Question:

I was just summarily dismissed from a job (that I was going to be leaving in a week anyway) with the verbal promise that it would not be made known that I was dismissed.

From what I know of this, my employer doesn't have legal grounds to do this. I was told of two infractions that led to this decision only after the decision was made known to me.

One was when I was unable to complete deliveries due to being ill and the frost heaves out on the roads making me want to puke (I don't think she believed me), the second was being left to manage the shop on my own, the shop being busy, me being the only one to handle phonecalls, increased walk-in customers due to a very sunny day, not getting a chance to check the wired-in floral orders until late in the afternoon, preparing the the floral deliveries for that day, recieving large deliveries in the midst of scrambling to do ten different tasks, being tied on on the phone on hold sorting out miscommunications from wired-in deliveries (customer had a bad credit card but kept wiring in orders). And then of course there's my actual duties as greenhouse manager and watering and cleaning the plants and talking to nursery customers.

In short, having to juggle by myself what three or four other people usually handle, some things got missed. In my defense, those things that were missed were also missed by my manager.

I was blamed for not reading the special instructions for an order due on a day I was not to be working, and I am (was) NOT the florist, damnit! I was frantic and harried and she had spent the day shopping for tacky knick knacks and sampling gourmet bread. So she called it a financial loss since the orders were not able to be fulfilled.

Okay, so sure, I have a lot of excuses but it was still a big mistake, on both our parts.

And I only had a week left.

And I can really use the time to shop for an apartment for my new job.

And I feel bad that I lost her customers which had her groveling on the phone trying to make things right, and that my going home sick meant she had to finish my job instead of doing hers (she should really hire a fucking delivery person, and about five other staff).

And I'm pissed at myself for just taking it and not arguing with her about the insane workload.

So, um, I guess my question is, should I just forget it and trust that she won't do anything to besmirch me, is it not a battle worth fighting? I did not steal anything, attack a co-worker, do or have drugs at work, or any of the other legal grounds for a summary dismissal.

I'm also wicked curious as to how she thought dismissing me before a huge holiday was the wisest choice, which makes me think there was something else going on. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Crowned Lemur Baby (info: [link] )

It's just about the cutest thing ever. Except, of course, for Buffista babies....

That sucks, Julie. I hate it when employers put employees in impossible situations and then blame the employee.

Realistically, previous employers almost never say anything bad about employees, for fear of lawsuits.

Sounds like SO not a battle worth fighting, Juliebird--since you were leaving in a week anyway. Even if she didn't have reason, sometimes if you quit, people make you leave early (sometimes even right when you quit!). I wouldn't list her as a reference, then, if there's any way to avoid it, but if anyone says they plan to call her, you can come up with some sort of nice language to claim she was pissed you quit, and that's the source of any issues she'd say. Which is understandable.

Julie, I'd just let it go. Take the extra week, and save yourself the extra grief. It sucks, but I don't think there's a much happier ending.

Thanks, Ginger and meara. I'm just so pissed at her for making me feel like shit, and pissed at myself for smiling and apologizing for letting her down. But maybe that was the most diplomatic way to part?

Hmmm, maybe it was the fact that I was sweeping instead of using the vacuum that really did it? Or maybe it was cleaning up the florist's mess in the bathroom.

Oh man, I was shaking when she told me, and my blood is still boiling. I'm taking deep breaths and trying to just accept it and move past it, but thinking about it just makes my hands start shaking again.

And thanks, ita. I think that's really what I wanted to hear (really didn't want to hear "sue her ass!").

I can't wait until she goes out of business /bad karma but I don't care

you can come up with some sort of nice language to claim she was pissed you quit, and that's the source of any issues she'd say. Which is understandable.

"I did not leave that job on the best of terms. I was not fired, but it was clear that my services were not longer desired."

You should ask your boss for two weeks salary in lieu of notice. And then "let" her bargain you down to a week.

Sad now:

[link]

RIP Arthur C. Clarke

(Cross-posted to literary)

Timelies all!

Spent St. Patrick's Day the usual way, in part. Went to see a friend's gig at Madam's Organ(A dive bar in Adams Morgan, decorated in pictures of naked women, random instruments on the wall and stuffed animals, not of the kiddy toy variety). Then went to 3LF practice, where G was the only musician, so we danced to tapes.

Juliebird, that's awful. It's obviously not a one-woman operation, so I'm not sure how she expected you to keep up. Also? What they said, above.

Is anyone watching The Riches? If I tune in tonight, without having seen S1, will I be hopelessly lost?