fired by boss spouse

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vtdobl

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i was fired by the wife of the owner. I was in a meeting off site. she and another employee showed up at the parking lot off site. I thought it a bit unusual. I said hello. The owners wife then told me my services were no longer needed. i asked her why and she said, yes you do. i said, no i dont. she then demanded the business keys. and snatched them from hand. i was in shock. i have been a very good employee and helped grow the business. she told me not to call her husband and complain to him. my husband called him. My boss did not have a clue. he was dumb founded. later in the day my boss called me. he said that his wife has been accusing him of having an affair with me. there is no affair, never was, nevr will be. he also said his wife was jealous of me. he said he would go home and talk to her and call me tomorrow. i need help with this. he has been a good boss to all of us. i cannot afford to be fired. i don't know how i could go back to this? what legal recourse do i have? i have to look out for my family. any suggestions?
 
i was fired by the wife of the owner. I was in a meeting off site. she and another employee showed up at the parking lot off site. I thought it a bit unusual. I said hello. The owners wife then told me my services were no longer needed. i asked her why and she said, yes you do. i said, no i dont. she then demanded the business keys. and snatched them from hand. i was in shock. i have been a very good employee and helped grow the business. she told me not to call her husband and complain to him. my husband called him. My boss did not have a clue. he was dumb founded. later in the day my boss called me. he said that his wife has been accusing him of having an affair with me. there is no affair, never was, nevr will be. he also said his wife was jealous of me. he said he would go home and talk to her and call me tomorrow. i need help with this. he has been a good boss to all of us. i cannot afford to be fired. i don't know how i could go back to this? what legal recourse do i have? i have to look out for my family. any suggestions?


If the boss allows his wife to fire you, you have no recourse.

She (or he) doesn't need a reason to terminate your services, as long as HE allows it.

If she is an owner in the business, of course she can fire you.

It may not be fair, but it isn't illegal.

She obviously believes something occurred.

If you weren't involved with the boss, maybe your boss is using you for cover.

It wouldn't be the first time this has been done.

Eventually this is gonna get very nasty and reputations will be ruined.

Some of the crap being thrown around will stick to someone!

Be careful.

You might be better off filing for unemployment and moving on to greener pastures.
 
I have spoken to my boss. He says his wife is very paranoid. He tells me that he needs a few days to work this out. I have read some MD law. I will probably lose my job. The other employees have been told I no longer work at the business. They have texted me that they think what happened is wrong. This is a small community and my reputation will be questioned. My husband is very upset but does understand MD law. He said that he will blog/Facebook etc the facts in my firing. Any suggestions?
 
She sounds like a screwball.

I'd speak with a lawyer (or two) and see what they advise.


I have spoken to my boss. He says his wife is very paranoid. He tells me that he needs a few days to work this out. I have read some MD law. I will probably lose my job. The other employees have been told I no longer work at the business. They have texted me that they think what happened is wrong. This is a small community and my reputation will be questioned. My husband is very upset but does understand MD law. He said that he will blog/Facebook etc the facts in my firing. Any suggestions?
 
Well, to start with, my first suggestion is that your husband not blog or Facebook the facts of the firing - that's not going to get you your job back and it just might make your boss decide to let the termination stand. Many, many people have lost their jobs over what was on their Facebook page - and the firings have stood up, legally.

Not everything that is "wrong" has legal recourse. What law do you think was violated here?
 
He has calmed down. He is not blogging or facebooking. He actually spoke to the owner again. The owner is at a loss why his wife would do this. The owner told him to give him a few days to see what he can work out. I am worried about my reputation and if really fired my next job. I have heard of people being fird for affairs but never for alleged affairs. I don't know maybe some "gender" law? If I was a male she wouldn't accuse me of having an affair. This stinks.
 
Your boss may not be cheating on his wife with you, but the old coot is cheating with someone, maybe lots of someones.

His wife has discovered his cheating ways.

You just got caught in the crossfire.

You should talk to a lawyer.

You might be able to sue her for defaming your character.

That should scare the heck outta these two idiots.

You might be able to get a bag of legal loot outta this mess.

Discuss this with a lawyer, just in case.

The initial consultation is confidential.

It is often free.
 
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Sorry, but a gender discrimination claim won't hold up here. If that were the case no one could ever get fired for sexual harassment. (I'm NOT saying sexual harassment happened here - I'm using it as a comparison.) I'm not unsympathetic to your situation, believe me, but IF the boss decides to let the termination stand it will be a legal termination.

But since it sounds as if he's prepared to bring you back when the dust settles, you are probably best served by not trying to raise any more issues and see what happens. I'm not discounting AJ's suggestion but I think that should be the last line of attack, not the first.
 
Well my husband has told me that his calls to my boss go straight to voice mail. my name has been removed from the website, voice mail, etc. a summer employee called me to tell me that the office manger called her to tell her that i no longer work at the business. guess my boss will not be answering my husband's call. I have personal property at the business and business property here. maybe i should have had the affair at least i would have been fired for the truth. i am going to call a lawyer. i feel so used. all i have is my reputation and i need to protect it. i worry what happens if someone says to my children that i was fired for screwing the boss. Right now the children think I have taken vacation. I am learning that what is "right" and what is "legal" can be very different.
 
