FIRING

I was recently fired from a job as an insurance rep. from a surgery center in Texas. I was met at the time clock by the director and was told that i was being fired because " I am not a team player" I worked there almost 3 years and was hired when the company was owend by one man and he sold out, about 2 years ago, to a major company. When the new boss was brought on board, she hired a girlfriend for a supervisory position that had no management experience. The position was never posted and I questioned the director on this. According to the EEOC, the position should have posted for others to apply. Well, after this all previous good reviews from past management were now lousey. In the last review (Sept 00) before I was fired, I was told that my work was good, but I was not a team player. When I asked for her definition of team player, she stated, When the girls are talking about things that are going on in their lives, such as the last movie they saw, I should join in. I was not socialable enough. I worked on the phone calling insurance companies for payments, I didnot know I had time to gossip. On 2/23/01, she met me at the time clock and stated I was fired because i was not a "team player." I asked her 3 times what she meant and she would only say i was being let go because i was not a team player. I asked if I had done anything to lead up to this and she said no. I was never written up for this and I still don't know why I was fired. I am black and I have a very wealthy white physician boyfriend that had, in the 80's, worked with my boss. I would like to write her boss and advise him of this. I know they will lie and manufacture things about me to defend themselves. Should I waste my time in doing anything? All involved in firing me are white. I know I was the best collector they had and she told me it was not my work.

[Edited by Denice Calvin on 03-08-2001 at 06:08 PM]

Question - what makes you think the EEOC requires that the position you referred to be posted internally? Is the company you work for an Affirmative Action employer or something?

If you live in an at-will employment state, your employer can discharge with or without notice.

If you seriously believe that there are racial motives for your discharge, you should talk to an attorney or the EEOC for advice as to whether or not you may have a case.

When they terminated your employment, did they provide you with a severance of any sort? Was a termination/separation agreement involved releasing them from all future employment claims? These are just some things to consider. It is always extremely difficult to be fired from a job especially if you believe you were doing a good job.

Depending on your state laws, you may be able to obtain a copy of your entire personnel file (including performance reviews, corrective action notices, etc..). Also, you may be able to demand the reason for termination in writing from the former employer (may depend on your state laws).