(This is long. I apologize for it.)
Hello. This is an issue I have been struggling back and forth with ever since I was let go in November of 2008. Recent events have brought to light some unfair circumstances as to my termination, but that may or may not count legally, so that is why I am making this post.
Out of respect I'll withhold the company name, but so it can be identified with it was retail.
This occurred in Michigan, again in the year of 2008 (right when the economy really took a turn for the worst.)
For 4 years (off and on, I left to pursue another job opportunity that did not work out, and my previous employer was happy to take me back) I worked for this company.
In that 4 years I had a total of 2 call offs, one tardy (I called in well in advance) and was trained and willing to work in any position in the store. (Cashier, stock, etc) All my managers praised me and my co-workers appeared to respect me, and I even went out of my way to cover shifts for those with children on holidays so they could be at home.
In that 4 years, I worked alongside my fiance. We NEVER worked the same shift, and on the rare instance that our shifts overlapped we both kept well away from each other in order to keep any drama at bay. We didn't HAVE to, we weren't breaking any rules. (In fact several couples worked in the store. We just kept our relationship in check around others because we held a standard of professionalism.)
At the end of summer in 2008, my fiance was informed he had been picked for promotion to a management position. We were both very happy, but I was concerned for my job. I knew that the promotion would make people look our way more, so I approached the store manager about it.
She informed me that it would not be an issue, that she would make doubly sure that our schedules never overlapped and that if anyone had a problem with the situation she would speak with them on it. She assured me that my job would be safe. (At the time I approached her I had gotten a second job, so my hours were down to only 5-10 a week, so I was only around for one day a week.)
When it came out that my fiance was promoted, the week before thanksgiving, everything hit the fan. My fiance called me from work and told me that a bunch of the employees had called into corporate about the issue, and now the big wigs were coming down on my boss and her only option at that point was to either let me go or him.
I was crushed, because not only had I worked hard for these people, but I had never held any ill will towards any of them. It might have been foolish on my part to think that way, but that was simply who I was. (And am.)
So the day came when my boss called me in and told me flat out that although she didn't want to, she had to let me go because of corporate. I accepted it, thanked her, and walked out with as much pride as I could muster after being (as I saw it) stabbed in the back. I wasn't alone in this, a Stepfather and his step-daughter were sighted out too, but because the description of their relationship was "step" corporate claimed they were fine.
Its been a little over a year, my husband quit his job as soon as he could, and I have gone to doing freelance graphic design in order to get by. Recently a few things were brought to light.
1. The store manager also promoted her nephew to a management position. This occurred the same time that my fiance was promoted, as they were the only two qualified.
Nothing came of that. He still has his job along side his aunt because of the type of relationship. (I knew this a year ago though, so it wasn't that much of a shock.)
2. The store manager's sister (and the mother of the nephew who was promoted) was allowed to have a job at the same place. She worked directly under BOTH.
So, it clicked in my head. Why can a person work under her son and sister, but a wife cannot work under a husband? How is that fair or legal?
Now, yes, when hired, I signed papers claiming that we accepted corporate policy and all it's decisions, but it still seems unfair.
Why did I have to loose my job, a job in which I was held in good standard, and yet not even a full year later someone ELSE is allowed to break the rules?
I tell myself that I just have to accept what happened and move on, but it seems so wrong. In my anger, I did consider suing for unfair termination, but I don't think I qualify for that. I've thought about going public to drag the corporation's name through the ground but I don't want to hurt the people who were just doing their job. Plus I am not sure what good would come of that other than my own satisfaction.
Do I have a leg to stand on, or is this one of those circumstances where I have to say "The system is flawed and I got the short end of the stick."?
Hello. This is an issue I have been struggling back and forth with ever since I was let go in November of 2008. Recent events have brought to light some unfair circumstances as to my termination, but that may or may not count legally, so that is why I am making this post.
Out of respect I'll withhold the company name, but so it can be identified with it was retail.
This occurred in Michigan, again in the year of 2008 (right when the economy really took a turn for the worst.)
For 4 years (off and on, I left to pursue another job opportunity that did not work out, and my previous employer was happy to take me back) I worked for this company.
In that 4 years I had a total of 2 call offs, one tardy (I called in well in advance) and was trained and willing to work in any position in the store. (Cashier, stock, etc) All my managers praised me and my co-workers appeared to respect me, and I even went out of my way to cover shifts for those with children on holidays so they could be at home.
In that 4 years, I worked alongside my fiance. We NEVER worked the same shift, and on the rare instance that our shifts overlapped we both kept well away from each other in order to keep any drama at bay. We didn't HAVE to, we weren't breaking any rules. (In fact several couples worked in the store. We just kept our relationship in check around others because we held a standard of professionalism.)
At the end of summer in 2008, my fiance was informed he had been picked for promotion to a management position. We were both very happy, but I was concerned for my job. I knew that the promotion would make people look our way more, so I approached the store manager about it.
She informed me that it would not be an issue, that she would make doubly sure that our schedules never overlapped and that if anyone had a problem with the situation she would speak with them on it. She assured me that my job would be safe. (At the time I approached her I had gotten a second job, so my hours were down to only 5-10 a week, so I was only around for one day a week.)
When it came out that my fiance was promoted, the week before thanksgiving, everything hit the fan. My fiance called me from work and told me that a bunch of the employees had called into corporate about the issue, and now the big wigs were coming down on my boss and her only option at that point was to either let me go or him.
I was crushed, because not only had I worked hard for these people, but I had never held any ill will towards any of them. It might have been foolish on my part to think that way, but that was simply who I was. (And am.)
So the day came when my boss called me in and told me flat out that although she didn't want to, she had to let me go because of corporate. I accepted it, thanked her, and walked out with as much pride as I could muster after being (as I saw it) stabbed in the back. I wasn't alone in this, a Stepfather and his step-daughter were sighted out too, but because the description of their relationship was "step" corporate claimed they were fine.
Its been a little over a year, my husband quit his job as soon as he could, and I have gone to doing freelance graphic design in order to get by. Recently a few things were brought to light.
1. The store manager also promoted her nephew to a management position. This occurred the same time that my fiance was promoted, as they were the only two qualified.
Nothing came of that. He still has his job along side his aunt because of the type of relationship. (I knew this a year ago though, so it wasn't that much of a shock.)
2. The store manager's sister (and the mother of the nephew who was promoted) was allowed to have a job at the same place. She worked directly under BOTH.
So, it clicked in my head. Why can a person work under her son and sister, but a wife cannot work under a husband? How is that fair or legal?
Now, yes, when hired, I signed papers claiming that we accepted corporate policy and all it's decisions, but it still seems unfair.
Why did I have to loose my job, a job in which I was held in good standard, and yet not even a full year later someone ELSE is allowed to break the rules?
I tell myself that I just have to accept what happened and move on, but it seems so wrong. In my anger, I did consider suing for unfair termination, but I don't think I qualify for that. I've thought about going public to drag the corporation's name through the ground but I don't want to hurt the people who were just doing their job. Plus I am not sure what good would come of that other than my own satisfaction.
Do I have a leg to stand on, or is this one of those circumstances where I have to say "The system is flawed and I got the short end of the stick."?
