Justifiable Firing????

[Jean52]

My employer terminated me via an email message on March 9, 2007. In January of this year I was given a $12,000.00 annual raise. Two weeks prior to my termination I received an email from the owner of the company (the same person who terminated me) thanking me for all of my hard work. I have no letters of reprimand, I had no warnings. His email terminating me said to call him if I had any questions - I did call but his voice mail was full. He must have seen my call come in because he called me and said he was going into a meeting but that he would call when the meeting was over. I waited until 5PM and never heard from him. I did, however, receive an email from him dated March 12, 2007 in which he tells me that he would be happy to write me a letter of recommendation - I replied that I would like for him to do that and I am still waiting for it.
Do I have any recourse?

 

[muggsyj]

This is not legal Advice!


Hey, First things first, find out the reason why he decide to let you go. Then we can all comment on the question, if he sends emails ask him to respond to your question in an email "from the company" and a letter and keep all copys.

It is far too hard for us to try and make opinions on such little information.


Good luck.

 

[seniorjudge]

Do you have a contract with your employer?

 

[cbg]

Unless you are in Montana or have a contract that specifically says otherwise, your employment is at will. At will employment means you can quit at any time and for any reason, and your employer can fire you at any time and for any reason not prohibited by law. They do not need to have "justifiable" grounds. There do not have to have been warnings or notices beforehand for the firing to be legal.

Again, unless you have a contact that says otherwise, your employer is not required to provide a letter of recommendation, even if he offered one. And, to be perfectly honest, few employers are interested in letters of recommendation as in this age of scanners and laser printers they are too easily forged. Unless there is some legitimate reason why I can't speak to the previous employer (he died, the company relocated to the Pacific Rim), I'm going to toss letters of recommendation in the trash (figuratively speaking). So will most HR people I know. You're really not being damaged by his failure to provide a letter.