Kick in the Gut - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

Meldrew79 · 12-05-2012, 11:01 AM

My husband was informed today that his last day at his job will be the 21st. Long story short, they found out that he might be looking for something else and didn't like it. He doesn't have anything else lined up though, so this really sucks. With all the medical bills we have, we pretty much live pay check to pay check. I just don't know what we'll do. Hopefully he'll hear back this week from someone! Guess my Christmas present this year is an ulcer!

Sorry to whine, I just have to let it out a little.

Sam1491 · 12-05-2012, 11:05 AM

That sucks, i'm currently unemployed and looking to. I quit with nowhere else to go but I'm remaining positive and have my fingers crossed it all works out

What does he do?

Hugs and hope to ya!

Sherryh · 12-05-2012, 11:09 AM

I can totally relate...............my prayers are with you!!

MaxsMom · 12-05-2012, 11:13 AM

That does suck - big time. Keeping my fingers crossed he will find something soon.

Instant Noodle · 12-05-2012, 11:14 AM

Sorry to hear about your bad news, especially with the holidays right around the corner. Hang in there, sending prayers your way.

Darkevs · 12-05-2012, 11:19 AM

life....................

well, do not wait until things get worse.

is there anyway you can start cutting back on day to day living expenses..........every little bit adds up.

turn off lights, unplug stuff not being used.close up a room if not used regularly..........no eating out..........whatever you can think of to start saving money...........now.

can you sell anything............

so sorry so many are having such a rough time of it.

i know it is not easy to survive in this world.

I hope things improve for all.

Hugz.

dobedream · 12-05-2012, 11:22 AM

Oh no! I'm so sorry

I can't believe they would do that to him, especially this time of year.
I really do hope that something awesome will come up just in time to save you that ulcer and give you a Merry Christmas after all!

Meldrew79 · 12-05-2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

What does he do?

He's in transportation, manages drivers and logistics.

Quote:

can you sell anything............

We've actually had to sell a lot already. Insurance is great, but $10,000 deductibles add up with four surgeries over three years! Our garage is getting a little bare, we've sold most of his tools and our bikes this summer. Even had a garage sale to get rid of all clothes and knick knacks that don't go well on Ebay. Sold the Wii on Craigslist, a riding lawn mower that didn't work that well anymore, some jewelry I had, etc.

I just cancelled my WoW subscription so I guess that was good timing. lol

Dobes&Hounds · 12-05-2012, 12:39 PM

We had the same thing happen to us last year in August. We were in the process of selling our condo and buying a house. The DAY we were supposed to give the remainder of the deposit on the new home my husband was let go.
We had 2 weeks after closing to get out of our condo and no house to go to. We ended up living a full year with my in-laws!!
It was a financial and logistical nightmare. Luckily my husband's parents own an accounting practice and they were eventually able to hire him back.
In the meanwhile we saved for a deposit on a house while they expanded the business.
We would have been dead in the water without their help.
We still have COBRA for insurance and it costs us 1K/month for horrible coverage.
At any rate things are better. Just remember nothing stays the same and you will pull out of it.

VZ-Doberman · 12-05-2012, 12:47 PM

Don't give up hope things will get better.

madmyk · 12-05-2012, 12:48 PM

So sorry to hear it. Always seems to happen at the worst possible time. Keep your chin up, we will keep you and yours in our thoughts!

Shell81 · 12-05-2012, 01:06 PM

So sorry

We've been in that position (out of work right at Christmas), and it really sucks. In our case better things were waiting we just had to be really patient and keep fighting for them. Fingers crossed better things are just around the corner for you and your husband also.

4Dobes · 12-05-2012, 01:30 PM

So sorry to hear your bad news.
My partner was made redundant just after Christmas last year and I felt like you.
He used his redundancy money to get more qualifications in his chosen field and got another job within weeks.
He then took more courses and just today has started his dream job offshore.
I'm so proud of him. It's been a hard year of many many sacrifices ( none for our babies though ) but stick in there, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
My prayers and positive thoughts are with you.

