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Fired, and I still don't know why. . .

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  • Quoth Kogarashi View Post
    Wow. The head of the office sounds like a brat who really didn't like you and basically manufactured flimsy excuses to get rid of you just because of that. Here's hoping he gets some comeuppance.
    He had a HUGE power trip, in that he felt working for that agency trumped everything else in the world, including my military and family obligations. He told me, at one point when chewing me out over missing reports due to military obligations, that he didn't care what it was, that even if my own mother died I would be expected to pull an all-nighter or whatever marathon shift would be needed to make sure that no assignments went late due to me taking bereavement leave. . .because he insists he did the same thing as a young officer writing those same reports, and when his own mother died he worked a 36 hour shift to finish all his work for the week before leaving work to make funeral arrangements.

    He was a smarmy, very political-seeming guy. He reminds me a little of a used car salesman or slimy politician in his demeanor, except with a more expensive suit. Always smiling, but always plotting something behind that smile. I guess that's how he maneuvered his way to being a supervisor.

    He is the one who made the decision to hire me, so it's clear at some point he liked me because I got the job ahead of 20 other applicants. However, once I was out of the academy he started liking me a lot less. Instead of being assigned to field work, I was put to doing nothing but filling out those reports, and the Officer who was supposed to be my training officer/mentor to show me the on-the-job training part of things and how to do those reports. . .goes on a 3-week vacation that starts literally the first day I was to report back after the Academy. My immediate supervisor had also decided to take two weeks of vacation starting that day.

    So, I report in, straight from the Academy, with my new desk job. . .and ZERO guidance on how to do my job. Preparing these reports wasn't covered at the academy because they expect you get on-the-job training for that and that those reports are only one tiny line-item on the whole job description (of a big job description for that kind of Officer, I spent 90%+ of my time on that one task. . .so most of the other officers didn't have to do them at all). The official policy document on those reports was very minimalist.

    So, with zero training and no management guidance on how to prepare them, and the first ones being due only a couple of days after I report back from the Academy, I try to slam out reports. . .and apparently fell very short of their standards with them.

    The courts and attorneys didn't say anything, I honestly think they don't look too closely at the reports, they are required by law to be prepared, but of these big 10+ page reports, all they usually really care about is a few key sections. However, when my supervisor came back from vacation. . .she tore into me about how bad these reports were. . .then the big boss called me into his office and tore into me about how bad these reports were and how I am not taking preparing these reports, and thus my job, seriously enough, and any protests that I wasn't given enough training were ignored and told it was my fault for not seeking more help (one way or the other).

    After that they treated me a lot rougher in the office, and it was a month after that, where they told me I'd have to do reports that would be due when I was on military duties and start dinging me for them going late due to my military obligations.

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    • I sincerely hope former boss gets the comeuppance he deserves for his blatant attempt to circumvent the law. And his lying to his superiors to get them to sign off on this should have put all of said superiors in a bad spotlight so they should be more than anxious to even the score...

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      • I think these managers are like a lot of sucky customers. The only way they can be happy is to put others down. It's hard to say why you were in their crosshairs from the beginning. But after that there was nothing you could have done to fix things. Sorry this had to happen but really glad you won. Most of us never get the chance to fight back.

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        • Too bad you can't share this with the media...

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          • Quoth Sandman View Post
            Too bad you can't share this with the media...
            My plan, if the attorney for the State appeals this, is to go to the media.

            Well, two things in my plan.

            First is to get an attorney. I talked to lots of attorneys, who weren't willing to represent me because it was an administrative hearing instead of a court case. I DID have the Veterans Services office of my local Legal Aid agency say they were willing to get me a pro bono attorney. . .but none of the ones they could find were willing to do this for an administrative hearing, they all said to come back if/when it got to a courtroom.

            Yes, I won this case (so far) entirely pro se, against an attorney for the state.

            The second thing is to go to the media. Once this leaves the quiet, cloistered confines of the State Personnel Board, it hits open court. . .and the media can get wind of it. . .and I'll happily make sure they do.

            I'm sure the local papers will be quite happy to hear about how a State Government agency fired an Officer of the Law due to him having to take time off for military duties, and how a board ruled it was an unlawful termination. . .yet the state is still pressing it on appeal.

            . . .if they don't appeal it, I just wait for the final order to be published and work out with the Personnel Cabinet the details of my return to work, such as returning to work at a different office, since I'm sure that neither I, nor my former boss, want to work together again and that would be a remarkably hostile work environment.

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            • The terms of their surrender. . .

              More good news!

              I got a call about an hour ago from the attorney for the state.

              The Director of my former agency has decided they want to "settle" the case.

              Apparently, final decisions of the board get published to the public record, and they would rather NOT see the decision in this matter get published.

              So, the attorney says they want to void my dismissal, and make it so that, retroactively, I was actually never fired in the first place, give me back pay, and give me my choice of new work offices (they named 4 offices in the area as suitable, I told them which one I wanted).

              In exchange, I have to drop my appeal before it is published as a final order.

