by Framed
(Undisclosed State)
We were working out of town for a week came back on Friday and went home like usual. Came in on Monday and the boss said he wanted to see me.
He told me they were cleaning house and they had a picture, so I was to get my tools and leave. I was shocked and confused since I’ve been there for ten years. So I asked to see this picture and he said it was in the computer and I was to leave, end of discussion.
So, I left. I didn’t know what he was talking about when he said he had a picture, at least not until I talked to a former employee who told me it was a picture of a jar of pot sitting on my overnight bag in our motel room that a co worker had taken and gave to the boss.
Can I be fired for this?
Chris’s Reply
By the way “framed”, I moving your story to those about getting fired because you’re were already fired at the time you asked me “the” question ..
First thing that struck me .. was you didn’t deny it was your jar of pot that may of been snapped sitting on your bag.
What do you think? At least about whether you CAN be fired because an employer fired you for over a picture that may indicate you are in violation of some workplace policy about drug and alcohol use?
As I’ve said .. over and over, those of us who work in the United States all work nearly exclusively, under the thumb of what is called the at will employment doctrine.
Meaning as employees we are as free to quit for whatever reason we damn well feel like as an employer is to fire us for one they think is reasonable .. even without sufficient proof to assure a denial of unemployment benefits.
Frankly, the only good advice I have on this matter as you related it would probably be more beneficial for your employer about how to handle the discharge for a reasonable suspicion you were in violation of a reasonable work rule , or policy .. differently the next time something similar might happen to avoid the risk you spot the weaknesses that might give you a shot here at those benefits.
Framed is a relative word as to what might of happened to you, since you were out of town working and possibly even smoking from that jar in a motel room paid for by your employer, but once the dust has settled .. the only takeaway lesson you might get out of it is to jump up to the pump and ultimately accept a life lesson that proves you may not always do what’s in your best interest, or even be the brightest bulb in the room .. especially if you were somewhere nearby, when that picture was snapped.
Chris
I probably just fixed it so you will never want to talk to a coach about prepping based on unemployment rules though ..
Such is life, because I know we just have different ideas about what’s right, wrong and what about your story just doesn’t make much good sense to me .. after the fact.