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

LindaH · 12-05-2012, 01:33 PM

I've noticed over the years that things tend to go in cycles. You have a cycle of bad luck...and it pours it on sometimes, and then you will have a cycle of good luck. It is just life and sometimes it is very difficult to deal with, but things will turn around and get better. Just hoooold on...

Really hate to hear you are having a hard time, please know people do care about you and your not alone in this world.

Toby'shuman · 12-05-2012, 04:10 PM

I am so sorry you have had this happen, I wish I could offer you definitive answers regarding how you stand legally, if you were in the UK I could. However, I can try and point you in the direction of some questions you may like to try find the answers for, which hopefully may help you.

First can you tell me if Wisconsin, (I presume this is the State you live in) is an 'at will' employment state? If it is, then an employer from what I understand can pretty much terminate a persons employment for the most trivial reasons.

Unless...

Your hubby has a contract of employment.

If he does, then I would suggest you dig it out and check out the 'Termination of Employment' section in which it should list the reasons they can let him go. I would be surprised if within that list, 'looking for employment elsewhere' is within it. But I have been surprised before by what I have found written into folks contracts but I hope not to in this case.

How did they find out he was looking for another job?

I have seen cases where an employee was let go by their employer because they were job hunting whilst at work, being paid by them to do the work they were contracted to do. If this is the case, that your hubby was looking for a job whilst at his desk during work hours then it is pretty understandable the employer will be a bit put out. Enough perhaps to fire him, however, if this is the case you may find they will cite, 'poor performance' or 'misconduct', not looking for another job. If they do this, then the burden of proof is on your shoulders to refute this claim. Not an easy task, but if they have given your hubby an appraisal in the last x months and they placed within it a glowing report etc then you could perhaps use this.

However, if he wasn't looking whilst at work but rather they found out some other way, other than he posted his CV online (that kind of makes employers a bit snarky) then there really is no harm, no foul in his looking for work elsewhere. So their hurt feelings are not (legally speaking) a good enough reason, (well not in the UK they aren't).

Also under your states laws is it a requirement that an employer gives an employee verbal/written warnings (in the UK you have to give 3 of each) that they were unhappy with what he was doing? If not, then they have breached state law and you could use this against them.
I would also check out his contract of employment to see if there is any mention of verbal/written warnings being given prior to termination of contract.

Contracts whilst not infallible can often save ones bacon in times such as these..

And what is with the 16 days notice?
Why 16 days?

If they are so determined to get rid of him then the least they could do is offer him 30 days.

And check out their liability for unemployment compensation benefits.

You can probably go online to one of these lawyer sites where you can ask lawyers (for a small fee, I think it starts as low as $20 or the like) and ask where you stand with regards seeking either a withdrawal of termination and or a decent severance package.

In the UK and in the EU it is illegal for an employer to sack/let someone go because they are looking for a better job.

As I do not know Wisconsin/US law I cannot say if this is the case either in your state much less your country but it should be.

I wonder do you guys have something like our Citizens Advice Bureau (where folk can get free advice regarding rights etc.

If so, make use of them.

**dax0402** · 12-05-2012, 04:25 PM

So very sorry you are going through this. DH and I went through this 27 years ago. He worked for a large corporation (now bankrupt) and had 18 years in. I also worked there. When they started scaling back in an effort to save money, of course they always hit the people at the bottom. In that first wave, they laid off all the people who were just shy of 20 years (you needed 20 years plus your age to add up to 65 to get a pension. Some people only needed 2 weeks. It was a pretty low point in our life but he was lucky to get another job about a month later and has been very happy there. I know things are a lot tougher in the job market now that back then but I am hoping and praying your hubby will find something this quickly.

**MeadowCat** · 12-05-2012, 04:27 PM

I'm really sorry. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.

