"I Will Terminate You"

[Joycem1991]

An employee who is one step ahead of my management position documented me for being insubordinate. I told the employee I will not sign the documentation but I will acknowledge by reading. The employee persisted in saying "You will sign this document you don't have a choice". I told her by law I'm not required to sign any document. The employee said "If you don't sign this document I will write you up again for insubordination". I told her that was considered harassment. She told me she will terminate me if I don't sign the documentation (which she doesn't have the power to do), so I signed it. Is this legal at all?

 

[Betty3]

Generally if you don't do what you are asked to do by someone higher up than you & it seems like you were insubordinate to this person in her opinion, you can be disciplined up to & including termination. Even if this person doesn't have the authority to fire you, she can certainly recommend it to the proper authorities. I don't see anything illegal here or harassment based on what you posted. We don't have complete details such as is this person directly over you, what the insubordination was ......

 

[Proserpina]

An employee who is one step ahead of my management position documented me for being insubordinate. I told the employee I will not sign the documentation but I will acknowledge by reading. The employee persisted in saying "You will sign this document you don't have a choice". I told her by law I'm not required to sign any document. The employee said "If you don't sign this document I will write you up again for insubordination". I told her that was considered harassment. She told me she will terminate me if I don't sign the documentation (which she doesn't have the power to do), so I signed it. Is this legal at all?

Completely agree with Betty.

You've got it a little big right. There is no law compelling you to sign a document. That is true.

BUT

There is nothing illegal in firing you for refusing to do so, and it was not harassment in the slightest.

In all honesty, you've likely handed your ex employer the perfect reason for fighting a UI claim. No matter what happened prior to your being presented with a document, whether it was right or wrong, you at last had a chance of obtaining UI. Now? Not so much.

Given your refusal that's not once, but twice (at the very least) you have been subordinate.

 

[army judge]

I will say it one more time.

An employer doesn't need to have a reason, or provide you with a reason to terminate your services.

Yes, there are exceptions, but even in those RARE exceptions; you won't be allowed to stay on the employer's premises.

For 90% of employees (possibly more), no reason need be provided to fire you.

The mere fact you are an employee, other than a CBA, you can be terminated.

Even if you have some protections by a CBA, you can still be terminated.

Now, if its that easy and you're slaving away in some dead end job, what makes you think the employer would have to take to subterfuge and terminate you by a complicated ruse?

 

[cbg]

You were wrong. There was no illegal harassment involved. Nor did anything else illegal happen.

Whether she had the "right" to terminate you or not is up to the employer. However, had you been fired for the refusal to sign, it would have been a legal termination.

Bottom line, if you are looking for some kind of legal recourse, you got nuthin'.