Fired by mail while out on a Dr's. note.?

Question

I was informed by letter on the day I was released by the Dr. to go back to work that because of my absence they were forced to hire new personnel and change the schedule. They said this was necessary for the operation of the club. (It's a private club, like a Moose Lodge.) They also said they were sorry about my mishap and appreciate what I've done for the club. The letter was never signed and quite tacky. After going over the days I was absent I was scheduled to work 20 days. Of those 20 days 6 were approved vacation days and fully covered. That left them with 14 days to cover. There are 4 trustees, a bar manager and 100's of members of which most would volenteer. I'm pretty sure they wanted to replace me because i followed the rules that "THEY" gave me. Ex. Cutting off one of their friends after serving him over 15 drinks in a 3 hour period. Or. asking one of their non-member friends for ID. That's an ABC law in VA and I would get in trouble by the state if cought. And so on.

Answer 1

The letter was NOT signed?

Was it dated?

Was it on company letterhead?

I'd check out the legitimacy of the letter and confirm that it was produced by the owner or directed by the owner to have done.  Did they not give you any warnings?  They should have given you a 'deadline' to return by.  This sounds like a little bit of small-minded politics to move you out and some friend in.

Ask to meet with the owner in PERSON to explain the circumstances for the letter.  Don't just go verbal over the phone.  Bring a recorder with you - hidden - to get word for word what they say.  In some states, there are statues about letting someone go who is on medical leave.  You need to protect your rights.  You may want to meet with a lawyer who specializes in Labor Law, and get some advice as to how to handle this.  Perhaps he/she can write a letter on your behalf and get your job back.

Be smart.  Don't get emotional, just stick with the facts, and don't show all your cards.  Get professional advice, too.

052008  10:40

Answer 2

Unless you had a contract with the company there is nothing preventing them from firing you. They can fire you at will and you can quit your job at will.

Answer 3

get over it and find another gig, they got a business to run and if your not there when they need you, they got to find someone who is gonna be there, dont take it personal. I bet you could of gone to work sooner.

Answer 4

You posed no question, so you can expect no answer.

Answer 5

I'm sorry to read that these ppl you used to work for were so unprofessional. If you were entitled to those days off AND you had a doctor's note to prove it, what they did could be illegal. I would call the Better Business Bureau and inquire so no one else deals with the BS you had to in the future.

Answer 6

I'm not sure why you are so upset about this.  It sounds like you didn't enjoy working here anyways.

Never-the-less, you will need to contact the labor board for VA.  They will let you know the laws in your state regarding the length of time that your employer must hold your position if you are out for medical reasons.

You will need to show proof of the Dr.'s release, and the date that you notified them.  Make sure that you keep the letter to show a time-line.

The business has a right to replace you, in an effort to continue their daily operations.  But again, the length of time will be dependent on the laws in your state.