              They want to meet with me next week to discuss the formal terms of the "settlement". . .which from the sound of things is basically their surrender and maneuvering to keep the fact they fired an Officer for taking military leave off of public records.

              Comment


              • CONGRATULATIONS!

                Sounds like you can get a place to work that won't be hostile, but make that a condition - any problems and they can expect another lawsuit to be filed.

                Pity you can't put your ex-boss through the wringer with this...

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                • Quoth silverstaff View Post

                  They want to meet with me next week to discuss the formal terms of the "settlement". . .which from the sound of things is basically their surrender and maneuvering to keep the fact they fired an Officer for taking military leave off of public records.
                  One yay for the win

                  two make sure they have a full contract available for this because I think it would be important to have the terms of the settlement in writing for both parties. No more stupid people able to make their own minds up about your validity.

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                  • Quoth eltf177 View Post
                    CONGRATULATIONS!

                    Sounds like you can get a place to work that won't be hostile, but make that a condition - any problems and they can expect another lawsuit to be filed.

                    Pity you can't put your ex-boss through the wringer with this...
                    Well, under the conditions they tentatively offered over the phone, I get my choice of which office I could go back to. I'll be going back with what they call "Merit" status, which means it's next to impossible to fire an employee with that status. It basically means that to fire me for any reason, they have to take me back to that same board that just ruled in my favor and show to a very high standard that they have cause to fire me (it's often colloquially called an "Act of God" to fire an employee with that status).

                    Given that the order to settle had to come down from either the Director of the agency, or the cabinet secretary above the Director. . .I can only imagine that the Director or Secretary had to chew my former boss's ass big time over this.

                    One thing I realized, or more accurately, some of my friends have pointed out, is they'll probably demand an NDA to keep me from telling the press about this incident. I very much got a "we're sweeping this whole thing under the rug" vibe from the attorney over all this. If I get an NDA, I probably won't be able to (or shouldn't) keep posting in this thread on this matter.

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                    • Quoth Sliceanddice View Post
                      One yay for the win

                      two make sure they have a full contract available for this because I think it would be important to have the terms of the settlement in writing for both parties. No more stupid people able to make their own minds up about your validity.
                      I'm not dropping anything without a clear and unambiguous written agreement that makes it clear the following things:

                      1. I'm returning to work as an Officer of [AgencyName].
                      2. I'm returning to work at the specific office that they offered and I agreed to.
                      3. I'm getting seniority and status as if I was never terminated and there is no negative comments or blemish on my personnel record from this incident.
                      4. I'm getting back pay from my date of dismissal to my date of reinstatement, with deductions only those allowed by law (unemployment benefits and my balance of vacation time they cashed in upon my termination).

                      I'm thinking those are the requirements I would need to ask for.

                      I'm expecting them to ask that I drop my appeal to the board (which they already asked for) and for them to ask for an NDA related to this. . .and that this will mean they won't bog it down with frivolous appeals they know they'll lose.

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                      • Just me but my 5th demand is that you and that supervisor who started this can't work in the same office nor can he be in a position of having direct power over you. This will help you from punished internally and keep him away from you. You don't want to just not have him work with you for a year or 2 and then have him transfer in cause of a promotion or something, or just gaining the power to affect you. Basic it would set up a punishment for him for his actions and give you a layer of protection encase he holds grudges.
                        Last edited by MadMike; 02-15-2016, 06:19 PM. Reason: Please don't quote the entire post. We've already read it.

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                        • Quoth silverstaff View Post
                          If I get an NDA, I probably won't be able to (or shouldn't) keep posting in this thread on this matter.
                          Well, why should you? You got the problem solved, you got reinstated in an office of your own choice AND offered backpay... one should be a BIG drama-hunting queen to ask for an update on that.

                          Congrats on your victory!
                          A theory states that if anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for, it will be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

                          Another theory states that this has already happened.

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                          • Quoth NorthernZel View Post
                            Well, why should you? You got the problem solved, you got reinstated in an office of your own choice AND offered backpay... one should be a BIG drama-hunting queen to ask for an update on that.

                            Congrats on your victory!
                            Basically means I couldn't come here and post that it was signed and finalized.

                            If I go silent on this out of nowhere. . .it's because of final victory.

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                            • What are they offering you above and beyond what the judgment will give you? If they are looking to buy your silence, make sure you get a good price.

                              If it was me, I would be asking what disciplinary actions are going to taken against the person who "committed these illegal actions?" They may not be able to fire him very easily, but they can demote him (seeing as he does not seem to be fit for a management position). Also makes me wonder what would happen if you turn down their offer and wait on the boards decision.

                              Also, you should run the contract past your legal counsel. Hopefully they are willing.
                              Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
                              Save the Ales!
                              Toys for Tots at Rooster's Cafe

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                              • I agree with csquared above. It sounds to me like their "settlement" is the same as the court is going to order them to do anyway. So, what are they offering above and beyond what they're going to have to do anyway in exchange for your silence? I'd decline and let it go on the record. It'd serve them right.

                                --Dave

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