conflict of interest

[stevefranklin]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

I need some advice, obvioulsy
About a month ago, I was fired from my position at a major retailer. I know that PA is an "at-will employment" state, so they did not need a reason to fire me. However, I feel that it was unjust. Let me explain.

I was a Front End Team Leader (supervisor) and had recently discovered that the Front End Manager position would soon be available. However, another Front End Team Leader also was interested in the position. She was, and is still currently, living with, and dating the Loss Prevention Manager, who has oversight on our position, since we have access to the store vault, till logs, etc.

When I was fired, the Loss Prevention Manager was basically the one that fired me, even though the Operations, Human Resources, and Store Managers were also present. Basically, they said I interferred with a LP investigation (didn't know they were conducting one) and I "broke the trust of management." But now, a month later, the other Front End Team Leader, who is living with the LP Manager, has gotten the job.

I feel I was more qualified, and I did have more experience. I did not have a single negative comment in my personnel file. She did not either, even though, on several occassions, she closed the store and had left the main vault door open, which is against LP policy, obviously.

During my last meeting, the LP manager spoke 95% of the time, he really ran the meeting.

The employee handbook states under "Employment of Relatives" (I know she is not his relative, but they are living together and having an intimate relationship, which is pretty much what a spouse is): Relatives are "eligible for employment...as long as it is not a situation where relatives...review or process one another's work." As a LP Manager, he reviews the entire Front End's work. Under "Code of Ethics": "Associates must carefully avoid any action which would create even the appearance of compromising ethical standards." (Emphasis mine)

Do I have any recourse against this obvious conflict of interest?

Thanks
Steve

EDIT...they did not fight my unemployment compensation, if that helps.
Thanks again.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Nothing in your post is relevant. Even if the two of them were having monkey sex on the warehouse floor.

It is not against the law to give a position to one employee over the other, even if the one who got the job is living with the person who did the hiring.

And company policy isn't worth the paper it's written on in court. Move on.

 

[Beth3]

Do I have any recourse against this obvious conflict of interest? No. Any conflict of interest that exists is the employer's problem and up to them to resolve, not you.

Even if they gave her the job because she's living with the LP Manager, that's not illegal. What you don't know however is whether the LP Manager recused himself from any involvement in the decision of who to promote because of the personal relationship the two of them have.