wrongfully accused of theft and the terminated

[motohio]

What is the name of your state? ohio
Last year I was accused of taking gasoline from work and was put on paid leave for about 6 weeks. Then my lawyer and I were called into a meeting with my boss for a chance to explain. Two or three days later a termination paper came in the mail. What are the laws on this type of termination? Am I innocent until proven guilty or can they just fire me if they think that I did it. They also threatened to file criminal charges but never did.

 

[pattytx]

You can be legally terminated just for the suspicion of theft; "innocent until proven guilty" is only valid in a court of law, not in the employment arena. I'm surprised your attorney didn't know that.

 

[motohio]

Ohio

We are going in front of the personnel board at the end of the month. Is there anything that we should do first? We are getting wittness' and trying to prepare but we are nervous.

 

[pattytx]

The personnel board? What type of employer is this? Are you covered by a union contract?

 

[motohio]

the state personnel board of review is a body that public employees can appeal to.

 

[Zigner]

OP -

It would be nice to post ALL pertinent information. The fact that you work(ed) for a State entity will likely change the responses you get here. Same goes if you were represented by a union.

 

[pattytx]

OP -

It would be nice to post ALL pertinent information. The fact that you work(ed) for a State entity will likely change the responses you get here. Same goes if you were represented by a union.

My point exactly. Your recourse is whatever the state provides for.

 

[moburkes]

What is the name of your state? ohio
Last year I was accused of taking gasoline from work and was put on paid leave for about 6 weeks. Then my lawyer and I were called into a meeting with my boss for a chance to explain. Two or three days later a termination paper came in the mail. What are the laws on this type of termination? Am I innocent until proven guilty or can they just fire me if they think that I did it. They also threatened to file criminal charges but never did.

What was there to "explain"?

 

[motohio]

No there is no union. There was a lot of inappropiate things going on in the office. Such as missuse of company computers and some unwanted sexual advancements on a female employee by another male employee and then was covered up. Can all of this be used to show anything. This board that we go in front of is not a court it is a administrative procedure.

 

[moburkes]

What does any of that have to do with you taking gas?

 

[motohio]

Nothing I was just wondering if those things could be used to discredit them. Do we have to prove that I did not take it and how do we do that since I did not do it. The gas in question was in a place that was available to all employees and there was no way to track how much gas was used by each employee.

 

[moburkes]

Nothing I was just wondering if those things could be used to discredit them. Do we have to prove that I did not take it and how do we do that since I did not do it. The gas in question was in a place that was available to all employees and there was no way to track how much gas was used by each employee.

Ther termination was still legal.

You said that you didn't take the gas, then you say that all employees had access to it, so, therefore, anybody could have taken it, including you. Are you absolutely saying that you didn't take it, or that others besides yourself took it?