Your husband needs to stay out of this. I understand that he is concerned, but when one spouse gets involved in another spouse's employment issues, it only makes matters worse. Which is how you got into this situation in the first place, right?

I very much doubt that anyone is going to say to your children that you were fired for screwing the boss. I don't think your boss is going to want anyone saying that any more than you do. IF your reputation is ACTUALLY damaged by this (and not just that you think it might be - you can't sue for what hasn't happened yet and might never happen) THEN you can and should talk to an attorney about defamation claims. Until then, the less talk about this by ANYONE, the better off you are.
 
I agree. i have told the childdrren and family that i am currently not working at the business. i have had friends call and ask what happened. all i tell them is that i am not working there right now. my boss not his wife has asked to give him two more days to get this right but since then email voice mail is off. does the businees need to notify me in writing that i am terminated? give me a writen reason? if his wife is not on the board or an employee of the business, can she be the one to fire me? i have read that she has to be part of the business. if she isn't then will someone from management/board have to tell me i am fired? so far my boss hasnt told me or anyone i am fired. but the office manager has. I am putting together my resume and starting out again but this is so wrong to be fired for an accusation. it would have been better if someone would have simply said that the business no longer needed my services. i will find a lawyer to find out if i have any recourse once me boss tells me what his plan is. i have to assume i am fired but i think it needs to come from the boss.
 
does the businees need to notify me in writing that i am terminated? No, there is no such requirement.

give me a writen reason? They are not required by law to give you any reason, written, verbal, or digital. In some states, upon your written request, they are required to give you what's called a "service letter" which lists, among other things, the reason for your termination. I do not recall that Maryland is one of those states and my list is at home (and I am not). If, when I get home, I find that I am mistaken, I will post back.

if his wife is not on the board or an employee of the business, can she be the one to fire me? That is entirely up to the boss.

i have read that she has to be part of the business. if she isn't then will someone from management/board have to tell me i am fired? There are no laws anywhere in the US that dictate who can and cannot fire someone. You can be fired by the janitor if the boss gives the janitor the authority to fire you.

Please understand that I am not unsympathetic to your situation. It does sound from your posts as if you are being given a raw deal. But so far nothing illegal has transpired. Not every wrong has a legal remedy.
 
well thanks for alll the input. what is wrong and illegal are two different things. the truth will get out.
 
The advice here is good - a couple of things to add.

Maryland is an "at-will" employment state. That means that an employer can fire you at will, for a reason or no reason at all. Exceptions include:

1) If you have a written contract that states a term or differently (verbal may qualify)
2) Cannot be the result of discrimination, e.g. gender, race, national origin or disability
3) Cannot be due to the filing of workers compensation claim or other employment related right, e.g. demand for agreed upon or minimum wages
4) Cannot be in violation of a public interest or policy, e.g. a whistle blower who is helping right a significant and widespread wrong at the company.

Best of luck to you, hope it blows over.
 
Thanks,
But it is too late. It is out in the community that I was fired for sleeping with the boss. No one believes it but it hurts. What should I do if they try to deny unemployment?
 
Thanks,
But it is too late. It is out in the community that I was fired for sleeping with the boss. No one believes it but it hurts. What should I do if they try to deny unemployment?
What do you mean it is "out in the community?" Did anyone attribute this to a statement made by his wife or is this based upon conjecture?
 
Thanks,
But it is too late. It is out in the community that I was fired for sleeping with the boss. No one believes it but it hurts. What should I do if they try to deny unemployment?

You should consult with a couple of very good lawyers in your area.

Ask friends, relatives, associates for the names of some real "sharks".

The initial consult is free.

Interview them and select the one that will make sure you get justice.

Unemployment will be the least of this crazy couple's worries.

You COULD have the basis of a defamation of character lawsuit.

Go find out.

The boss appears to have used you as sacrificial lamb.

See a couple of good lawyers and hire one.

You might even get a lawyer to take this on a contingency.

You need a tough female attorney, one like Gloria Allred, Google her.

Then look for someone like her in your community.

You need a champion.
 
It is highly unlikely that unemployment will be denied. But if it is, post back as I know someone who might be able to help you with your appeal in that case.
 
An employee's spouse has told people that I was fired for having an affair with the boss. I have people calling me telling me that they heard what happened. I callled my boss and told him that I wanted him to make sure the staff doesn't discuss me with anyone. He said that he had a meeting and told them to just say that I no longer worked at the business. He said he was sorry but wanted me to understand that either I had to go or his wife would divorce him. And there was not an affair , not even a thought of one. How far can I go to keep my good name? Can I write a letter to the editor, post on my Facebook, or is there nothing I can do?
 
Before you do ANYTHING, consult with an attorney as AJ suggested. You could accidently make things worse for yourself by doing the wrong thing, trying to defend yourself. See what a lawyer thinks would be a good thing for you to do.
 
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