Fired for seeing a coworker

[prettyredhead]

What is the name of your state? IL

I was fired from a job a while ago for seeing a married co worker. No company policies prohibit it. NONE. So what can I do, was this legal. I never missed a day, I was a model employee. It was a mutual thing. He owuldnt leave me alone, and I gave in.

 

[Beth3]

By "seeing" a co-worker, I presume you mean you were having an affair. Firing you for having an affair with a co-worker is not illegal, regardless of whether the employer has a policy prohibiting it or not. What may be illegal if they only fired you and selected you for termination because of your gender.

A couple of questions:

1. How did the employer know the two of you were seeing each other?
2. Was the guy discharged too?
3. How did the two of you behave at work? (Be honest - were either of you engaging in ANY behavior that was less than completely professional at work, whether sending e-mails back and forth, taking long lunch hours, acting in a way that started office gossip, etc.)

 

[prettyredhead]

No we did not engage in anything at work inappropriate. Never. I thought no one knew. Other than long looks, extra nice to each other. We did go meet at lunch, but so what. It wasnt like we were late. They fired me, kept him.

 

[Beth3]

Long looks are a dead give-away. I assure you your co-workers could pick up the vibe from 30 feet away.

You may have a claim for sex discrimination - not because you were fired for having an affair but because you were the only one fired for having the affair. If they treated you more severely than your partner because of your gender, that's discrimination.

 

[prettyredhead]

Thanks Beth!

 

[cbg]

Caveat: If you were fired and he kept on for a reason OTHER than your gender (i.e. because of his position in the company; because your position would be easier to replace; etc.) that is NOT illegal. ONLY if gender was used as the determining factor, is it illegal to fire one and not the other.