policy bender

I was fired on 01MAR01. the events that led up to my firing are detailed i will attempt to be brief. i was seuxually harassed by a Brevard county firefighter somewhere in the last few months of 2000. it did bother me but i blew it off until the accused cept coming to my place of work (where i was harassed first by him). on the 27th of FEB his Lt came in to my place of work (Publix grocery store) and i siezed the opportunity to explain to him what his employee had doen to me. the next day the Lt. came in and accused me of harassing him and trying to hit on him. thus i was fired with only 2 counceling statements when the policy is three and you are fired. what do i do? (it was the same manager that gave me the first counceling statement that fired me)

This would probably be an unlawful firing if you could prove what happened. However, if you can not prove it and as far as your manager is concerned it is the Lt’s word against yours, it is probably not unlawful for that reason.

However, you mention that the store policy is that there is no firing until the person has 3 counseling statements. If that (1) is so definite a policy that it has become part of the employment contract, (2) if they violated that policy in firing you, and (3) if there is no exception to the policy that applies, then it would be an unlawful firing.

The kind of exception that could apply is a policy that certain types of behavior warrant firing without the 3 counseling statements.