Today I had my telephone ‘fact-finding’ interview with the DLLR regarding my request for unemployment. I will not know the results for 10 days or so. After hearing my side (the right side, damn it!) of what happened, they will have a telephone interview with my former employer. If our stories differ, I may receive another follow-up call next Thursday between 3 and 4pm so that the agent can request further clarification. After all of that, they will make their determination as to whether or not I will be eligible to receive unemployment payments. If I am not, I had better find a new job pretty darn quickly!
I did, however, learn that my former employer has reported that I was terminated due to “misappropriation of company goods or funds”. After my interview, I did a little research to determine exactly what this means. Here is what I came up with:
Oh goodie, so now these people are trying to imply that I belong in jail? I paid EARNED sick and vacation time to a person that was basically going out on an extended vacation. It was not done with the INTENT to screw the company, nor was it for my own personal use or gain. Other employees have been allowed to take off for 4 or 6 weeks during the summer, using their accrued benefit time for as long as it lasts, so why would this case be any different? Hell, this same employee was out for maternity leave 3 years ago with the birth of her son, and was allowed then to use her sick and vacation time. What has changed over the last 3 years to make this no longer ok?
The fact that the employee in question still has a job – the one who actually benefited from my actions – leads me to believe that for whatever reason they just wanted me gone, and this was the best excuse they could come up with to get it done.
That’s ok. Maybe my next boss will be sane.