Got fired

[Eziekial]

The incident really was not my fault, I just took the blame because I thought it was the right thing to do. The other 2 incidents were the fault of other people who have since left the company. It's very complicated. The ultimate responsibility is the Captain of the vessel but he didn't know how to file the paperwork so I asked our assistant to do it for him until we could get out to train him. The ship was delayed because we failed to file the paperwork and I got a letter a few days later from the agents in the port and they basically said they dropped the ball as they usually make sure everything is in order (especially this paperwork) before the ship arrives.
It's part of my nature to take responsibility for things I feel are under my responsibility and I jumped on the sword to make sure it didn't get out of hand. He used it as the reasoning for firing me but he mentioned it in passing. His reasoning was "focus" and that mine was misdirected. He said I should have been farther along by now and he had reservations of hiring me to begin with.
To put this in persepective as to my contributions to the company. The day I got fired I had put 2 deals together that made over $2 million dollars and had another deal worth 1.5 million ready to get done. My "mistake" cost our company 200k in "lost time" which I more than made up in subsequent deals. All in all, I was making our company a great deal of money. I put the revenue budget together for the year and was beating it to date.

[Menlaan]

Employment at will does not allow you to fire people willy-nilly, especially if you are a protected class. If you haven't ever been written up, then you have a case. That is, unless they eliminated your position, but given what you said it doesn't sound like it's the case. How long have you worked there? A month's severance doesn't sound like much. Go talk to a lawyer and see what he/she says.

[Lyion]

Actually, yes it does, Menlaan. Right to work states can fire you anytime, anywhere for no reason. There is generally no recourse unless it was discrimination or some form of harassment.

[Arlos]

Yep, it's supposed to be in place to "empower workers" or some such drivel, but what it really does is let companies shitcan people with no repercussions, unless you can PROVE racial/sexual/etc discrimination. California is an at-will work state too. When I got laid off from Webex, I talked to a labor lawyer, due to the circumstances surrounding it, and effectively got told that the at-will work clause means they could fire you because they don't like the socks you wore with your suit that day, or becaused you sneezed 1 decibel too loudly in the breakroom. Bullshit, but what can you do?

-Arlos

[Gypsiyee]

It's also very hard to prove discrimination in at will states.. they can easily fire you for being jewish but if they don't say that's why they fired you, you really have no case.

hire or fire for any reason at any time.. pretty lame deal in some situations.

[Gaazy]

Good luck ole buddy, getting laid off sucks. If you want a job in the coal mines ill hook you up haha

[Eziekial]

Thanks Gaazy, didn't 60minutes just do a special on coal mine safety?

[Gaazy]

hmm I dunno i dont get time to watch much TV. Maybe tho, its a dangerous business. Closest call Ive had is getting my head pinned between the mine wall and a piece of equipment, shattering my hard hat and almost crushing my head like a melon

[kaharthemad]

Florida is an at will state. The only link to discrimination I have is an email my boss sent me about my Navy Duty which in a nutshell went like: This posses problem, is there any way you can postpone the duty? I was out Monday - Thursday, came back in Friday and he fired me. He would never admit why he actually fired me (I think he felt threatened) but he would have to defend against that "smoking gun" of an email. At the end of the day it's a question of if I want to invest any time to make his life difficult. A girlfriend suggested I write the CEO of the company a letter but not sure if that would be very effective.

if you wanna fuck with him post how you were set for reserve duty, you could not reschedule and he shit canned you. use the email for reference and send to local news. even if it aint true, Im sure one of the campaign whores right now will be there to decry the evil about firing a poor (insert ethnic color) man that just wanted to serve his county. you can prolly get atleast Jesse Jackson down there, maybe al sharpton if your the right ethnic background.

At the very least it will be good for a laugh and bad press for your company.

[Eziekial]

Dude,
I'm Italian, you want me to associate with eggplants like Sharpton and Jackson? Haven't you ever seen The Soprano's?

[araby]

ROFL al sharpton

[Evermore]

Dude,
I'm Italian, you want me to associate with eggplants like Sharpton and Jackson? Haven't you ever seen The Soprano's?

LOL i had to laugh. i'm italian too and when i read this i started thinkin about my grandfather and my uncles response would be to this...

[The Kizzy]

the local union might step in

[kaharthemad]

Dude,
I'm Italian

ok so....have Uncle Vincent break his legs with a bat.