her rent, buy her food and clothes so many times because of this problem.

Face it. Most employers do not want to work with anyone disabled because they don't want to make any special concessions.

As for the OP, she was wrong. She could have handled it so much better.

 

[Robinrs]

What about my remark about the disabled? I've seen it firsthand. My own sister is deaf. Every single time she'd try to get off disability and work, she'd be able to work only a short time before "losing" her job. Then she'd be out of work for a long time and have to wait forever on a list to get disability again after giving up on trying to work. My parents had to pay her rent, buy her food and clothes so many times because of this problem.

Face it. Most employers do not want to work with anyone disabled because they don't want to make any special concessions.

As for the OP, she was wrong. She could have handled it so much better.

Has your sister or family checked with the Americans with Disabilities act? Can this be checked or investigated? I'm sorry, I don't just roll over and accept anything, I've been working for 30 years and I know that workers have rights... and so do employers, right to work state or not. Unless you work in a sweat shop there are ways to validate problems. I have used them and if you have a valid complaint, they work.

 

[DevilDuckie]

What about my remark about the disabled? I've seen it firsthand. My own sister is deaf. Every single time she'd try to get off disability and work, she'd be able to work only a short time before "losing" her job. Then she'd be out of work for a long time and have to wait forever on a list to get disability again after giving up on trying to work. My parents had to pay her rent, buy her food and clothes so many times because of this problem.

Face it. Most employers do not want to work with anyone disabled because they don't want to make any special concessions.

As for the OP, she was wrong. She could have handled it so much better.

If they didn't want to bother with her they wouldn't hire her in the first place. The paperwork when you let someone go and they apply for unemployment is a big pain.

 

[FayeW]

So you only want to hear stories that support a position you made without full knowledge, not those that might give you the rest of the story?


Ah, the blessed, blessed sound of willfull ignorance.

What "other side of the story"???? If you work in an at will state and have never had a problem, you have nothing to report other than it worked for you. Good! I'm glad!

However, the people who have been unfairly treated or dismissed because of the at will system need to speak up and speak out so that everybody who has "never had a problem" understands that some people DO have problems and the system may not be all it's cracked up to be.

Really it's just like the UHC debate. Americans want to hear the UHC horror stories so it validates continuing with the system you have. We hear the horror stories of the uninsured, uninsurable, and underinsured Americans and it makes us grateful for our system.

 

[barkley]

exactly what 'penalty' do people believe occurs or have actualy experienced in quitting a job in a non at-will state?

 

[Robinrs]

What "other side of the story"???? If you work in an at will state and have never had a problem, you have nothing to report other than it worked for you. Good! I'm glad!

However, the people who have been unfairly treated or dismissed because of the at will system need to speak up and speak out so that everybody who has "never had a problem" understands that some people DO have problems and the system may not be all it's cracked up to be.

Really it's just like the UHC debate. Americans want to hear the UHC horror stories so it validates continuing with the system you have. We hear the horror stories of the uninsured, uninsurable, and underinsured Americans and it makes us grateful for our system.

Faye, I'm glad you're happy to be a Canadian. If it makes you HAPPY to hear the horror stories, you can get them anywhere.

If America was so darned bad why are so many people killing themselves to come here???

You can hear sour grapes from anyone. There are LOTS of unhappy workers EVERYWHERE. Mostly because they have their own inner issues and won't accept the fact that maybe they were fired because of something THEY did.

No matter..... I wish more people who were sneaking into America thought we were so horrible. Keep spreading the word!!

 

[FayeW]

Faye, I'm glad you're happy to be a Canadian. If it makes you HAPPY to hear the horror stories, you can get them anywhere.

If America was so darned bad why are so many people killing themselves to come here???

You can hear sour grapes from anyone. There are LOTS of unhappy workers EVERYWHERE. Mostly because they have their own inner issues and won't accept the fact that maybe they were fired because of something THEY did.

No matter..... I wish more people who were sneaking into America thought we were so horrible. Keep spreading the word!!

Okay, Robin, now you are just being silly. I said the people with horror stories should speak up because their stories need to be heard. If everyone who has never had a problem is under the impression that nobody ever has a problem then there cannot be intelligent, open dialogue that effects change.

Nobody on this thread implied America was bad or horrible.

 

[Maleficent13]

exactly what 'penalty' do people believe occurs or have actualy experienced in quitting a job in a non at-will state?

I believe the "penalty" spoken about = no longer being employed.

 

[Nancy]

Faye, let me tell you a story that my DH is dealing with right now. NY is an at will state (which I just found out because I asked him). BUT the company he works for has their own employee handbook since being an at will state they can have their own rules and regulations.

A woman was fired recently for 'no reason' as she tells everyone (ex co-workers that she still talks to) tells them all to watch their backs because if they (the owners) don't like them they'll get rid of them just like to did to her. My DH is the one that fired her and she even calls him and tells him that he fired her for no reason.

This woman worked for the company for almost 20 years, she was well liked. BUT this woman had a huge drinking problem and it was affecting her work. She was removed from her machine (hot wires to cut product) and placed in shipping because she was coming back from lunch smelling of alcohol. She was given so many chances over the last five years it wasn't even funny. (more chances than she should have got, but they liked her and felt she could be a good worker if she got help for her problem). So she started to receive warnings, she was sent home for coming in drunk, she was sent home for coming back from lunch with alcohol on her breath. She was told repeatedly that she needed to get help and the company would stand by her...she refused it all. Finally they had to let her go. BUT according to her she was fired for no reason. My DH has has a very thick file of no reason all documented.

So even with being in an at-will state if the company has an empoyee handbook with their rules/regulations/codes of conduct in it then they have to abide by their employee handbook. And not everyone who complains about being fired for no good reason is actually fired for no godd reason. I'm sure there are some who are but not as many as complain that they were.