Off the Record Conversation

[vikesgirl]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin
Fully acknowledging this is never a good idea, I had a private, off the record conversation with a coworker I thought I could trust. Well, I couldn't and now I am being terminated. Does that constitute cause for termination, even if they never addressed it directly with me? They shared my statements with several individuals in the organization as well.

 

[swalsh411]

Yes with one very specific exception that I am aware of. Were you discussing labor organizing? I'm thinking you weren't but just throwing it out there.

Considering your conversation wasn't "on the record" to begin with, there is no such thing as "off the record". That's a cliche used by cops on TV and movies.

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin
Fully acknowledging this is nevejobgood idea, I had a private, off the record conversation with a coworker I thought I could trust. Well, I couldn't and now I am being terminated. Does that constitute cause for termination, even if they never addressed it directly with me? They shared my statements with several individuals in the organization as well.

Apparently, whatever you said WAS sufficient to get you fired.

How does the fact that you made a bad choice in whom to confide make it the employer's fault for terminating you? If whatever you confessed to was that damaging, what possible difference would it have made to discuss it with you prior to your termination - other than providing you with an opportunity to lie about having said these things?

I suggest that, in the future, you are more careful in choosing with whom you discuss issues that could lead to you losing your job.

 

[commentator]

As someone pointed out, unless you were making efforts to organize a union, your conversation with and speech to your co-worker can be used very legally as a reason to terminate you. However, if you had not had discipline in the past, and you were terminated without a warning or a chance to change your behavior, you'll probably be approvable for unemployment insurance. That's as good as it gets as far as your rights.

And if your actions (comments) were serious enough to be considered gross misconduct (you actually made death threats, threatened to blow up the building, or admitted to sabotaging the operation of their business or deliberately driving clients away) then you would not likely be approved for benefits, as it would be considered that your employer did have a valid misconduct reason to terminate you due to what you told your co-worker.

 

[FlyingRon]

In fact, barring such prohibited acts as firing collective bargaining organizers or illegal discrimination on things like race, they don't even need a reason to fire you.

 

[cbg]

Agree with the above. Without knowing what you shared it's impossible to carve an answer in stone, but unless it was in some way protected speech it is legal to term you whether it is "grounds" as a reasonable person would consider them or not.

 

[ecmst12]

I suspect OP was fired because of something she admitted to doing in the conversation, not because of the conversation itself. So an unemployment claim would depend on what it was that she admitted to doing and whether THAT would be considered misconduct or not.