wrongful termination

[michkrap]

What is the name of your state? Wisconsin

I have friend that started two weeks ago at a union Manufacturing facility that has a 60 day probation period. All week our weather outlook was for a snow storm to hit our area by early Thursday morning. Late Wednesday night we had 5 inches of new snow that fell, which made the roads slippery and snow covered. And with all of the Storm warnings that early morning hour, schools cancelled classes by 5:00 a.m Thursday morning. My friend called in to work at 4:30 a.m , her shift starts at 5:00 a.m. after watching the news and seeing how fast the storm was approaching. She left a voice message for her supervisor, telling him she wouldn't be in, due to the snow storm coming in, and the roads already were snow covered and slippery from the previous night snow fall of 5 inches. At 8:30 a.m the snow storm hit us.
Later that morning, she received a phone call from Human Resources telling her she was terminated. Reason for termination, missing a day of work duringher Probation period.

How can they do this when it is weather related, something that we can not control. What can she do about this?

[enjay]

Originally Posted by michkrap

What can she do about this?

Find a new job. I can't believe she blew off work 2 weeks into a brand new job. In Wisconsin. Where it snows a lot.

[mlane58]

How can they do this when it is weather related, something that we can not control.

It is called being an at will employee and the employer can terminate the employment relationship for any reason.

What can she do about this?

Look for another job.

[weenor]

Having lived in Wisconsin for a number of years, I know that no employer is going to be sympathetic to 5 inches with more on the way...Really you need to get more than a foot in 12 hours or so...Anyway if she is in a union shop is she member? If so, she needs to see if the union can do anything. Otherwise, yes the employer has the right to terminate her.

[cbg]

This does not come even remotely close to meeting the definition of a wrongful termination under the law. She wouldn't get away with that without being termed in my state, either, where we had 15 inches of snow in my town earlier this week, and I still got to work.

As weenor says, IF she is covered under the union contract AND IF that contract says she cannot be termed for this reason, then she can file a grievance with the union. Other than that, the only rights she has are to file for unemployment and look for new employment.