Man, I just got sacked...

[Johnny Rotten]

And boy am I fuckin angry. Said I wasn't a "good fit." If I'd had any indication that I was hanging by a thread, I would have kicked ass and taken names. Instead I didn't work hard enough as he thought I should have, I guess.

I've never been fired before. A clean record.

Well, at least I have enough money tucked away to keep me okay until I can get hired somewhere else.

I told my roommate, but I haven't told me parents yet. Don't have an SO.

...

Steamed.

[Manic_Skafe]

Sadly enough, I've been there before and I can honestly say that it's not nearly as bad a thing as it seems. As long as your termination doesn't stem from anything like theft or job abandonment then it's all up to how you market it to potential employers. Although it depends upon the field, work history checks rarely bring up more than vague details so scrounge for good references and try to land some interviews as soon as possible - the sooner you interview the more you'll be able to downplay your termination to a simple "search for new opportunities".

Good luck.

[ngdawg]

As I understand it, no employer can say they fired you and give a reason. Worst they can say to another potential employer is verifying your time spent there, and if you'd said what you made, verifying that as well.
Sometimes we just aren't a 'good fit'-bosses have their issues with people, sometimes they just don't like some people, regardless of what they do and sometimes employes could take a crap in the middle of the office and be loved. *shrug*
File for unemployment, look for something that will pay the bills and fit you and this will be a distant memory. We've all been there. Good luck.

[Lasereth]

Employers can most definitely say they fired you and give a reason. They can in NC, anyway. NC being a fire-at-will state might have something to do with it though. On every application I fill out there's questions about if you've been fired, what it was for, and the employer's phone number so they can call and ask if what they said matched your story.

If I thought I was working hard enough and I got fired I'd be monumentally pissed off as well. It sucks hardcore that there's nothing you can do about it though, legally or socially.

[highthief]

Originally Posted by ngdawg

As I understand it, no employer can say they fired you and give a reason. Worst they can say to another potential employer is verifying your time spent there, and if you'd said what you made, verifying that as well.

In most jurisdictions they can, but tend not to, for fear of a lawsuit. The terminated employee may have been lazy and shiftless, but if you tell a potential employer that and the guy doesn't get the new job, best get the lawyer on the line!

[ratbastid]

Originally Posted by Lasereth

Employers can most definitely say they fired you and give a reason. They can in NC, anyway. NC being a fire-at-will state might have something to do with it though. On every application I fill out there's questions about if you've been fired, what it was for, and the employer's phone number so they can call and ask if what they said matched your story.

Negative. I've done HR work in North Carolina. I promise you, the liabilities are astronomical if you give somebody a bad reference. Our policy was to confirm the dates of employment, and answer "yes or no" about whether they are eligible for rehire. Completely factual, no opinion or judgment or subjectivity involved. Nothing you can get sued for.

Of course, if the employee was a really good person and I could tell the job they're applying for is a good fit, I had no problem confidentially letting the hiring person know that.

[Lasereth]

I just did some research on it and in NC, employers CAN say if you were fired and why, as long as it's the truth. The only way this can't happen is if the previous employer had a policy that didn't allow the speaking of a previous employee negatively, even if they were fired. If the policy is in place, you're "home free," but if there's not one, they can say what they want as long as it's legal (the truth).


*EDIT*

14‑355. Blacklisting employees.

If any person, agent, company or corporation, after having discharged any employee from his or its service, shall prevent or attempt to prevent, by word or writing of any kind, such discharged employee from obtaining employment with any other person, company or corporation, such person, agent or corporation shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00); and such person, agent, company or corporation shall be liable in penal damages to such discharged person, to be recovered by civil action. <B>This section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person or agent of any company or corporation from furnishing in writing, upon request, any other person, company or corporation to whom such discharged person or employee has applied for employment, a truthful statement of the reason for such discharge.</B> (1909, c. 858, s. 1; C.S., s. 4477; 1993, c. 539, s. 235; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)


NC statute. It's OK to say why the person was discharged as long as it's truthful. It's illegal to keep them from getting another job, and it's illegal to say untruthful facts about them, but it's not against the law to tell if and why they were fired.

[warrrreagl]

Horrible, horrible feeling. If you ask most other westerners "what do you do?" they'll tell you they hike, write poetry, play guitar, ride bikes, etc. But if you ask an American that question, he/she will tell you they what their job is. Americans associate their jobs with who they are as a person and that's why it hurts so damn much to be fired, because it feels like someone has told you that you're not a good person.

