#JobLoss #Unemployment #WorkplaceIssues #LegalAdvice
Hey there, friends! Good morning! ☀️
I’m reaching out today because I’ve found myself in a bit of a pickle with my recent job loss and would love to hear any insights or experiences you might have. It’s been a really confusing time, and I’m feeling mixed up about the whole situation. Here’s my story, summed up:
- Unexpected Job Loss: Just a couple of weeks ago, I got a call from my boss saying my position as a Brand Manager was “eliminated.” 😟
- Crickets from HR: Since then, I haven’t heard a single thing from HR – no paperwork, no health insurance info…nothing!
- Unemployment Claim Trouble: Filed for unemployment, but the company is contesting it, claiming I was terminated for “misconduct,” which is news to me…and completely false! 😡
- New Job Offer Pulled: To make matters worse, after reaching out to a potential employer, they suddenly retracted their offer without explanation. What changed overnight?!
Here’s where I’m stuck: My boss said my position was cut for budget reasons, yet HR seems to be feeding my new employer a totally different story. This turmoil is not just keeping me stressed but also affecting my chances of getting unemployment benefits. How can they label my departure as misconduct when I’ve always been a diligent employee?
✨ I’m curious if anyone has dealt with similar situations. Was it just a shady maneuver from a small business? Is there a solid course of action I can take? Should I be talking to a lawyer about this? I honestly just want clarity and fairness in this frustrating situation.
If you have any helpful tips or personal stories, please share! Your experiences might really help someone else out there going through a similar ordeal. What do you think? Is this something typical in the workplace? 🤔
Thanks for taking the time to read my story! Looking forward to hearing from you all!
They can fire you if it pleases them to do so, but that’s where it stops.
You have a lot going on here
1. The unemployment denial 2. The lack of PTO payout 3. The lack of COBRA info (and did you have a 401(k)? 4.The possible false negative reference
(1) You have the right to appeal the Unemployment denial.
[https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/uia/tools/publications/protest-and-appeal-process](https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/uia/tools/publications/protest-and-appeal-process)
Keep it simple:
(a) “I have no record of any accusation of misconduct, and deny* that there was any”
(b) “I have no record of any accusation of violation of any policy, and deny *that there was any”
*leave that bit out if you think you might have later back from lunch 3 years ago or some minor infringement like that.
If you do have recorded positive performance evaluations, mention that. If the company was a bit disorganized, you may not have this evidence. But challenge them for evidence of their claim
(c) Manager Name telephoned me at Time on Day/date He stated “Position eliminations, bye!”
– – – end of —
(2) Payout of PTO is only required if it’s in your employer’s policy to do so. Is it? Do you have a copy of an employee handbook? Do you have an ex-colleague who can discreetly look it up for you? If you want to complain to the state, here’s where you do it [https://wageandbenefitcomplaint.apps.lara.state.mi.us/](https://wageandbenefitcomplaint.apps.lara.state.mi.us/)
(3) The employer has 45 days to give you the COBRA info. If they don’t you can complain through the Dept of Labor. If you decide to use COBRA and pay the premiums, you can retroactively claim for any services you paid for while you waited.
(4) This is the one where you might consider consulting an employment lawyer even though you are obviously concerned about money.
The second company… HR was still on vacation when they pulled the offer. Likely the one you talked to was told no budget or something else. It would be also too quick for them to query the State. Unless you have a super small community, it would be super unlikely for the 2nd company to contact your former company without HR involved.
Now your former company, don’t sit on the State denying unemployment due to misconduct. If you push back, your former employer will have to prove the misconduct. Contact a few labor lawyers in your area.
Definitely the latter x
Wrongful termination. I had similar happen to me. I went to the Federal Labor Board and filed for wrongful termination. The ruling was in my favor with all backpay(2 months) and a return to the job if I desired (I didn’t). They were forced to clear their records of any wrongdoing that pertained to my termination.
HR states what they will use if you sue.
My former employer fought the unemployment in MI many years ago. Some companies I think just have the policy. They didn’t show up on the designated court date and I won.