Started a new job as an executive assistant and just got let go....

[123sunshine]

NJ
I started a new job on March 8th. I have an offer letter signed by myself and the employers. The letter states I am being hired as an executive assistant.
4 weeks in, I get fired. The reason is that they decided that the need someone with a scientific background and not a secretarial background.... I'm like.. WHAT?!?!?!?! Talk about getting blind sided... and just like that, I'm unemployed.

Was this job misrepresented to me. Thoughts?

 

[quincy]

NJ
I started a new job on March 8th. I have an offer letter signed by myself and the employers. The letter states I am being hired as an executive assistant.
4 weeks in, I get fired. The reason is that they decided that the need someone with a scientific background and not a secretarial background.... I'm like.. WHAT?!?!?!?! Talk about getting blind sided... and just like that, I'm unemployed.

Was this job misrepresented to me. Thoughts?

Was the job misrepresented to you? Possibly. Was there any mention of a need for a scientific background when you applied?

Even if you were “blindsided” by the changing needs of the employer, the employer might not have realized the importance of his/her executive assistant having a scientific background prior to hiring you. Once the importance was realized, your secretarial background (as good as it might be) was not going to fulfill the needs of the employer.

Unless you had a contract that guaranteed your employment (unlikely), it looks like you will need to search for another job.

Be sure to file for unemployment.

 

[cbg]

If the underlying question here is whether or not you were wrongfully terminated and have legal recourse, the answer is, Not based on what you have posted here.

It's a shame, and possibly may be unfair. But no laws or protected rights were violated based on the information in your post.

 

[zddoodah]

Was this job misrepresented to me.

How should we know?

Thoughts?

What you described sucks hard -- especially if you gave up another job for this one. However, unless you had a contract that limited the employer's ability to fire you or were a member of a labor union with a collective bargaining agreement with your employer or were a civil service employee, the employer was free to fire you at any time and for any non-illegal reason (just as you were free to quit at any time and for any reason).

 

[quincy]

123sunshine, I am curious. When you were on the forum in January, your job at an assisted living facility was in jeopardy because you did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as was being required by your employer. Did you get vaccinated, did you quit that job, or were you fired?

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to New Jersey unemployment information:

https://www.myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/who/index.shtml

 

[123sunshine]

123sunshine, I am curious. When you were on the forum in January, your job at an assisted living facility was in jeopardy because you did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as was being required by your employer. Did you get vaccinated, did you quit that job, or were you fired?

Quincy, Human Resources thinks I was let go for a reason that you do not mention above. FYI I did not get vaccinated. He was annoyed at alot of people because many of us chose not to get the vaccine. I have heard from my past co-workers that he started offering incentives to people if they took it... is that even allowed? There is alot of history wrt this employer. He is verbally and mentally abusive to many of his employees and I foolishly put up with it alot longer than others did... Around the time of the mandated vaccine in his company, I started getting fed up with the whole thing and I guess it was apparent and he let me go. He made up lies to unemployment so he didn't have to pay me unemployment insurance. Little did he know that many times in the past, I reported everything he ever did to me to HR and I spoke with them on numerous occassions. Fast forward, my claim from unemployment was verified and I am getting unemployment. I win!!

 

[Zigner]

I have heard from my past co-workers that he started offering incentives to people if they took it... is that even allowed?

Of course it is.

 

[cbg]

Of course you know that prevailing on an unemployment claim in no way means that you have any kind of legal recourse against the company, right?

 

[123sunshine]

Of course you know that prevailing on an unemployment claim in no way means that you have any kind of legal recourse against the company, right?

Yes, I am aware of that.

 

[quincy]

Quincy, Human Resources thinks I was let go for a reason that you do not mention above. FYI I did not get vaccinated. He was annoyed at alot of people because many of us chose not to get the vaccine. I have heard from my past co-workers that he started offering incentives to people if they took it... is that even allowed? There is alot of history wrt this employer. He is verbally and mentally abusive to many of his employees and I foolishly put up with it alot longer than others did... Around the time of the mandated vaccine in his company, I started getting fed up with the whole thing and I guess it was apparent and he let me go. He made up lies to unemployment so he didn't have to pay me unemployment insurance. Little did he know that many times in the past, I reported everything he ever did to me to HR and I spoke with them on numerous occassions. Fast forward, my claim from unemployment was verified and I am getting unemployment. I win!!

Thank you for sating my curiosity, 123sunshine.

You stopped collecting unemployment benefits when you started your new job 4 weeks ago, correct? You will need to reapply since you are once again unemployed.

Several employers around the country are offering “vaccine incentives” to their employees, by the way. It is a smart way to get otherwise-reluctant employees shots that will protect themselves and others from the virus.

Good luck with your new job search.

 

[123sunshine]

On the topic of vaccines... You can still get the virus but it's my understanding that it doesn't grab a hold of you and get you sick. While you can still carry the virus, you can easily spread it to someone else therefore it is still suggested that you wear a mask. I am waiting it out... as are many others that I speak with. I am not opposed to it but i will not be participating in a worldwide clinical trial. Perhaps we will know more in a year's time. I spoke with someone last night who rattled off more than a half dozen people she knows personally. Two of them had underlying conditions and went into Afib. One had a severe allergic reaction and needed treatment. Unfortunately, you do not hear much about the negatives.

Thank you for the well wishes on the job search. It's extremely scary... lots of jobs but ageism is alive and well.

 

[quincy]

On the topic of vaccines... You can still get the virus but it's my understanding that it doesn't grab a hold of you and get you sick. While you can still carry the virus, you can easily spread it to someone else therefore it is still suggested that you wear a mask. I am waiting it out... as are many others that I speak with. I am not opposed to it but i will not be participating in a worldwide clinical trial. Perhaps we will know more in a year's time. I spoke with someone last night who rattled off more than a half dozen people she knows personally. Two of them had underlying conditions and went into Afib. One had a severe allergic reaction and needed treatment. Unfortunately, you do not hear much about the negatives.

Thank you for the well wishes on the job search. It's extremely scary... lots of jobs but ageism is alive and well.

More jobs should be opening up soon.

The vaccines have been used long enough now to show they are safe and effective for the majority of those who get vaccinated - and the effects from the virus itself have been proven deadly. But, yes. Masking should continue as should social distancing.

What I found interesting (but not surprising) is that last year there was only ONE reported case of the flu. The US might want to consider continuing masking even when Covid-19 is no longer a threat.

 

[123sunshine]

Quincy, interesting you should mention the lack of flu cases being reported. As one friend said to me.. it's because of face masks and hand washing... So my response was... than why wasn't COVID greatly reduced. Thoughts?

 

[quincy]

Quincy, interesting you should mention the lack of flu cases being reported. As one friend said to me.. it's because of face masks and hand washing... So my response was... than why wasn't COVID greatly reduced. Thoughts?

The wearing of masks and social distancing wasn’t encouraged by the previous administration. Some people refused to listen to experts. Some people didn’t mask up or socially distance. Some people still refuse to mask up and socially distance. So the COVID-19 virus spread rapidly, and continues to spread.

The COVID-19 virus is a much more powerful virus than the flu virus - and most of us have built up some immunity to some of the flu viruses. And people get flu shots. None of us had any immunity to COVID and there were no shots available at first to prevent us from getting Covid.