WomenCo.

Hi

I recently lost my job under very shady sercomstances.. I worked in a Credit Union- and I did not get along with my boss (only 3 men in a company of women- and all have a managerial position..). My boss was the kind of guy that hit 30 and decided he wanted to not only be a branch manager- but manage a branch that had people in it; even though he has no managerial skills or background. He treated everyone poorly- and got upset if you did not talk to him as "one of the gang" if you were not happy with him. I always treated him with a professional respect ESPECIALLY in front of customers. But I refused to chit chat with him because of how poorly he was treating me. But... this is all just background.

On a monday- a customer came in with an official check he wanted to cash- nothing out of the ordinary. Since it was an official check, there was no need to verify it. So the man walked out with 4,500 or so bucks. Friday my boss started acting oddly happy and insisted he do a drawer audit even though one was done the week before and they are only done quarterly. On that monday- I was brought in and told "This isn't working out- please hand over any keys you have. Good luck." -- EXACTLY THAT -- after over a year it's not working out?! Of course after I started to collect my things and he came out of the office, I asked why. He said the check I cashed was fraudulant and I did not verify it so I was to be fired. -- ----Now, remember, I said official checks did not have to be verified. Sooo.... what is the deal? Others I have talked to in this industry said it is customary to put someone on probation or possibly just warn the employee to be more carefull. But no, I was fired.. and I have a feeling it was because my boss just wanted me out (also, I had stood up for myself by telling a higher management how innapropriately he acted towards me... he did not like that....).

I feel worse now- because on most applications I fill out, it asks "Why did you leave this job?" or "Please choose; quit, fired, layed off". Also I have little to no skills. I have not been to college and I do not have an outstanding talent. The only thing I have is that I learn quickly and am fair with my computing skills.

It's been about a month now- my unemployment check has not kicked in yet, and I am depressed about the whole situation. I am trying to get work through temp agencies, but the area I live in is more of a retirement area. AHHH goodness. Anywho- - - other than venting, I was wondering what I could do to help my situation or if anyone else has had this happen and how they got things back to good.

Thank you for listening!

Hi Katie,

I read your post and it sounds like you are going through a tough time. A couple of thoughts:

First things first…financial security and Unemployment Insurance Compensation (UIC): The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under state law), and meet other eligibility requirements of state law.

In California this means if you were lawfully fired for poor job performance the State Employment Development Department (EDD) can dismiss your claim.

What normally takes place is that once you file an UIC claim with the State Employment Development Department (EDD), the department will contact your ex-boss (employer) and ask “what happened.” If your manager asserts you were terminated based on job performance the EDD can dismiss your claim, i.e. no benefits.

You can challenge this in writing by stating on your UIC form the facts concerning your termination and why you believe you were wrongfully terminated. If you feel you have been wrongfully terminated, follow through by filing a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). The department will review the matter within 30 or 60 days and inform you if an investigation will take place. 

Whether the DFEH has been contacted or not, the EDD will make a decision and if you disagree (claim dismissed), file an appeal with the Appeals Board.

Other possibilities…

Danielle is right. Consider talking with your boss and ask if he is willing to give you a good reference. Don't run away. Just because he let you go doesn't mean he wants you to remain unemployed or he may want to minimize a liability, i.e. you both agree it was time for you to move on.

When you're ready emotionally, call your ex-boss, tell him the positive things that you took from working for him, and that you're sorry circumstances led to this conclusion. Then ask if he would consider helping you in your job search by providing you with a reference. Be careful here…if you flat out don’t trust the guy and/or he hesitates in answering you, let it go at that.

If you must verify employment but are worried that your boss may say something negative about you, list a human-resources manager or another department manager. Ask before you depart, whether he/she could be a work reference and accurately represent your work capacity.

Most company policies limit what managers and human-resources professionals can say. Typically they are limited to your job title, length of employment and salary.” A prospective employer can ask “would you rehire her/him” not “can you tell me why he/she no longer works there.”

And remember, recognize you are not your actions or decisions and that ‘failing’ in a job, task, or relationship does not mean you are a failure. Loss of a job means to become aware of your triggers or issues, and learn how you are going to effectively manage them. Change represents opportunity and recognizing this aspect, can make a huge difference in perspective.