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Fired for not being able to cover someone elses day.

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Iritzadelacruz

Junior Member
Connecticut.

Last week I was fired from my job. I was hired to work 3 days a week and to cover vacation time as long as I was given notice ahead of time. I did arrive late to work a few times but never more than 5-10 minutes late. Well during the probationary period my schedule was changed several times without notice ahead of time. The manager told me that the reason I was fired was because I was always late and that I couldnt cover when they needed me to. I was never given a verbal or written notice I believe that this is unfair and want to know what I can do about this since while I was there many of their other employees came in late time after time and nothing was done about it and they still hold their positions with that employer.

Thanks.
 


Ohiogal

Queen Bee
Connecticut.

Last week I was fired from my job. I was hired to work 3 days a week and to cover vacation time as long as I was given notice ahead of time. I did arrive late to work a few times but never more than 5-10 minutes late. Well during the probationary period my schedule was changed several times without notice ahead of time. The manager told me that the reason I was fired was because I was always late and that I couldnt cover when they needed me to. I was never given a verbal or written notice I believe that this is unfair and want to know what I can do about this since while I was there many of their other employees came in late time after time and nothing was done about it and they still hold their positions with that employer.

Thanks.
Time to find a new job. You were late. Doesn't matter if you were a minute late. You should have been on time. You were hired to cover vacation time and couldn't do it. You couldn't do your job and you weren't a good employee.
 

Antigone*

Senior Member
Connecticut.

Last week I was fired from my job. I was hired to work 3 days a week and to cover vacation time as long as I was given notice ahead of time. I did arrive late to work a few times but never more than 5-10 minutes late. Well during the probationary period my schedule was changed several times without notice ahead of time. The manager told me that the reason I was fired was because I was always late and that I couldnt cover when they needed me to. I was never given a verbal or written notice I believe that this is unfair and want to know what I can do about this since while I was there many of their other employees came in late time after time and nothing was done about it and they still hold their positions with that employer.

Thanks.
No verbal or written notice necessary. You could not perform the job to their standards so they have decided your services are no longer necessary.
 

tranquility

Senior Member
As a side note, stop being late.

I know there were difficulties and the bus was slow and the sun was in your eyes and the milk was not cold enough and your clock was wrong and the parking space was further than you thought and and and and and and. But, you will find employers expect their employees to be there on time. Some, such as myself, are down right obsessive about it. Sure, it may be a little thing to those who believe 8 am means around 8. There are those of us out there that think 8 am means 8:00.00 am. Period.

It may be the way we were raised, but I suffer stress when I get a party invitation. I KNOW that the host does not expect me, or anyone, to arrive at the time stated in the invitation. Yet, every minute past the time causes me to increase my stress exponentially until I cannot stand it any more and show up. (Then, because I am often first one there, I help the host set up.) It is just the way I'm wired.

I'm a realist and know people do not have the same time theory as I do. I also recognize that sometimes things come up that planning does not anticipate. And, while *I* get to my appointments very early and walk around to take up time until I am just appropriately early, I know that is, well, "just a bit outside" of normal. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_wc9JvTXGc)

The funny thing is, most of the people I've fired for being late always seemed to leave precisely on time. Sometimes, just a bit early. Something came up, you understand. The point is that being on time is a part of having a job. Doing what the boss tells you to is another. Learn it, know it, live it. You will find the fact you're genius is not important as they've got all that they can use.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
The law does not give one hoot whether it's "fair" or not. All the law cares about is whether it's legal. And it is.
 

commentator

Senior Member
Most definitely, file for unemployment. It sounds as though the employer had a desire to fire you, and a sort of hodgepodge of reasons. Being tardy is an easy shot for them to fire you on, but they DO need to give you a and a sincere choice in the matter. In other words, did you know that being tardy would affect your employment, might even result in your being fired? And if so, were you late that one more time, and they called you in and terminated you on the day you were late after warnings?

If not, then they were just seeking a reason and said, 'Oh yeah, by the way, you were tardy three times in the last six weeks!" and while this is not a good thing, and you really don't need to be tardy, it's sort of like the classic example of "my boss slapped my face last year, so I quit today" If you were tardy one more time, and that day they called you in and told you you were fired, then that means you get no unemployment insurance approval. But if you had been tardy, and then they called you in on a day you weren't and you were told you were being fired for being tardy and for not being available for shifts three or four times in the last few weeks, and blah blah blah...quickly file for unemployment insurance. This is not going to be defined misconduct.

Of course in order to qualify for unemployment insurance you need to have worked and have wages from covered employers in the last 18 months, but if your employer cannot show a genuine misconduct reason to terminate you, such that you had a choice, you knew your job was in jeopardy and you chose to be late again, knowing that it could lead to your termination, then you may have a very good chance of being approved for benefits.

yes, it's fair and okay for them to terminate you, at any time, for just about any reason. But in this case, if you did not have a clear cut choice in the matter, that you could have behaved differently and kept your job, you have a very good chance of getting approved for unemployment benefits if you are otherwise eligibile.

There is no cost or downside to filing for the benefits while you look for another job. So do so, immediately, describing what has happened to you. Of course, as everyone has said, being tardy isn't a good thing. But if they were letting everyone else get away with it, then they can't keep you from drawing unemployment when they fire you for it.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Begin hijack -

commentator darlin', please check your PM's.

End hijack
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
I've been approved for unemployment when I was fired for being late even when I HAD gotten warnings. I suspect my employer hadn't fought it very hard, but I don't know for sure.
 

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