Posted on 05/10/2010 2:21:26 PM PDT by LowOiL
Today I was fired because "I wasn't a team player" and "didn't fit in". I worked for an eccentric "Christian" man in his 70's, I myself am Christian also. I will call the owner "Old Mac" for simplicity.
The place I worked as an mechanic was in a fabric mill (no more detail is needed, you know how hard the textile industry has been hit lately). The majority of the mill is illegals and some legals (from Mexico and Guatemala), with about a 30% other population of mostly white fixers and managers.
I worked a second shift and had only met "old Mac" casually before. Stories of his strange behavior ran deep but I never believed them before. Stories of how "old Mac" once saw a fellow on the loading docks lounging around and didn't like it, so he walked up to him and asked him how much he made and was answered XXX per week. Mac calculated the amount in his head, paid the fellow cash and said he was fired. The fellow took the money and left and Mac later found out he didn't even work there, he was just a delivery man.
Anyhoo... my story is one night "old Mac" came in at lunch time (we work 8 and 1/2 hours a day, 30 minutes are suppose to be lunch time and he does not pay us for it). I used to go to my truck and eat lunch in the cab in the parking lot. I would "allow" the "illegals" to go outside too since it was their lunch time too. I didn't see there was any problem, since he wasn't paying them. Old Mac came in and was furious, he did not want "little Mexico" outside his doors and that they were in the mill and he could be fined XXX amount of dollars. They were not in the mill, but they could be he reasoned. I was flabbergassed, I couldn't believe he was doing this. He often ran the air system so the illegals could run their machines during their "lunchtime" but any work they did was not time and a half pay like the law requires. Also us fixers (me and another fellow) were expected to repair the machines during our "lunchtime" and not being paid for it.
I asked "old Mac" if he owned us during the time that he was not paying us, he slowly looked at me and said I was "not being a team player" and that "it set a bad example for the Mexicans" at lunchtime and that they were NOT allowed to go outside whatsoever.
I told "Old Mac" that it was not right to keep me his "slave" during the time he was not paying me. He grumbled off and today I was told I was fired. I was handed my paycheck for the last week and told to leave. I argued that he was not "Christian" what he was doing and that I would bring up the subject to his church on Sunday.
I went to get my supplies and tools and booklets and say bye to everyone and as I left the back door I smelled tire smoke. A police officer had just tore into the parking lot and was waiting close to where I was parked. I guess "old Mac" had called the police on me. I never said a curse word, I never even called him anything more than "Sir". I was Christian about the whole affair, but I was not ran over by him like he wanted me to be.
My question fellow Christian Freepers is this... What is the precedence (protocol) for presenting my case to his church. I do not belong to his church (Baptist) but I am a fellow Baptist of a neighboring church. I have read before somewhere that I am allowed to address their church elders and then I am allowed to address the church next if that fails. I have talked to their pastor (nice fellow) and he said actually I had no Biblical right to talk to their church in that manner since I was not a member.
I seek godly knowledge from fellow freepers.
Please.
Brilliant, I hadn't thought of that. He needs to turn in his phone and uniforms anyway. I can just type one up on Word and put it on a flashdrive.
He's most interested in "moving on" if you will, however unemployment is 12% here and the bully has threatened to ruin his future if he draws the unemployment comp to which he is lawfully entitled.
"Show up for the next shift. If he doesn’t get paid, file a complaint with the Labor Board."
A friend gave that very advice earlier in the day. Not sure if he has the stones for that one though.
Thanks for your input, bullies are also great at making us feel we're the crazy ones. I needed the sanity of others' objectivity.
I had heard that from many years ago but now wasn't sure since today he looked my son square in the eye and told him he'd wreck his career. For drawing unemployment to which he is lawfully entitled.
"Have a relative call for reference ...."
Yeah we plan to do that after a week or two. Thanks for your kind reply.
They're not out of business, they're just drowning in red ink. Doubt they'll be around in a year or so.
I can prepare him for the unemployment ordeal, but what has him scared is that the guy threatened to trash his whole career.
"I would NOT let this go!"
Thanks for weighing in, your opinions are so valuable at this scary time.
OTAC
You, sir, are a wee bit full of yourself, blinded by the noise of your own voice, and in awe of your own opinions. You’re done with me? Good! I never invited your queer rejoinders. Go in peace, I beg....silently.
The bible is full of precedent for approaching the elders of his church for a mediation. But you’ll find it to be a waste of time. It’s human nature to defend one of your own.
The faster you get over this, the better off you will be. It’s not easy to forgive, so I’ll pray that God will give you the strength. It’s one of those lessons that you’ll only really understand in eternity.
You should get guidance from your preacher and/or Deacons on the correct & biblical way to handle this.
Yeah, I should have been more clear, it's painfully obvious to US that they're out of work, but son's boss blamed him for the firing. Boss said other people don't like him.
"Hopefully there was a witness ...."
Nah, they're smart enough to pull their crap behind closed doors. Thanks for your help.
I apologize, I should have been more clear. It'd been painfully obvious to US that they're out of work as the crew was sent home 1-2 days every week, but son's boss blamed my son for the firing, THEN told my son "...BTW you just quit...,"
Cited that others did not like him, and my son had indeed been complaining for a long time about the "cliquee" atmosphere there, just wanted to do his work and go home. No willful misconduct though.
" IF the unememployment benefits ARE denied, I’d lodge a complaint with OSHA and the EPA and Labor Relations board."
That's the other thing, is that there were multiple ongoing violations on that stuff as well. Similar to the original LowOil post, son was routinely required to work off the clock, no lunches, no breaks. When his shop was out of work (most days lately) the crew was often shipped to an office in another state but not paid for drive time, 3+ hours each day round trip. Tough to prove though, as it's his word against theirs.
Thank you for your generous, detailed reply. I frankly had no idea what we're up against, and your wisdom is a blessing.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
I’ve been on the employer’s side of fighting unemployment claims for a long time. Without written proof of warnings and outrageous behavior (like stealing, weapons, threats, etc), terminated employees get UI benefits these days. (Funniest story I have - I was on the phone for an appeals for an employee who was terminated for being flagrantly insubordinate - told his supervisor to “eff off”. The judge asked me point blank “did anyone ever tell him, not to say “eff off””. I was stunned, an said, “Should anyone have to tell me not to say that to you?” Needless to say, I lost that one, even though our employee handbook clearly defined insubordination.)
“other people don’t like him” doesn’t cut it as a reason to deny UI.
Depending on what state he is in, the termination check could have been required same day. The final check should have “final” on it, keep a copy of it - just have all the proof you can for the claim and be calm about it. Even if it had to be appealed, it’s not a difficult process.
God expects us to help ourselves. "Then sell your garment and buy a sword!". Not an exact quote but close enough.
I have to apologize for my last comment. I said ‘done with you’ I meant I was done posting; in fact, it was long over due since I was way too tired. Hope you understand. Thanks.
Seems to me this little story was posted here a few weeks ago as a joke, differing only in minor details.
Was that you who posted it?
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