F
foosieone
Guest
Hi everyone. I'm new to the site but have heard great things about it. I'm sorry to intrude so early, but the only reason I'm posting is because I need help.
My following explaination is going to be long (and probably boring. I appologize in advance!) but it's for the purposes of making sure you are aware of every detail of my problem.
I was hired by a small (15+ workers) technical consulting company in IL. I was working for a large company at the time they started "seeking" me out, but was interested in returning to an atmosphere I was used to privously. We met (the owners and I and one of my friends), talked briefly about their company, and then signed a handwritten contract that stated the name of the first client they wanted me at, how many days vacation I'd have, and my salary. Nothing else. Just a few words on a plain white peice of paper signifying an employment contract. (I know it wasn't my smartest moment, but being only the second contract I've ever signed in my life, I didn't think much of it.) I went to work for this corporate client. I was promised many things through the course of my employment. I was promised an office in either one of our locations. This never happened. I was promised work tools, such as a laptop computer, palm pilot, etc., this also never happened. I was promised training every 3rd week of the month that I was with the company. That also never happened. And at the time of the signing of our "contract" I was promised "something special" in the way of O/T pay, but was paid what my standard wage would have worked out to be if I was only working per hour (even tho they charged the client $10.00 more per hour for me). After the first 6 months, I started asking for a performance review. I took ill after a period of my vacation (Australian flu that managed to kill a few people here in the U.S.) and was unable to work. At that time they told me they were denying my review because I had taken too many days off of work, but would consider another review in 6 months time. I was disappointed and let them know, but they never bothered to respond to my complaints. Another 6 months into the contract, and the corporate client started needing me for less project work. I sat down with other clients and picked up other projects. I was working at least 80 hours a week. Toward the end of our contract with the first corporate client we (the boss, myself, and one of our sales agents) sat down with a large corporation and with every idea I had (developed in my own time) helped bang out a project proposal of GRAND scale. I was incliment in selling this project. The very day that my project ended with the first corporate client I was hired to work at, I was sent an email from my boss to set up a meeting with me to discuss this new up-coming project. No where in the email did it mention ANYTHING negative. I met with my boss right after my going away lunch with the corporate client. She asked me how my day was, having been at the client for a long time I told her it was "sad." She looked at me and said, "I have more sad news today. We're going to have to let you go."
I WAS SHOCKED to say the least. All indications and conversations had lead me to understand that I had a -verbal- contract with my boss to work on the large project that I helped close! The reason I was given for my release was that "it wasn't working out between us." And that "we had conflicts." But here I was, a few days after my first year with these people and had never ONCE had a performance review. Never once had any offer or suggestion of problems, other than they never wanted to talk about it with me. I asked my boss why the email was written to suggest we were to meet to discuss the my next project. My boss said it was because they wanted to meet me face-to-face and felt that if they didn't lie to me, I wouldn't show up. It was nonsense.
Other things suggested to me the longevity of my placement there. My boss had suggested about 3 months before my contract was up with the original corporate client that I get a cell phone for future business use. Because they were a small company they said they'd pay for the phone, but asked if I'd get the contract myself so I could use it for personal reasons too. (Other consultants in the firm had done this as well, so I didn't feel strange about that). But they did suggest that I get the 2-year deal covered by Cellular One so I had a service contract for the period covering my job assignments and travel. So that coupled with selling the past contract, coupled with the email suggesting we meet and discuss the next project very much suggested to me a verbal contract for future work.
So here comes my questions after explaining all of this to the board. I know that in IL I am an AT-WILL employee, but does this promote wrongful dismissal? Could the things I've mentioned promote a verbal contract between us? Especially when she mentioned my future work on the upcoming project with my past client at a "meet-and-greet" lunch we went to? Are there any areas I can check into to take other actions against them?
There are a few things I'm leaving out. I'm a woman in a -very- heavily male dominated arena (techical that is). 2 days before I was fired a man was hired and the project that he was hired for fell through. It is very likely that the man took my place working on the project that I had help develop and sell. It is also well known that while my past employer had females in their employ, they didn't deal well with females. One has to lock herself away to avoid dealing with her, and another has been moved to tears and near quiting because of the extreme demands being place on her. Is it possible that this could have been sexual discrimination? Or more to the point, should that be an avenue that I investigate?
I'm sorry to have written so much. I want to be thorough. The only other thing I haven't mentioned is that I did file for unemployment with a local chapter. In my employers interview with them, my employer stated that I "wasn't educated enough" and that is why they let me go. (This was never mentioned to me...) The reviewer said that it was because no intention of my own that I was fired and I was granted unemployment benefits. Is there anyway I can use their findings to help in any of this?
