Let Go Because of Lies

[leahr85]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NC

I was called over the weekend by my temp agency saying the company I work for doesn't want me to come back. I was told that a lady there (she wasn't my direct manager, but was a manager there) told them that I couldn't keep up with my work and that I was curt with vendors. My whole department is possibly being closed down because our client thinks we can't keep up with our work. We were under a 4 week watch which still had about 3 weeks left. My original job was processing invoices and I have close to 3000 invoices to process on my own. About 3 weeks ago, I was pulled from processing to do reports. My vendors that I originally had were split in half and given to 2 new temp employees. During downtime from reports I had a few vendors that I would process invoices for. Then the call happened. My vendors loved me. I have proof in emails that they really liked me and I have always helped and have also been told by my vendors that I have been the only person to help. I have formed a relationship strong enough that vendors have opened up to me about their personal life. Obviously, what this lady said was a lie and I feel like to made my rep look bad to other employees and my temp agency.

Is this ok for her to do or is there anything I can do? I am now out a job and looking for another one.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NC

I was called over the weekend by my temp agency saying the company I work for doesn't want me to come back. I was told that a lady there (she wasn't my direct manager, but was a manager there) told them that I couldn't keep up with my work and that I was curt with vendors. My whole department is possibly being closed down because our client thinks we can't keep up with our work. We were under a 4 week watch which still had about 3 weeks left. My original job was processing invoices and I have close to 3000 invoices to process on my own. About 3 weeks ago, I was pulled from processing to do reports. My vendors that I originally had were split in half and given to 2 new temp employees. During downtime from reports I had a few vendors that I would process invoices for. Then the call happened. My vendors loved me. I have proof in emails that they really liked me and I have always helped and have also been told by my vendors that I have been the only person to help. I have formed a relationship strong enough that vendors have opened up to me about their personal life. Obviously, what this lady said was a lie and I feel like to made my rep look bad to other employees and my temp agency.

Is this ok for her to do or is there anything I can do? I am now out a job and looking for another one.

Nothing illegal or improper occurred. The company informed their vendor that they no longer wished to utilize the services of the person they provided.

 

[cbg]

I'm not seeing an obvious lie. "Curt" is a matter of opinion and if you still have 3000 invoices outstanding, they may well be worried about your ability to complete them in the time remaining. But even if you had a signed and notarized statement confirming that everything she said was maliciously and deliberately fabricated, in the absence of a legally binding and enforceable contract that expressly and in so many words stated, "Your employment can only be termed for x, y and z" and you were termed for a, you can still be let go because you did (or didn't) wear green socks on Thursday. Google, at-will employment.

 

[Zigner]

Google, at-will employment.

There's not even a need for that. The OP wasn't employed by the company in question. The OP is an employee of the agency.

 

[cbg]

True, but the same general concept applies. In the absence of a binding agreement otherwise, the contracting agency is free to notify the agency that her services are no longer required. Just like in at-will.

 

[Zigner]

True, but the same general concept applies. In the absence of a binding agreement otherwise, the contracting agency is free to notify the agency that her services are no longer required. Just like in at-will.

No argument is forthcoming from me.

 

[swalsh411]

A client of a temp agency can legally, for any reason whatsoever (even reasons normally prohibited due to membership in a protected class), tell the agency they do not want the services of particular person. Laws that protect employees from wrongful termination do not apply because the employee is not employed by the client but rather the temp agency.

At-will isn't the proper doctrine to apply here because there was never a employment relationship between the OP and the client.

 

[cbg]

Can we all agree that the OP has no case here, even if we disagree as to why?

(I'd be very interested to see how your theories played out in Montana.)

 

[Zigner]

To be accurate, the OP hasn't been fired (terminated, whatever). The agency still employs the OP.

 

[leahr85]

Re:

Can we all agree that the OP has no case here, even if we disagree as to why?

(I'd be very interested to see how your theories played out in Montana.)

They have many other departments and I feel that now if I wanted to every apply to another department even in another office that my chances are ruined. I just found out that they let more people go without reason. It wasn't that I couldn't keep up. Nobody was keeping up. They create a hostile environment for everyone and expect too much for the few people in the department. A lady recently just had the ambulance called at work for stressing out. If I have nothing because of being a temp, that I understand, but she basically ruined my rep with the company. Thanks for everyone's feedback.

 

[cbg]

The term, hostile work environment, has a very specific meaning in employment law, and nothing you have posted comes even remotely close to meeting that definition.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Perhaps this a message from God it is time to move to PA.

 

[commentator]

If the temporary agency does not have another assignment for you to go to, file for unemployment benefits. It does not matter why the company requested your assignment be ended, or why the temp agency has ended your assignment, it only matters if you were terminated from your job (with the temp agency) for actual work related misconduct. Your assignment ending isn't misconduct. File for unemployment insurance if you are out of work for any length of time here. That's as good as it will get for you. Temps become over engaged in the workplace at their assignment location, they become embroiled in the dynamics of the workplace, and they forget that as far as this workplace is concerned, they are a nobody. Their checks are signed and their work is controlled by their real employer, the temp service. Don't stress out, don't quit, just find another job, with a permanent employer instead of a temp service, and this won't be a problem.

 

[leahr85]

Re

LOL... I would go back home to FL before ever moving to PA. I can't move out of NC right now, so it is back to job hunting.

 

[ecmst12]

You can file for unemployment as long as you're not actually working, but make sure you are calling that temp agency every single morning to see if they have an assignment for you, and don't turn down any assignments - they WILL fight unemployment.