Fired for performance – after asking for and not receiving training.

by nicole

(atlanta,ga)

i was working at a small insurance company as i was terminated w/o warning, i had no idea i was going to lose my job. i had been working there for approximately 9 months, and i took english and spanish calls from customers inquiring info on their policies. I was evaluated monthly on about 5 calls a month however i took about 75 a day. I was never formally trained on what we can and cant say to our customers, just taught in training how to work the systems. I was fired because they have a performance standard of 95 percent. i complained previously that i was very polite to customers however i was being marked down on my phone evaluations due to ie saying “ok”, “sir” instead of “sir last name” and things like giving incorrect information to customers. I was first told in febuary that i needed to improve, i then stated that i was new and was not told we couldnt say and could to the insureds or given a training w/the people who monitor us (which is another department) i said that (along w/other employees) that we are not told we are doing wrong until it is done, and i have never disrespected a customer, ie hanging up, cursing etc. I stated several times that i would like to be trained and be giving something on paper about what a normal call flow should be with do’s and don’ts of the company, because they said i didnt use enough soft skills, when i was very polite to all that called. In april i was put on a action plan because they said i wasnt doing well, ie giving incorrect info etc, i told the people that monitor us (2 people to monitor 50 plus representatives)that i was nervous and felt i shouldnt be reprimanded for things i wasnt trained on beforehand. I have only been formally listened to side by side once, eventhough i have it in writing me asking for assistance. on the performance action plan it dosent indicate itself as a warning of any sort just a training, i stated that i wish to be trained more and was told they couldnt since they only had 2 people. I was also told to change my rebuttal on the performance plan because they didnt agree with it, so i secretly copied the first one that they didnt like in which i stated that i wanted to be trained more to improve, and that i was doing my best.

lastly i was evaluated again in june and told that i still wasnt doing well, i asked again to be trained and i was never trained but actually fired two weeks later, i have documentation also that my requests to be trained side by side as stated in their own action plan was never done, even though i requested it. also i have never been written up or told my job was in danger, i never hungup, cursed or was rude to a customer so i didnt understand why i was terminated, i never outrightly willingly disrespected any customer and i tried my best.

do you think i will get unemployment? also when determining if i should get benefits do they wait for a employer response or do they just go by the separation letter and deny benefits if the employer says so?

i am just so upset that i tried and i asked for assistance because the rules were so vague,and was mainly based on opinion of the two people that monitor all 50 of us.

Hi Nicole,

I can’t say what the initial determination will be because I don’t know what the employer will submit nor do I know if you have told all this in your interview or whether you supplied your documentation to the state, but I will tell you this .. that I think you stand a good chance of getting unemployment even if that means you end up having to appeal.

You asked for training and didn’t receive it and you secretly copied your original rebuttal .. good girl!!! You would have been within your rights to stand your ground.

Training by Osmosis – Corporate cost-cutting at it’s worst.

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