Merry F***ING XMAS TO ME (Help?)

[WickeDay]

So, Thursday I began throwing up. I went to work anyway and worked Friday and Saturday. Supposedly I have the stomach virus that's going around the city. Finally, yesterday morning, I could not work sick again.

I was supposed to be at work at 1:30, so I called just after noon and left a message for my boss so he would get it as soon as he got in. I said that I was worse than yesterday and don't think I would serve a great purpose by going in but, to call me.

At 2, my boss calls me and says to call him back after 3. I call at 3 and he tells me that he's sorry I'm sick but, I should have come in. I explained that I couldn't even walk to the corner store to get gatorade. He again said he was sorry that I was sick but, that he is taking me off the schedule. I of course was shocked and said, I called in sick one day, so he's letting me go?!?!?!?!?

He then said there were other reasons but he didn't want to go into them because he wouldn't be nice. I responded that he didn't have to be nice, but that I deserved a reason. He then said he had 52 problems with me that he has never mentioned before, one being that I complain to much???

I don't think that anything about this is legal. In one way, I feel like complaining at corporate level, filing for unemployment (I could use the time off) etc. etc. In another way, I am reading between the lines-he's taking me off the schedule-not exactly firing. In one way it's a small industry and I wonder if causing a comotion can hurt my reputation in the long run. In another way, I think he's taking me off the schedule for his advantage because he really doesn't have a reason to fire me, and then he avoids going through explaining why I was terminated and maybe even thinking about not wanting to explain why the company is having to pay unemployment.

Any advice?

[DocDon]

Go in and throw up all over his arrogant lap.

[nimrod]

No good advice - don't know anything about your industry, but I'm not sure how to read "off the schedule." Punishment? Termination? Dunno... I think you're gonna have to push for clarification.

If you're toast, there's prolly a new adventure waiting for ya in the next year. Change can be good! With that in mind, have a good holiday, anyway.

[J_Snow]

Strange-he says you should have come in-but since you didn't he now has 52 things against you and is taking you off the schedule. But if you had come in-you would still be on the schedule and everything would be status-quo?

Aren't you union? File a grievance.

[rmuse00]

I am with J! File a grievance if you can.

Seems like he had it in for you. Was there anyone you spoke to that could tell you had already been feeling sick? Not that it should matter but with someone like this it could help discredit him. If he had all this so called "bad stuff" about you why didn't he say something before? I would stay strong and fight it. In today's day and age if there is wrongful termination due to an "indifference" situation it's best to fight it. There should be zero tolerance for that no matter what industry you work for. You've worked hard you deserve to know why after you called in sick you are out. He sounds like a freakin scrooge! Good luck Wickeday!

[CleverCynic]

Take this to heart: PERCEPTION IS REALITY.

I've been where you are in more ways than one. I don't know that I've lost a job over it, but with friends and little things. If you had 5 people write how you are and read it you'd be shocked (I think this goes for everyone).

I hope you don't lose your job or you find something better, but you have an opportunity to learn from this as well. It doesn't matter how you are, it's how you are perceived, especially if you begin to realize its somewhat consistent.

For instance, I think I'm entirely hilarious, pretty much all the time. A lot of times I'll find out that I can be off-putting or come off insulting, and this is NEVER my intent. I make the mistake of assuming others are as comfortable in their skin or could take it like I would.

[Amerikaner83]

J has a great idea - file the grievance.

Just because this dude *may* have had a laundry list of things against you...don't ya think he would have said so earlier?

[isislc]

File the grievance!! I had this happen to me 2 years ago. I was told that i needed to come in off my vacation for a meeting. No one has ever been pulled from vacation for a meeting. I asked them why? I was told by email that I would find out at the meeting. So I called and told them not to play f*@king games with me that if the meeting is that damn important, don't let Christmas give them a heart to put it off especially if I'm in trouble. I told them when "I" was scheduling the meeting and I would be in at that time.

Sure enough, it was a meeting to CAN me after Christmas because of my attendance. Of course, my attendance was affected by my pregnancy which I was still on medical leave for, can you say Umm ILLEGAL! So when they gave me a paper to sign with me getting squat, I tore it up and handed them a paper then said " I won't sign that paper but I will sign this one". It was the petition for the lawsuit against them for terminating me illegaly when it was related to my pregnancy. I signed it and gave it to them and was starting to walk out with the torn copy of what they gave me after I threw my badge on the desk.

A couple mins later someone came running after me, they wanted to talk. By the time I left there I had 4 months paid insurance, 6 months severance pay, another 15k tax free added to my 401k for transfer, announcement that I resigned rather than terminated, Unemployment AND a spotless referral from HR for any references. I was so gonna enjoy my 6 months off of work. It didn't last long, my sister posted my resume for me and I got re-hired 2 weeks after I was let go. lmao. This is the job I'm at now and I love it. Wages are almost triple what I got then.

IMO if you have dirt on them and can prove it, use it. I know I did and I made out like a bandit.

[virtualrn]

Wicked-Sorry to hear about this. Sounds like another case of micro management passive aggressive behavior at its' best.....You are in the theater business:

1.) Is it union?

2.) Is it at will?

3.) Were you on probation, or had you been with Wicked Day or this same production company for awhile? How long have you been with them?

4.) How were your previous evals?

4.) Had you been verbally counseled, or in writing prior to this?

5.) How was your attendance, timeliness?

Only asking to get a clear picture of your options Wicked.

[WickeDay]

1.) Is it union? No.

2.) Is it at will? Yes.

3.) Were you on probation, or had you been with Wicked Day or this same production company for awhile? How long have you been with them? Haven;t been written up once. I didn't even get a verbal warning for any of these things. I've been wih them for a few months.

4.) How were your previous evals? I haven't been evaluated that I know of.

4.) Had you been verbally counseled, or in writing prior to this? Nope, see above.

5.) How was your attendance, timeliness? I was working about eight shows a week and hadn't called out once. There was one incident because I locked myself out of my apartment and didn't have keys or cell phone. I got back in and called in at the time I was supposed to be there to explain. I got to work in time for opening although I was 35 minutes late. I apologized profusely and said it would never happen again.

[virtualrn]

Pondering this dilemma-Facts are you are currently off schedule, no income, and your superior made inappropriate comments. Due to your moniker on this site, I conclude that you absoulutely love what you were doing. Your employer is at will, no union, and you have been there only a short while. Would a meeting with this manager help? At least you could figure out where this person is coming from. Kind of depends on how important this job was for you....And do you want to deal with a passive aggrssive manager? There is so much theater in NYC, can you flood other productions with your resume? I have a strong belief in fate-things happen for a reason and good things will happen for you. It's those painful lessons in between that can get you off track. Keep the faith Wicked.