Getting Fired - Page 2

[Potty Diva]

This is the letter that I just sent to the ad manager and copied to the publisher. I am shaking!

Have you decided when my last day will be? I need a detailed exaplanation of why things are not working out and why I have not been considered for other positions within the company. I recently applied for the truck driver position for which I have experience. I worked on a horse farm where I drove the tracker trailer (carrying up to 10 horses at any given time) for 3 years and when I worked in the child care field (10 years) drove a large van carrying up to 13 children. Yet, I was not considered for the position.

I'm very uncomfortable training another employee and have no experience doing so. Perhaps there is a more appropriate person who could do this.

You mentioned over the phone that you were planning on cutting my hours? Why and when will this take place?

Please know that I am not leaving this company voluntarily, you are choosing to end my employment. When I was hired I made changes to my schedule to accommodate this position. I have worked hard and followed the rules of the company. I have not been reprimanded or disciplined in any way since being hired. You have said I have not done anything to be fire for, yet you are terminating my employment.

For 8 months I have dedicated a portion of my day to the Journal. I've stayed late to make sure ads were published and worked extra days when asked. When other employees ask for help, I happily comply. I'm a team player, and I am a positive representative to this company.

I do not understand why, when I need a little flexibility, like I have shown the Journal, it cannot be returned. There has not even been an effort to see if accommodations can be made.

I would ask that you please let me know in more definite terms the reasons for my dismissal.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request,

Teresa T

[Potty Diva]

oh please someone respond. I am feeling physically ill.

[Al Dente]

I think that's a great letter and covers all the bases you need to cover. I hope you get a response!

[Potty Diva]

ah, thanks mama.

I don't go in until 10 so they will have 2 hours to mull it over.

[AsYouWish]

Oh Teresa, I am so sorry they are putting you through this! I think what you wrote was excellent and very professional and will go a long way toward ensuring you get your unemployment benefits. I don't see how they can talk around it. Do you have hard copies of any performance reviews that you could use as further evidence of your positive work history with this employer? That would probably help a lot too.

I'm so sorry. I know it feels so awful right now. But I am convinced you are going to get through this and find a situation that is actually worthy of you.

[Potty Diva]

rosi- I have not had a performance review. Nor have I been given any verbal feedback regarding my performance (other than by co-workers).

seaturtle- thanks again. I will be taking notes most definitely. I have a feeling they will not respond at all to the email.

BTW, I Cc the letter to our publisher- if I had not mentioned it before.

[Potty Diva]

I checked my messages and received a response from Rick, our publisher. He makes me cry, I am so emotional around him. I will try to emotionally distance myself from it though.

I should make a list of my responsibilities along with the new responsibilities, oh and notes about our first meeting (the one where Gail said, Oh I heard you are leaving us. I'm going to do that now.

[Halfasianmomma]

Potty Diva, you are handling an awful situation beautifully. You're covering your bases, making sure you leave in a good way and properly training your replacement, but at the same time, making sure you're not being victimized.

I thought the letter you wrote was clear and to the point. You couldn't have done more. Make sure you document EVERYTHING, from emails to phone calls to face to face conversations, and stick it in a timeline: write when and what was said, make sure you have people's complete names and contact information if possible. That way you have a "master file" ready to protect you in case they try to deny you unemployment. It sucks for things to go this way, but in a way, it's teaching you how to be more aggressive and how to protect yourself so you don't let this happen to you in the future.

Keep your spirits up despite all this crap. You're doing great.

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by Seaturtle

I don't think MDC lets one post emails that another person wrote... but can you tell us the jist of what Rick said?

You are doing really good with all this. And I agree with halfasian, about the timeline. Those really help keep things straight in your head, and will help things not sound like "he said, she said".

I ditto this (I want to know too! but don't share if you don't want to), and I think you are doing a good job settling what happened. At the same time I do worry you're still focusing on staying there - and I'm not sure it's a healthy workplace you want to stay at, you know? But it takes time.

ETA: Oops sorry, I saw it has to do with employment benefits - that's really good then!

