GoddamnmutterfukkenSHIT!

[gridlore]

I got fired.

The reason was bullshit. An accident that every single witness stated was not my fault, but Mario the Munchkin was looking for excuses to get rid of people, and jumped at this. I'm the third driver fired in three weeks. And John the Supervisor got written up for nothing yesterday.

I loved that job, but only when I was actually doing my job. Mario made the office parts of the day range from annoying to hellish. Just today, for no reason, he switched the two warehouse managers. Great leadership, splitting up a team that works well together an know each other's strengths.

The best part? I drove this morning! He actually sent me out to do two jobs knowing he was going to terminate me! How chickenshit is that? I pointed out that he had cost me six hours of job search time; not to mention the gas for my fifty mile round trip commute.

Grumble.

Obviously, I'm in crisis mode right now. Ask kshandra what I'm like when I get like this. So I make a list.

• File for unemployment (Can do that online)


• Update resume and resume cheat sheet.


• I need to contact Chris from work for contact info.


• Tomorrow: Get on the bus and get new DMV printout


• Also tomorrow: Take newly updated resume to Kinko's and get some good paper copies.


• See about registering with the job hunt sites like Kelly and CalJobs.


• Start scouring Craigslist.org

Obviously, this is just a start. If I can't get a job as a driver, I'm looking at dispatching or warehouse work. One advantage I have now that I didn't have last time I was looking is that I'm a certified forklift operator with experience on a pretty big lift.

Damnit, why can't I stop seeing advantages and just feel sorry for myself for a little while? I just realized that I'd never have to do a drop in Ben Lomond again.

On the downside, my dental work just went out the window.

Fuck. I loved this job.

To show what a genius Mario is all you need to do is consider that after firing me, he let me clean out my truck unsupervised and let me leave the building without checking my cooler to see if I was taking any company property. That's Security 101! I could have walked out with a very nice set of tools had I wanted.

Comments

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

*hugs* That utterly sucks. :/

[valkyrwench.livejournal.com]

Yanno, in your shoes, in leiu of an exit interview, I'd write a nice long letter to the big boss regarding the situation with the Munchkin.

good job vibes headed your way.

[storyofherlife.livejournal.com]

Hellllo wrongful termination suit!?

[dafydd.livejournal.com]

Seconded. See if you can get a lawyer to write a letter on your behalf.

Well..

[seawasp]

... obviously I'm very sorry to hear that. Among other things, your stories of your on-the-job adventures were always amusing.

In your place, I would DEFINITELY write a letter to the Big Boss on this subject -- and if possible get corroborating comments/evidence from other employees who are suffering under this fool.

[johno.livejournal.com]

That is BULLSHIT.

Get on the line to corprate HR ASAP. Have every piece of evendice you have about not being at fault.

Call the RM you mentioned in this post: http://gridlore.livejournal.com/863163.html

Hell, apply to the SF office and any other P.O.D.s office you can get to that outside of Mario's area and still make a living wage. You are a great worker and a asset to the corp, if your previous manager(s) (pre mario) did their job, upper level bosses know about you already.

[kshandra]

There is no SF office. Fremont and Hayward are the only warehouses in the Bayarrhea.

[fireandsmoke.livejournal.com]

Ugh, that really sucks. I got fired from a job immediately after lunch, so I know how snunky it is to work an entire half day for some cocksucker that's about to send you packing.


I came in from my friendsfriends list, not sure who we have in common.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

California is an at-will employment state. You have every right to contact people at the company, including and up to the CEO if he'll speak to you, and I feel that you should. Letter to CEO time. However, if at the end of the day, you're gone -- well, you're gone.

However, having terminated you for an accident that was provably not your fault, you have every right to file for unemployment. I am very pleased to see that this is the first item on your to-do list.

You will collect unemployment as long as you keep up with the state's paper. It will then be on THEM to prove that you were fired for an act of misconduct.

As for unlawful termination, it's difficult to carry forward. Look into it, however, this is a worker's rights state. Just don't obsess over it.

Morons.

[chadu.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that, man.

Jeez.

CU

[grimmwire.livejournal.com]

Bizarre and ridiculous! Mario's stupidity just continues to amaze.

I concur with the suggestions above: write letters to his superiors all the way up the chain, and if you know any lawyers that might help, call them. Absolutely do not take this sitting down.

