being fired and denied unemployment

[helpmeplease212]

I was fired for asking a question. (This all happened in the state of New Jersey) The boss got tired of telling the same thing to all of us over and over. There's a "favorite" employee who gets all the business and the rest of us get very little. I asked the boss POLITELY if another employee and myself were going to be given a chance to catch up, and she fired me on the spot. Another employee witnessed this and said she would tell what she saw to unemployment if i had any problems. I was contacted by the unemployment office and told that the boss is now claiming that i quit. I have now contacted the witness , and at first she agreed to follow through and tell the truth, but now she is afraid. The boss got wind of her testifying on my behalf and is threatening her job there now. What, if anything , can i do? Can i record a conversation with the other employee, thus saving her job by her not directly testifying? Is it illegal for me to record the conversation?

 

[theretoo]

i have not been to my unemployment appeals hearing yet, but would the other employee give a written, notarized statement on your behalf...

maybe not if they have her scared for her job, but that is something i would suggest

 

[helpmeplease212]

Thank you

I didn't think anyone was going to respond, so thank you for writing back. I dont think she would sign anything now as the boss is threatening her job too. I watched 8 other employees get fired one after the other for trying to stand up for the unfair work conditions there. I thought if i recorded our conversation, technically, she wouldnt be testifying against the boss. I WOULD! Maybe this would alleviate the pressure off her. I am in a very bad position financially, and wont be able to not only pay the bills, we wont have money to eat either. I was hoping a lawyer would answer too, but since im poor, they may not respond to me. I need the unemployment and would never quit as she's now claiming. What can i do now that my witness is afraid?