by Dimitri
(California)
I was delivering pizza. I was fired for complaining to a drunk acting customer saying he was being insulting by calling me Pizza boy and seemed angry at me. I waited till I got back to the Pizza place before calling to complain to the customer. I complained to his brother unwittingly when he answered the phone. I did give a false name to him when he said he was to make a complaint for me calling him. I felt I was wronged and was stubborn to be forth coming when he said he was to make a complaint. But I told the Manager(before she checked who took delivery)when she asked me about it the next day when and after the customer did make a complaint to her. It was the last delivery that night and I’m the only driver that late. The manager didn’t fire me and I asked if I was to be fired the next day and she responded with a “no” answer. The owner’s son who works part-time also as a manager happened to know the customer’s brother, the person on the phone. He then fired me five days after the fact and after the other manager(she’s the one that hired me) said I wasn’t fired. Statement read: Fired for giving a false name and for complaining about a $1 tip to a customer… I didn’t complain about the tip… Will I qualify?
Hi Diimitri,
I have no idea whether you will be found eligible for unemployment .. it depends on how the EDD views the information you give .. and the information the employer give and how you respond to the questions asked.
I can tell you what I think and what I think is based on what I use to do for a living .. which required me to think of arguments for an employer to win.
It’s very questionable whether you will get unemployment.
There is a very valid argument available to the employer that you “caused harm” to their “interests”.
But you also said things, such as the “customer was drunk” “demeaning” etc., that could be used to bolster your case.
I’m just going to tell you the one thing you did that is going to be difficult to overcome.
You called the customer to complain .. whether it was about the tip or his treatment of you .. it was the incorrect thing to do.
You should have told the manager .. in written form .. and let the employer handle it.
If they had then fired you because the employer talked to his buddy .. I know I could help you win.
It’s not being fired for the customer complaint that is your problem .. it is your reaction of complaining to the customer after you made the delivery.