Can I Sign a Document with V.C. (Vi Coactus) After My Name, Instead of Before

[MichiganWorker]

What is the name of your state? Michigan


I work in Michigan at a hotel.

My boss has been verbally-abusive towards all the employees where I am, and has written me up on disciplinary reports for things like not wringing out a mop correctly and has threatened to fire me.

The last two disciplinary reports I signed with my name and V.C. (Vi Coactus) after my name.

Today will be my third write-up when I come to work tonight, and that will be because I was sweeping the lobby with a different type of broom than that one he wanted me to use. (Though I wasn't aware of it at the time)

He has been screaming at other employees as well every day and threatening to fire them for small things.

I need to know that tonight when I tell him that I signed the last two disciplinary reports with V.C. that they still count as voiding the document.

When I originally heard about Vi Coactus I didn't realize it was usually put before the signature, but I am hoping it will count even though it was added after my signature.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Just Blue]

VC Doesn't void your write-up. You can still be fired.

 

[eerelations]

Writing "Vi Coactus" before or after (or above or below) your signature on a disciplinary report does not legally void said disciplinary report. Period. It is a waste of ink.

Absent a legally enforceable contract that states otherwise, your employer is legally free to fire you for pretty much any reason, including no reason. In law, disciplinary reports don't count, whether or not they have "Vi Coactus" (or anything else, for that matter) written on them.

 

[Zigner]

You'll get the same answers here as on the other forum.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state? Michigan


I work in Michigan at a hotel.

My boss has been verbally-abusive towards all the employees where I am, and has written me up on disciplinary reports for things like not wringing out a mop correctly and has threatened to fire me.

The last two disciplinary reports I signed with my name and V.C. (Vi Coactus) after my name.

Today will be my third write-up when I come to work tonight, and that will be because I was sweeping the lobby with a different type of broom than that one he wanted me to use. (Though I wasn't aware of it at the time)

He has been screaming at other employees as well every day and threatening to fire them for small things.

I need to know that tonight when I tell him that I signed the last two disciplinary reports with V.C. that they still count as voiding the document.

When I originally heard about Vi Coactus I didn't realize it was usually put before the signature, but I am hoping it will count even though it was added after my signature.

Thank you for your time.

Have you spoken to the HR department about the verbal abuse?

 

[Zigner]

I am glad that the OP came online to ask these questions BEFORE putting foot in mouth with the employer

 

[quincy]

I am glad that the OP came online to ask these questions BEFORE putting foot in mouth with the employer

Depending on how many disciplinary write-ups are permitted, he is apt to be fired either way.

 

[Taxing Matters]

When I originally heard about Vi Coactus I didn't realize it was usually put before the signature, but I am hoping it will count even though it was added after my signature.

I'm sorry to tell you that the Latin phrase vi coactus is not one found in American law. It appears nowhere in Black's Law Dictionary, 10th Ed. which is the long established leading legal dictionary used by lawyers and the courts in the U.S. (The 10th Ed. has just been replaced by 11th Ed. this year, so it is still very current.) Nor does it appear in any Michigan case law or, indeed, the case law of any state. My research indicates that the phrase has been used, though very infrequently, in English law. So in England maybe it would have some effect. But it has no effect here.

The purpose of signing with that phrase before your signature in English law is to indicate that you are signing the document under duress. If you were truly under duress then in the U.S. you don't need that phrase. Agreements you sign under duress are not enforceable against you. But most Americans misunderstand what duress means. Duress means that you were compelled to sign under threat of physical force (e.g. "I'll break your kneecaps if you don't sign") or that some other form of ILLEGAL pressure was applied to induce you to sign. Your employer has the right to fire you for pretty much any reason, so a threat to fire you if you don't sign is not duress. Using VC wouldn't change that even if it were recognized in the U.S.

The bottom line here is that your use of VC either before or after your name was ineffective and useless. It did not alter the effect of your signature on the document. That said, when it comes to performance reviews, the commonly accepted view is that signing a performance review/disciplinary write up typically means only that you acknowledge that the review was shared with you, not that you agree to your manager's criticisms unless the document expressly states that you do agree with it.

I suggest you not argue the VC thing to your employer. It will do you no good and it is likely to make the employer think you are unwilling to listen to his reviews and requests for improvement, which is a pretty sure way to be shown the door.

 

[Zigner]

but...but...but...
It's all over the internet!

 

[Taxing Matters]

but...but...but...
It's all over the internet!

As one judge remarked to a pro se litigant, "Wikipedia is not legal authority."

 

[adjusterjack]

As one judge remarked to a pro se litigant, "Wikipedia is not legal authority."

It's not??? Oh my.

LOL.

 

[FlyingRon]

IDuress means that you were compelled to sign under threat of physical force (e.g. "I'll break your kneecaps if you don't sign") or that some other form of ILLEGAL pressure was applied to induce you to sign.

Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.

 

[Shadowbunny]

As one judge remarked to a pro se litigant, "Wikipedia is not legal authority."

There's some nut-job on youtube who posted a video about this nonsense. Our OP, unfortunately, believes it.

 

[MichiganWorker]

You'll get the same answers here as on the other forum.

Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.

It must be nice to live a sheltered-life, watching the Godfather all day in your mom's basement and digging through a bucket of popcorn. I salute you.

Also, the people where I work are pretty sad and distraught - they have to work jobs in the real world - not movie-land.

 

[MichiganWorker]

There's some nut-job on youtube who posted a video about this nonsense. Our OP, unfortunately, believes it.

It's not the first I've heard of using V.C. on a document, but I am wondering why some guy on youtube would apparently blatantly lie about such a thing.