[GranoLLLy-girl]

Great idea to send a letter to make sure they know that they have terminated you and that you did not leave on your own free will--they do that so that they don't have to pay you unemployment benefits--as some other posters have said.

I think once you train the new person that you make sure to tell them that the papers go in the TRASH and NOT the small unmarked box. LOL!

Shameful.

In a way (I'm sure it's hard to see this now) that this is a blessing--that new boss sounds really awful and someday down the line it would seem that a confrontation with this person would be unavoidable.

[Irishmommy]

There are typos in the letter, can you fix them before you go in?

[pacificbliss]

I think you're doing all the right things and handling this very well.

[PJJ]

Yes

Originally Posted by lauren

She just sounds so very unprofessional.

I think you should keep your dignity and perhaps resign before the new woman is trained. They are not treating you with respect. Let them have a new problem--who will train the new worker? Just let them know, very courteously that you need to start another job immediately that suits your schedule better.

Please secure a bonified reference and then resign on your terms. But if you still want to keep working, then make them fire you.

So sorry about everything. Sometimes it boils down to power there. I think they do not appreciate your work ethic.

Hugs to you!

[nina_yyc]

No advice, just a big hug. I'm glad you're confronting them.

[Potty Diva]

Corrections made in letter.

We hada meeting yesterday and they try to get me to commit to my last day. I wouldn't do it. The publisher finally said, what about Jan. 7. I nodded.

They wanted me to say more. The publisher apologized for any confusion and that they were not cutting my hours, but giving me 40 next week and then when *I* choose to cut back I can LOL! Nice try.

The ad manager got chewed out for her behavior and is now back pedaling- too funny!

I will not quit because I NEED that unemployment money. It is going to be very difficult to find a position where I can work ONLY Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this next semester.

Besides quiting will not effect them in the slightest. There is always another idiot to come fill my space.

Plus management would not suffer, my coworkers will. And they have been nothing but wonderful to me. I couldn't leave them hanging and with added responsibility. To me, that is just heartless.

[_betsy_]

" but giving me 40 next week and then when *I* choose to cut back I can "

So, they're making you full-time now!?! Great! Hope you get benefits!

Have you talked to a lawyer yet?

[Potty Diva]

I'm not getting benefits because you have to be full time for 6 months before benefits kick in.

A lawyer? No, I haven't talked to a lawyer, but I have been keeping in contact with the Employment Security Commission and the Wage and Labor Board. Both entities say I am doing everything right to make it clear that I am not quiting, but that I am being relieved of my duties for lack of work availability.

I am being calm and will follow the procedure that I have been directed to follow, while keeping an updated journal of events that take place.

I absolutely refused to do anything underhanded, cruel, or unethical.

[Potty Diva]

PS- I see your wink now. But honestly we can't afford an attorney and we make too much to qualify for legal aid (we don't even have one in our area).

[scatterbrainedmom]

Originally Posted by Potty Diva

I'm not getting benefits because you have to be full time for 6 months before benefits kick in.

A lawyer? No, I haven't talked to a lawyer, but I have been keeping in contact with the Employment Security Commission and the Wage and Labor Board. Both entities say I am doing everything right to make it clear that I am not quiting, but that I am being relieved of my duties for lack of work availability.

I am being calm and will follow the procedure that I have been directed to follow, while keeping an updated journal of events that take place.

I absolutely refused to do anything underhanded, cruel, or unethical.

umm..if they are replacing you that is not true.. at least thats how i am reading it.

to you! this is so stressful and you don't need it right now

[Ellien C]

Girlfriend - you are handling this really well.

In any conversations, I would reiterate that you would like to keep working part-time around your schedule. I know didn't commit to a last day, but don't hestitate to say - "I would like to continuing working through next semester. These are my preferred hours."

I just think you should be really, really clear about those words. Say them many times over and over, so should it go to litigatation, several people will remember your exact words. Pick a short sentence and use it over and over again- just like how political candidates don't actually answer the question asked, they respond with a catch phrase or sound bite that vaguely resembles the topic. Well, that's gonna be YOU for the next few weeks.

Good luck. We are all pulling for you.