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.
Why don’t you just call ICE and report him employing illegals and then call the Bureau of Labor whatever and tell them that people are being made to work off the clock.
That should be a good start.
Not a team player is code for "you made me look stupid", "I owe you money and don't want to pay you".
1. Move on and don't look back.
2. Call INS, and get it on record. Call back until the do something.
3. Report him to the state and anyone else you can think. Business is about leverage, use whatever you have.
Good mechanics familiar with large industrial machinery are hard to find. Research what the corporations that make the equipment charge for a company-man service call (hourly rate plus perdiem plus travel). Set your rates somewhere between 30-40% lower (you can raise them over the years to come). Start contacting, by phone and followup visit, those that use the same or similar machinery/electronics (such as metal fabrication shops). The best revenge is taking lemons and making your own lemonaide. Get started today and don’t look back. The Lord will provide. Best wishes.
This is not a matter for the church.
1. Apply for unemployment.
2. Seek another job.
3. Discretely report any illegal activities at your former workplace to the proper authorities.
4. Move on. Pray. Live well. Prosper.
If you live in CA, you and the illegals have a great wage and hour class action. You’ll get back pay for all the past lunchtimes and all the unpaid overtime, plus penalties.
If the business is a corp or LLC you can allege alter ego theories (if Old Mac is the primary owner) and go after him personally, not just the business.
Thus, you can get some money and make Old Mac’s life miserable in the process. You have a good case if the facts are as you allege.
How’s that for a Christian response? I’m a Christian, and were I you, I’d see a labor lawyer b/c you have been wronged, not b/c of the firing, but b/c of the wage/lunchtime/overtime issue.
Sounds like his pastor doesn’t believe Jesus, who taught us the proper way to handle someone who sins against us. If his pastor refuses the method Jesus taught us, then you will not be successful trying to handle it the scriptural way.
I want to second what others have said. Leave the church out of it.
And, as others have said, don’t imagine that he is a Christian just because he says he is. You know a Christian by the fruit of their life.
And, again as others have said, don’t hold a grudge. Move on with your life. You are better off free of this guy.
I believe confronting the man at his Church would indeed be a form of vengeance, an action I wouldn't take.
The only thing about ICE is - you want to make sure nobody in town knows you dropped the bomb. In normal times - I would not expect ICE to take a look. Based on AZ passing the law - the Dems and Obama are having show raids leading up to the election.
Note to all the Marco Rubio lovers here.
I would be focused on finding another job. Unless you run the show or know you can get a new job immediately - you say nothing and apologize to the Mac’s of the world. If he is writing the check - apologize and say it will never happen again. It is not right but it is the way it is.
As far as Christianity? Mac is phony. It is not the church’s issue. Mac may have buddies in town that may make it harder for you to get another job.
If you drop the dime on calling ICE - be very very quiet about it.
If you feel you've been injured and want to appeal for justice, file a complaint with the Labor Commissioner. Seems likely you're an "at will" employee, which means your employer can terminate you at any time for just about any reason as long as he doesn't discriminate against you.
However, if, as you claim, he made you work during your lunch hour without pay, he owes you for work performed plus fines. If you worked overtime, that is, more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, and weren't paid time and a half, he owes you for that, too plus fines. The fines won't be huge, but they'll be something. In California, it would amount to pay owed, plus a maximum amount equivalent to a month's salary.
You don't need a lawyer to do this, but you will need copies of your time cards plus pay stubs. If you don't have them, you can subpoena them. AGain, you don't need a lawyer. Usually the Labor Commissioner's office will help you find the proper forms etc.
2. If there is a labor board, go down and read up on their literature. There may be requirements for time off that you weren't given, sick days you can get paid for when terminated, etc, as well as collecting the money for your unpaid labor (at time and a half.)
3. Once the above are in process, then call ICE and report the business for hiring illegals. Ask if there's a reward. Also call any local crime tip line, especially if they offer a reward.
4. If your last paycheck isn't given the same day you're fired, you continue earning pay until your last check is delivered (or made available.) Unless he went and got your final paycheck during lunchtime, you're at least owed until the end of the day. Again, the labor board can assist you, but if you just talk to whoever handles payroll at the company, they'll most likely handle it.
The above notes are to prevent people from being exploited, and to grant you what you fairly earned. I sincerely believe that Christ taught us not to get even, but to treat everyone like we would like to be treated. I disagree with addressing his church, it is an act of revenge, not a Christian action.
Rather than address his church, speak with the church axillary. Let them know the conditions of the illegal employees, what their needs are, and offer to help out. Perhaps arrange a lunch feast for these workers, so that they might enjoy the beautiful spring day, and enjoy a full belly while listening to the gentle words of Christ.
It does not matter what church the guy belongs to. He is a crook, cheat, etc. Whatever you want to call him. He definitely is not practicing his religion. Attending church service on Sunday has nothing to do with practicing one’s religion. It is what one does outside of church.
You lost your job for not acting wisely. You knew what he was like, yet you acted in a passive agressive manner towards him. That was your mistake. Wise up.
Forget going to his church. You could get into a difficult legal situation. He has the bucks, you do not, and his pastor and other high rollers will protect him. You could end up in jail for trespassing.
He fired you and not for cause. I presume your state has unemployment insurance. So, file for it immediately as there usually is a waiting period.
Go to the INS or some other Federal agency and turn him in for employing illegals, and it sounds like lots of them. Be specific as to numbers. This guy is just a dumb prick. He is so full of himself, he thinks he can push people around. Well, he has lots to hide, so that was quite dumb on his part. Good luck.
Sounds like Ol Mac is a back slidin’ Baptist!
This man can call himself anything he likes, but he is deceived greatly if he thinks that this behavior glorifies Jesus Christ whose follower he professes to be. His behavior is dispictable. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked for whatever a man sows so shall he reap.” He’s getting ready to reap the whirlwind.
I do not believe that God will bless him for this. He may have money, but not a whole lot else. They can bury him with it.(Not that it’ll do him any good.) The streets of Heaven are paved in gold. You know why? Because that’s all it’s good for their. Paving stones. It’s worthless.
My Mom used to say that the only thing you take with you when you die, is the good you leave behind. This man is taking nothing with him. When he stands before Christ, and is judged, I pity him. How this man has embarrassed Jesus.
If you are a true Christian, pray for his deliverance. We have all sinned and fall shot of the glory of God.
Forgive him and go on. Leave him to God to deal with.
“I’d go one step further. I’d talk to Old Mac. Tell him what you know about his hiring illegals. And I’d tell him that he should fork over a 90 day salary as severence. And that he’ll never hear another word from you.”
This is what that guy did waith David Letterman with a script about how Letterman was sc**wing his young girlfriend (that intern).
The guy is in jail now.
Mac is scum but blackmailing or extorting Mac is a VERY bad idea. Mac probably has a lawyer who in small town wherever knows the local cops and judge. Mac called the cops on him. Do not blackmail Mac.
Thanks for all the comments. Yes I am on the thread reading every one of them.
Working for a christian? My wife was working at Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network.
Hypocrites are everywhere.
Forgive him, and move on with your life in Christ. The sooner the better.
What state do you live in? Were you a member of a union?
Call ICE first for hiring illegals and then call the IRS for cheating on his taxes.
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