A guest lied and I got fired

[DGoddessChardonnay]

The OP lives in my state. This is good advice. North Carolina does everything it can to deny unemployment and other benefits so getting help with SNAP is a great idea.

Fight for your unemployment, but start looking right away.

From what I've heard, the state will do anything to not pay out unemployment . . . or delay it as long as they can.

Found this out when I was "laid off" from my former employer (more like no jobs availble w/in the company due to closing numerous stores) and I had received a 6 week severance package.

When I called the local UE office to inquire about applying for benefits (even though I was actively looking for another job as soon as I found out my store was being closed down) I was told I'd have to wait the entire 6 weeks before I could even apply. Meaning I'd have to use up my six weeks pay before I could file and possibly be almost homeless and starving by the time I could even apply.

I was lucky though . . . I was able to land a job the Monday after I signed my paperwork and turned it in and walked out of WD for the last time the day that store closed.

[Sapphire Silk]

*hugs* Been there.

If you decide to apply for SNAP I'd suggest going to a third party agency/group that helps people with that sort of thing. The application can be confusing (depending on the state, questions might be designed to weed out/deny some applicants) and sometimes a neutral party can find details in your favor that you might overlook.

The OP lives in my state. This is good advice. North Carolina does everything it can to deny unemployment and other benefits so getting help with SNAP is a great idea.

Fight for your unemployment, but start looking right away.

[Dreamstalker]

*hugs* Been there.

If you decide to apply for SNAP I'd suggest going to a third party agency/group that helps people with that sort of thing. The application can be confusing (depending on the state, questions might be designed to weed out/deny some applicants) and sometimes a neutral party can find details in your favor that you might overlook.

[XCashier]

It felt good to say it, I guess, but I wonder if being frank and honest will endanger my chances of getting unemployment.

I am sorry you were lied too and fired, but I suspect that text might not have been a good idea. A smart manager will hold onto it and show it to the unemployment office to have your claim denied.

Is there any way to get more hours at your other job?

[Headset Hellion]

I agree with everyone else who said you should be able to collect unemployment. The application will ask if you were fired for cause, but there's also space for you to explain the details in writing. Be very clear that you had never received any warnings or disciplinary action. If your manager violated the company's termination policy, include that information. (For example, my last job had a HR policy that allowed for X# written warnings in a 12-month period before you would be issued a final written warning. You then had X# months where you could be fired for any offense.)

The labor dept will contact the hotel management for a written statement. They will be asked to provide any documents that justify your termination for cause. The labor dept may also call you for a phone interview or three to get more detailed information. Just be very patient and explain everything very clearly. I got the feeling that my rep was trying to trip me up by rephrasing the same questions over and over again. It was annoying, but I imagine they get a lot of fraudulent claims.

If the hotel can't prove that they actually had a cause for which to fire you, your claim should be approved. It's a stressful process that may take several weeks. In the meantime, there should be organizations in your area that provide temporary assistance for rent or utilities, food bank, etc. In my experience, utility companies will work with you if you call them and tell them you're having a financial hardship. You might qualify for SNAP/EBT; it certainly doesn't hurt to apply.

An easy way that I made some money while I was laid-off was by "donating" plasma twice a week. It wasn't a lot of money, but it helped. Visiting the local food bank helped, too. It was such a relief to have one less thing to worry about.

I didn't mean for my reply to be so long, sorry! I hope I was able to help and wish you the best of luck with everything.

[BamaBabe]

Sorry you lost your job. I've been where you are. I spent the better part of my sleepness nights to contrive plots to ruin my boss. Best of luck to you on finding new employment!

[Shyla]

I'm sure no one complained about pastries. Your manager is an ass and lies. Sorry you lost your job.

[Antisocial_Worker]

One of the mistakes I made at this place was thinking that I could trust my coworkers and that -- gasp! -- I might even be starting to make friends. I sent the following text message to one of the assistant managers today:

Hello (AGM). I'm not saying this as a former employee but as someone who considered you, if not a friend, at least a friendly acquaintance. You had to have known that (Manager) was planning to get rid of me, so it hurts that you let me go on thinking things were more or less okay, to the point that you signed me up for a class you knew I would not be able to take, and had me planning the year's end knowing that wouldn't matter either. I know managers do what they have to do, but it just hurts. I didn't know that asking you or (Other AGM) for help would be used against me, and it also hurts that the company would resort to falling back on lies to be rid of me. I did not call (Night Auditor at other property) every week, and that story the guest told (Manager) was a complete fabrication. I guess in the end, (Night Auditor at other property who told me I was not fit for this job) was right and that hurts.

It felt good to say it, I guess, but I wonder if being frank and honest will endanger my chances of getting unemployment. I have a suspicion that speaking my mind honestly was part of what got me fired, after I told the AGM's that the hotel cannot communicate except by threat, and that the fact of that pissed me off.

[Kristev]

I am also sorry that you got fired.

Then again, even though you now have a serious financial problem, you are free of a horrible mismanager.

[Antisocial_Worker]

That is so ridiculous. Handling of the pastries barehanded and asking questions aren't fireable offenses, imo. At the most it warrants a coaching or write up or something. I dont like how she thought you were suppose to just accept you were getting fired over the pastries thing.

The pastries thing was a load of shit and once I called her on it, that was when it came to light that she wanted me gone anyway and was planning to fire me all along, no matter what. I was there a year, and apparently by the time a year passes you are never supposed to make mistakes, ask for help, or ask questions.

That's really what it boils down to. As for the goddamn breakfast, that just pisses me off all that much more. If you have enough of an IQ to walk erect, you know not to handle food for public consumption barehanded.

[AnaKhouri]

That sounds like a bunch of crap. I wonder if the person they hire to replace you will somehow be related to the manager...

Sorry that happened. I hope you find something else soon!

[minkysmom]

That is so ridiculous. Handling of the pastries barehanded and asking questions aren't fireable offenses, imo. At the most it warrants a coaching or write up or something. I dont like how she thought you were suppose to just accept you were getting fired over the pastries thing.

[EricKei]

My point was that the business could easily appeal to the Unemployment people and LIE about the reason for termination to try and get out of paying; if they do so, that could create an actionable issue with the Labor Board. It happened to me on two of my most recent jobs. The problem is, what they told me (in writing) differed significantly from that they told the UE office, so I was able to get the appeal overturned pretty easily.

[bhskittykatt]

That's total shit. You should be able to get unemployment. Hopefully you won't be out of work too long.

Any chance of picking up more hours at the other job?

[sirwired]

Kittish - that may depend on one thing -- did the place put this rationale in writing? If not, and OP is in an At-Will state, they can just backtrack and claim "Termination without Cause." That being said, it could be worth pursuing.

There's a real incentive to the business to trump up reasons to fire somebody, as with no-fault firings, the subsequent payout in unemployment benefits is charged back to the employer over the next couple of years. (If fired "for cause", no unemployment payout is due.)