Why employer refused to use the word TERMINATION

[draexo]

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

I am a health professional who formerly worked at Wal-Mart (now officially WalMart). I was travelling 27 miles to my job and found something closer. Wal-Mart could not provide me with anything closer, so I gave a two week notice. A few days later I was called on the phone by my district manager and told I was being terminated and my schedule filled. Frankly, I was relieved as I was tired of the 27 mile drive and could use the week between jobs to do some stuff around the house.

One of the things WalMart does is immediately issue you a final paycheck. So I went up to the store to get my few things there and a paycheck. I had to meet with the district manager and sign a form stating I was to return my phone and laptop and that I received a final paycheck. A witness was needed, so one of the department managers came over. She asked what happened. I reminded her how I have given two weeks notice, but apparently, if you give two weeks notice at WalMart and they can not convince you to stay, they terminate you. The district manager became visibly upset and said I was NOT TERMINATED and that I was fully able to be re-hired.

Why would the district manager become so upset about using the word TERMINATION? Does WalMart have some exposure here in firing a health professional? Loss of respect of peers? I just do not get it and I can not find the answer. I know WalMart does everything it can to protect itself so at some point between the phone call in the morning saying I was terminated and the evening final paycheck/get my stuff meeting, the word became taboo??

 

[cbg]

I have no idea why the word, terminated, freaked her out so much. It is a loaded word for many employees (who often wrongly assume that it is a pseudonym for fired) but there's no reason I can think of why the manager should be so upset by it. Nothing you have posted suggests that Walmart has any legal exposure (and since I detest Walmart, I would happily tell you anything that might give you legal grounds against them).

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

You were not terminated and thus cannot collect UE. Your 2 week notice of quitting, was accepted early.

 

[LdiJ]

You were not terminated and thus cannot collect UE. Your 2 week notice of quitting, was accepted early.

That is probably why the manager freaked out at the word "terminated", because it might have made you eligible for UE.

 

[cbg]

Nope, that's not it. Or if it is, it's because the manager does not understand what is meant by termination in HR/unemployment parlance.

As I said above, terminated does not mean fired. Ask any HR person - any time a job ends, that's a termination. A quit is a voluntary termination.

 

[ecmst12]

It could be that the Walmart bosses have terrorized the managers over any possible unemployment claims, making them afraid of the word. Many of them are probably not the brightest bulbs in the box.

 

[swalsh411]

If you can't start your new job right away you may be eligible for one week of the two weeks notice. (first week is waiting week).

As I was walking out of that managers office I would have turned my head and whispered "terminated" over my shoulder as I was leaving.

 

[commentator]

Wal-mart unemployment claims in almost every state, though I can't say for certain it is in yours, or every one, are handled by a large contracting firm. (So large it would frighten you !) They sell their service by insisting that they will reduce the employers' unemployment tax liabilities and handle all claims. If you had filed for unemployment benefits, you'd have been dealing with this firm, the unemployment system would have been instructed to forward all inquiries about the circumstances of your separation (that's the term preferred in unemployment lingo) to their company.

They offer training for managers about how to deal with their system, it's part of the stuff on line that Wal-mart manager trainees must undergo. There may even be something specific about this in the training. I know if I were to write such training for managers, this is a situation I would deal with. And termination is not really a word I would like others to use in regard to separation, myself, unless it was "termination for cause."

I agree with cbg that the word termination just really means you are separated. But to tell the truth, there is sometimes a connotation that the decision to terminate was that of management, not the employee. In your situation, if you'd have insisted I say you were terminated, I would have called it a "self-termination," to make it perfectly clear that you were the driver in this incident. You have given notice, and informed them of your desire to leave. They get to pick the day, not you. Notice is not required legally unless it is agreed upon in some sort of specific contractual agreement, and this wasn't.

Once you've given notice you are about to leave, then you are the one who initiated the leaving (termination, voluntary quit, whatever.) If you self terminate, as I said, they are at liberty to let you go the minute you turn in the notice, or a week into the two week notice, whatever. And if you go out and file for unemployment benefits as soon as you are terminated under these circumstances, it is very unlikely you would be eligible for any period of unemployment, since you voluntarily quit your job, according to their terms. You are not out of work through no fault of your own.

There's a line in the original "Star Wars" movie. It is when Darth Vader is holding C3pio and Princess Leia captive, and he tells the troopers, "Terminate them!" Loved it!

 

[FlyingRon]

There are two kinds of companies out there. Some will accept your two week notice with grace and let you serve out the time. Others will show you the door the minute you indicate you are quitting.

 

[davew128]

There's a line in the original "Star Wars" movie. It is when Darth Vader is holding C3pio and Princess Leia captive, and he tells the troopers, "Terminate them!" Loved it!

C3P0 was never held captive in the original movie and Darth Vader never spoke that line, Grand Moff Tarkin did.

 

[Mnemosyne]

C3P0 was never held captive in the original movie and Darth Vader never spoke that line, Grand Moff Tarkin did.

Grand Moff Tarkin: "She lied! She lied to us!"
Darth Vader: "I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion."
Grand Moff Tarkin: "Terminate her immediately!"

 

[EmployeRelation]

You are not terminated in this situation. Termination is a process in which employer fired the employee without any prior notice. You got a notice period of 3 weeks already. But I can't understand the thing why your boss is so shocked or disturbed? Have you understood that??

 

[eerelations]

You are not terminated in this situation. Termination is a process in which employer fired the employee without any prior notice. You got a notice period of 3 weeks already. But I can't understand the thing why your boss is so shocked or disturbed? Have you understood that??

Hey! First you take my name and then you give incorrect information! Folks, it wasn't me what said this dumb stuff!!!

 

[cbg]

You are not terminated in this situation. Termination is a process in which employer fired the employee without any prior notice. You got a notice period of 3 weeks already. But I can't understand the thing why your boss is so shocked or disturbed? Have you understood that??

Obviously you have never worked in HR or any area that utilizes employment law or you would not say anything so asinine. Not to mention wrong.

 

[Antigone*]

Obviously you have never worked in HR or any area that utilizes employment law or you would not say anything so asinine. Not to mention wrong.

Sounds like something willie would say.