In every job I've had, I've always been the MVP. I'm the guy everyone counts on when the chips are down and I'm always the guy who knows how to do practically everyone else's job as well as my own. Therefore, imagine my continuing shock and confusion over being fired by the State of Mississippi. I had many, many years of successful teaching experience and I was working in a state that needed good teachers more than any other. Yet, the Dean of my college told my Department Head that he wanted me gone at the end of the year back in 2001. The specific quote I remember more than any other was, "I don't care if he wins a Nobel prize, I want him gone." I managed to find another job before I was actually fired and as it turned out it was the best possible thing that could have ever happened to me. The current path I'm on is miraculous and could only have happened because of all the shit in Mississippi that Grancey and I went through.

But it still pisses me off that the State of Mississippi (of all places) is the only place to ever tell me I wasn't good enough to work there.

[Charlatan]

Being fired happens. All you can do is pick yourself up and move on.

Learn from it though. Next time don't hold back. Always work to your max. Especially if you like the job.

[hulk]

Originally Posted by Charlatan

Being fired happens. All you can do is pick yourself up and move on.

Learn from it though. Next time don't hold back. Always work to your max. Especially if you like the job.

Just don't be irreplaceable - If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted

[hunnychile]

A better job is down the road for you. Just be patient. As so many have said, sometimes getting fired from your current job is the best thing to happen to a person. It may not seem like that now but a year from now you'll probably be in a better situation.

Collect good references now and update your resume.

[Mister Coaster]

Well, at least they waited until after the Holidays. That would have really sucked major bone.

I remember last season we had to fire a young guy, married with kids, like 2 weeks before Christmas. My desk was right outside the boss's office, and he'd always give me the "heads up" whenever they were doing a termination. Most of the time the people deserved it, but this guy was a good kid but was just late a few too many times. If I were in charge, I'd give him another chance, or several.

Best of luck, Johnny. BTW, that's a great avatar.

[flstf]

I have never left a job where I did not look back and was glad I did so. Hopefully once you are employed again you will also look back and say to yourself "I am so glad I am not still working there".

[kurty[B]]

Getting fired sucks. Getting fired for telling your Subject-Matter-Expert (SME) that "I can't think, because you fucking stink!" leaves you a hero to all your disgruntled co-workers still having to deal with that guy's stench.

Stay calm, start the job search, at least you have money saved up. File for unemployment, and if you really want another job right away make sure and wake up at a reasonable hour in the morning, and start submitting resumes and making calls between 8:30 and noon. Most HR people are more responsive at this time.

Or, dump all your things in storage, limit your monthly expenses and go on the trip of your life with the money you have saved up! Whichever works for you.

Think of this as an opportunity, the window just got pushed open for you, make the most of it!

[laconic1]

Originally Posted by ratbastid

Our policy was to confirm the dates of employment, and answer "yes or no" about whether they are eligible for rehire. Completely factual, no opinion or judgment or subjectivity involved. Nothing you can get sued for.

This is exactly the policy listed in my company's employee handbook. Not really good or bad, but safe.

[Willy]

Bummer dude. Whether it was your fault or not, that's not a good feeling.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by highthief

In most jurisdictions they can, but tend not to, for fear of a lawsuit. The terminated employee may have been lazy and shiftless, but if you tell a potential employer that and the guy doesn't get the new job, best get the lawyer on the line!

You are right on the nose. Employers are free to say what they want. They don't because it isn't worth it from a potential liability standpoint. That doesn't change the fact that they are free to say what they want.

Johnny Rotten: once you get past your anger, which is a reasonable, human emotion to have after something like this, you would benefit greatly in trying to understand why your previous boss felt you weren't a good fit. Failing to understand what really happened means you might walk into the same situation in the future. You'll never know what you "did wrong" in their eyes, how to possibly change that in the future and how to avoid working for someone that might cause potential conflicts.

On another note, most companies have a system of warning to let you know your performance isn't up to their expectations. This doesn't apply in the first 90 days of employment. If you weren't in your first 90 days and failed to receive any documented indications that your performance wasn't meeting expectations, you have a an opportunity to sue. An attorney would help you determine what grounds on which to sue. Worst case you might receive a payoff of $10-20K to go away. Many attorneys will handle this sort of thing on a percentage basis, meaning no out fo pocket for you.