Meldrew79 · 12-05-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

First can you tell me if Wisconsin, (I presume this is the State you live in) is an 'at will' employment state? If it is, then an employer from what I understand can pretty much terminate a persons employment for the most trivial reasons.

Wisconsin is an at will state and he did not have a contract.

How they found out was just bad luck. He applied for a job with a company that did not list their name, but was in a totally different city so he didn't think anything of it. Turns out it was the company he works for! They had put their posting in a different city, because they didn't want the person that they were replacing to know they were replacing them. How screwed up is that!? So, they called him in and had a chat asking why he was applying for jobs. He felt he could do nothing else but be honest with them. This was a few weeks ago. I was worried something like this was going to happen, but was really hoping they would wait until after the holidays. Or better yet, until he found something else!

Quote:

Also under your states laws is it a requirement that an employer gives an employee verbal/written warnings (in the UK you have to give 3 of each) that they were unhappy with what he was doing?

I don't believe so, being an at will state. He has had nothing but good reviews though, which he will definitely be keeping copies of!

I'm not sure why the 16 days. I think just because the 21st is the end of the pay period. I think it might be their way of trying to be nice. He said that when they let go of people typically, it's just on a Friday and they normally have no idea that it's going to happen.

Toby'shuman · 12-05-2012, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meldrew79

Wisconsin is an at will state and he did not have a contract.

Bummer, but all need not be lost as they say

How they found out was just bad luck. He applied for a job with a company that did not list their name, but was in a totally different city so he didn't think anything of it. Turns out it was the company he works for! They had put their posting in a different city, because they didn't want the person that they were replacing to know they were replacing them. How screwed up is that!? So, they called him in and had a chat asking why he was applying for jobs. He felt he could do nothing else but be honest with them. This was a few weeks ago. I was worried something like this was going to happen, but was really hoping they would wait until after the holidays. Or better yet, until he found something else!

Hang on, was this his job they were advertising? Or someone elses? It makes no sense to sack someone for applying for a job within your own company. I would check how legal this is with a lawyer, in the UK I would have a field day if someone came to me, told me this story. I can just hear the coins dropping, kerching, kerching.

I don't believe so, being an at will state. He has had nothing but good reviews though, which he will definitely be keeping copies of!

I'm not sure why the 16 days. I think just because the 21st is the end of the pay period. I think it might be their way of trying to be nice. He said that when they let go of people typically, it's just on a Friday and they normally have no idea that it's going to happen.

Your employment laws suck. How can a company get away with this, thank goodness I don't live/work in the US, I would be forever challenging your statutes.

Meldrew79 · 12-05-2012, 04:46 PM

It was someone elses job, not his.
One of the things they said to him was that they don't feel comfortable knowing that he's not into his job 100%. They want someone passionate about their role. It's complete BS, because he has proof that all his numbers (KPI's) are better than anyone elses in that role. I really think it's a case of we're going to get him before he can leave us.

eegreen · 12-05-2012, 05:59 PM

So sorry, I went through this a few years ago and it's a terrible feeling. I hope there is a silver lining for you both.

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

Chatty · 12-05-2012, 06:05 PM

The reason he was fired is not a legal reason even if they are fire at will. You should make sure this was done in accordance to employee law. I am a fire at will practice and I have to have extreme documentation for any termination it has to be a legal reason.

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

Thor_Red · 12-05-2012, 06:43 PM

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. My husband is one of those drivers that gets managed

. Too bad my husbands company doesn't have a terminal in your state. As for insurance $10,000 deductible Yikes. I'm not aware as to the nature of your medical problems but whatever they are I do hope you are both ok now.

LVdobe · 12-05-2012, 06:46 PM

So sorry. Thinking of you.

dragonflyz · 12-05-2012, 06:55 PM

I'm sorry this has happened to your family. 5 years ago my mother (who has MS) was let go a few weeks before Christmas. She had no medical insurance and disability took like 2 years to kick in. I my parents for the better part of a year until they were able to get back on their feet. It was a tough year for everyone. Good luck for you and your family.