Harsh

[bobmage.livejournal.com]

By dental work do you mean dental coverage? You may have the right to continue your coverage for a time(at higher rates, of course).
Otherwise, see what you can get done before the coverage ends - your dentist may be able to move your appointments up, if you tell them you only have coverage for X weeks.

Re: Harsh

[kshandra]

We were going to be pushing the limits of our finances to get his dentures with the coverage. And there's no way we can afford to make payments through COBRA - we tried that when I got laid off from StupidShuttle in '04, and it didn't work then, either.

The only bright side I can see to them having let him go today instead of Monday or Tuesday is that we'll be covered, or at least SHOULD be covered, for the rest of March, so I can at least look into getting a cleaning before it goes *poof* (neither of us has had one in easily a decade). Ironically enough, we just got our new coverage cards yesterday....

[cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com]

I'm with everyone else: you should absolutely let the next layer(s) up know that this fuckwit is driving the local office into the ground.

[caraig.livejournal.com]

This does really, REALLY suck, and this Mario character sounds like a total donglehead. Even so, I second the calls for contacting your company HR and filing for wrongful termination. Do what else you need to do, do the unemployment filing and start sending out resumes, but definitely contact HR. Also let them know that he had you do two jobs that morning before firing you; it might not cause an immediate dork flambe, but it will at the very least get higher-ups not liking him, and sometimes the wheel of karma needs a bit of a diesel-powered nudge.

[hellloooonurse.livejournal.com]

Aww shit. This sucks. Mario is a manager why? *shakes head* It sounds to me like Mario isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

Good luck! *crossing fingers*

[jarlsberg71.livejournal.com]

Fuck. I'm really sorry to hear it... And the pride you had in what you did for them, it was them that lost out BIG time today...

[nolly.livejournal.com]

That scrapes. Nothing specific/practical to offer that hasn't already been said, really.

[claire.livejournal.com]

Eeek! {{{hugs}}} and *good thoughts*

[figmo.livejournal.com]

If you feel like it, write a letter to Mario's management.

Beyond that, if I were you I'd move forward. File for unemployment. Update the resume. Send out job feelers.

Because California is an at-will state, management can fire you for no reason at all. Literally. BTDT.

Your worst case scenario would be to go back to Cost Plus while looking for something better. IIRC you left them on good terms, right?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Welll.. not exactly...

When I got the job at Atwood Dental, I intended to stay on at Cost Plus through the summer, working a few closing shifts. After submitting my new availability, I was scheduled to work weekends and with start times that were impossible. I quit on the spot.

I think you should call corporate.

[the-ogre.livejournal.com]

Call the friggin' owner of th e company; explain it the situation to him. You've got nothing to lose by doing so.

Re: I think you should call corporate.

[tgeller.livejournal.com]

I would recommend WRITING instead of calling.

In fact, write everything down -- dates, people, events. Without that, you have no case. (IANAL, etc.)

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Weren't they looking for drivers a short time ago? I could have sworn you were suggetsing anyone in the San Fransisco area with the right license check them out...

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

We They need seven new drivers for the two SF warehouses to cover the coming upswing in activity and the impending contract with a solar power construction firm.

We were shorthanded to begin with, and in the last month three drivers have been fired, one took another job inside the company, and I know that at least two others are looking for other jobs. They're not going to have any experienced people left at this rate.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Oh, for f**k's sake...

Nothing to add really but

[biomekanic.livejournal.com]

that man is an ass.

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

Jerks...

[hartt-tommel.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be too surprised if it's their policy to can people who've been in accidents no matter whom is at fault (their insurer is probably just dying for an excuse to raise their premiums)...

Bastids.

-Tom

Re: Jerks...

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

That would make sense, but for accidents involving damage to customer's property the company don't even go through the insurance. Just pay out directly from the corporate account.

Hell, I offered to pay for the damages out of my own pocket!

[soldiergrrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, Doug. I wish I had some other encouraging words or something.

[benkenobigal.livejournal.com]

What?!!? I just screamed and scared my cat. That fucking sucks, Doug! :( I'm so sorry.

I know I'm just saying what everyone else has, but do not let that scum sucking bag of slug puke win!! Write a letter, create a fuss, let the bastard drown in his own shit.

And I pray you get another job soon. :(