Thanks so much for looking at this for me. I really really appreciate it.
My following explaination is going to be long (and probably boring. I appologize in advance!) but it's for the purposes of making sure you are aware of every detail of my problem.
I was hired by a small (15+ workers) technical consulting company in IL. I was working for a large company at the time they started "seeking" me out, but was interested in returning to an atmosphere I was used to privously. We met (the owners and I and one of my friends), talked briefly about their company, and then signed a handwritten contract that stated the name of the first client they wanted me at, how many days vacation I'd have, and my salary. Nothing else. Just a few words on a plain white peice of paper signifying an employment contract. (I know it wasn't my smartest moment, but being only the second contract I've ever signed in my life, I didn't think much of it.) I went to work for this corporate client. I was promised many things through the course of my employment. I was promised an office in either one of our locations. This never happened. I was promised work tools, such as a laptop computer, palm pilot, etc., this also never happened. I was promised training every 3rd week of the month that I was with the company. That also never happened. And at the time of the signing of our "contract" I was promised "something special" in the way of O/T pay, but was paid what my standard wage would have worked out to be if I was only working per hour (even tho they charged the client $10.00 more per hour for me). After the first 6 months, I started asking for a performance review. I took ill after a period of my vacation (Australian flu that managed to kill a few people here in the U.S.) and was unable to work. At that time they told me they were denying my review because I had taken too many days off of work, but would consider another review in 6 months time. I was disappointed and let them know, but they never bothered to respond to my complaints. Another 6 months into the contract, and the corporate client started needing me for less project work. I sat down with other clients and picked up other projects. I was working at least 80 hours a week. Toward the end of our contract with the first corporate client we (the boss, myself, and one of our sales agents) sat down with a large corporation and with every idea I had (developed in my own time) helped bang out a project proposal of GRAND scale. I was incliment in selling this project. The very day that my project ended with the first corporate client I was hired to work at, I was sent an email from my boss to set up a meeting with me to discuss this new up-coming project. No where in the email did it mention ANYTHING negative. I met with my boss right after my going away lunch with the corporate client. She asked me how my day was, having been at the client for a long time I told her it was "sad." She looked at me and said, "I have more sad news today. We're going to have to let you go."
I WAS SHOCKED to say the least. All indications and conversations had lead me to understand that I had a -verbal- contract with my boss to work on the large project that I helped close! The reason I was given for my release was that "it wasn't working out between us." And that "we had conflicts." But here I was, a few days after my first year with these people and had never ONCE had a performance review. Never once had any offer or suggestion of problems, other than they never wanted to talk about it with me. I asked my boss why the email was written to suggest we were to meet to discuss the my next project. My boss said it was because they wanted to meet me face-to-face and felt that if they didn't lie to me, I wouldn't show up. It was nonsense.
Other things suggested to me the longevity of my placement there. My boss had suggested about 3 months before my contract was up with the original corporate client that I get a cell phone for future business use. Because they were a small company they said they'd pay for the phone, but asked if I'd get the contract myself so I could use it for personal reasons too. (Other consultants in the firm had done this as well, so I didn't feel strange about that). But they did suggest that I get the 2-year deal covered by Cellular One so I had a service contract for the period covering my job assignments and travel. So that coupled with selling the past contract, coupled with the email suggesting we meet and discuss the next project very much suggested to me a verbal contract for future work.
So here comes my questions after explaining all of this to the board. I know that in IL I am an AT-WILL employee, but does this promote wrongful dismissal? Could the things I've mentioned promote a verbal contract between us? Especially when she mentioned my future work on the upcoming project with my past client at a "meet-and-greet" lunch we went to? Are there any areas I can check into to take other actions against them?
There are a few things I'm leaving out. I'm a woman in a -very- heavily male dominated arena (techical that is). 2 days before I was fired a man was hired and the project that he was hired for fell through. It is very likely that the man took my place working on the project that I had help develop and sell. It is also well known that while my past employer had females in their employ, they didn't deal well with females. One has to lock herself away to avoid dealing with her, and another has been moved to tears and near quiting because of the extreme demands being place on her. Is it possible that this could have been sexual discrimination? Or more to the point, should that be an avenue that I investigate?
I'm sorry to have written so much. I want to be thorough. The only other thing I haven't mentioned is that I did file for unemployment with a local chapter. In my employers interview with them, my employer stated that I "wasn't educated enough" and that is why they let me go. (This was never mentioned to me...) The reviewer said that it was because no intention of my own that I was fired and I was granted unemployment benefits. Is there anyway I can use their findings to help in any of this?
Thanks so much for looking at this for me. I really really appreciate it.