Fired for sending an Email

[BogeyPar]

What is the name of your state?Ma
I'm glad I was able to find this forum. Here is what happened to me and several others.
I worked for 5 years with General Motors. I was a salaried supervisor who was moving up the company ladder. Lead supervisor, trainer are just a few of the hats I had.

Myself and 5 other employees were terminated for sending an email deamed inappropriate. This email was sent over 2 years ago.
Of course we could not believe that we could be fired for such a trivial reason. The email at best was PG13. But after contacting several lawyers and being told the same thing "at will employee", it looks like we have no recourse but to find another job.
Since this happened there has been 70+ more employee firings for sending emails.
I guess this is a solution for GM to rid themselves of the 28% salaried head count. As most know GM is in dire circumstances, and firing over emails seem like a quick fix.

Yesterday was GM cutoff day to fight our UE claim. They did not call or answer the letter from UE. Hopefully we will be able to collect.

I learned a costly lesson and will find another career.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state?Ma
I'm glad I was able to find this forum. Here is what happened to me and several others.
I worked for 5 years with General Motors. I was a salaried supervisor who was moving up the company ladder. Lead supervisor, trainer are just a few of the hats I had.

Myself and 5 other employees were terminated for sending an email deamed inappropriate. This email was sent over 2 years ago.
Of course we could not believe that we could be fired for such a trivial reason. The email at best was PG13. But after contacting several lawyers and being told the same thing "at will employee", it looks like we have no recourse but to find another job.
Since this happened there has been 70+ more employee firings for sending emails.
I guess this is a solution for GM to rid themselves of the 28% salaried head count. As most know GM is in dire circumstances, and firing over emails seem like a quick fix.

Yesterday was GM cutoff day to fight our UE claim. They did not call or answer the letter from UE. Hopefully we will be able to collect.

I learned a costly lesson and will find another career.

What was your legal question?

 

[BogeyPar]

I really didn't have a question, just wanted to post a statement.

My questions would be
1) Has anyone been involved in this type of case and won?
2) Since GM did not respond to UE before the cutoff, can they come back later and deny?
3) When applying for a new job should I tell them that I was fired or just layed off?

Thank You

 

[cbg]

1.) Not that I know of, but that doesn't mean the answer's no.
2.) Probably not, but that will be the decision of the DET. BTW, GM cannot deny benefits; only contest them. It is the state that denies, or approves, benefits.
3.) If you say that you were laid off, and they contact GM and GM says you were fired, you will immediately be placed in the do-not-hire pile. If you say you were laid off, and they don't check with GM but they later find out that you were fired, that is grounds for immediate termination and probably without UI. Your choice.

 

[AmosMoses]

In answer to question #3, if I were you, if I was asked, I would say that I was fired, and immediately explain EXACTLY what I was fired for. It isn't worth getting caught in a lie now and getting blackballed, or later and getting fired again......I would explain exactly what happened, and I'd say that I "learned my lesson" about "forwarding joke emails". As Mickey Mouse of a reason as that was to fire you, don't bitch about it to potential new employers....let them see you as a person who made a tiny mistake in a largely screwed up society as far as all this PC crap goes, and one that will take his medicine, learn from it, and forge on ahead and not one who bucks the system. That's what companies want, you know, subserviant robots. You can act like one without being one.

People get fired all the time and go on to other, quite often better jobs, and I sit here thinking of ALL of the reasons, real or contrived, that I could think of for getting fired, none would be better to admit to than what you really did! Think about it....

 

[Beth3]

1) Has anyone been involved in this type of case and won? What case? As several attorneys advise you, you don't have one.

2) Since GM did not respond to UE before the cutoff, can they come back later and deny? GM can't deny anything. All they can do is contest. Unless they have some amazing reason why they couldn't respond in time ("we were all being held hostage"), then your claim is a done deal if the State awards benefits.

3) When applying for a new job should I tell them that I was fired or just layed off? Never lie. You need to provide the honest reason for your discharge.

P.S. I have no idea what's going on at GM but I'm sure they are well aware that they don't have to trump up reasons to discharge anyone if they want to reduce payroll costs. A simple, "Thanks but your services are no longer needed," is all that's required.

 

[Katy W.]

What case? As several attorneys advise you, you don't have one

What attorneys?

 

[BogeyPar]

What attorneys?

I don't want to give out names. We contacted several attorneys in the Boston area and was given the same answer "sorry your screwed" more or less.

 

[BogeyPar]

1) Has anyone been involved in this type of case and won? What case? As several attorneys advise you, you don't have one.

2) Since GM did not respond to UE before the cutoff, can they come back later and deny? GM can't deny anything. All they can do is contest. Unless they have some amazing reason why they couldn't respond in time ("we were all being held hostage"), then your claim is a done deal if the State awards benefits.

3) When applying for a new job should I tell them that I was fired or just layed off? Never lie. You need to provide the honest reason for your discharge.

P.S. I have no idea what's going on at GM but I'm sure they are well aware that they don't have to trump up reasons to discharge anyone if they want to reduce payroll costs. A simple, "Thanks but your services are no longer needed," is all that's required.

Thanks for your comments and by the way your quote on the bottom is excellent!
"A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.) "