Being fired from a job is never great. Especially when you feel it wasn’t justified. In a perfect world, where companies follow procedure and labor law properly, everyone would get a fair chance to state their case and a thorough investigation would be conducted before an employee is unceremoniously given their marching orders. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
One guy recently shared how he was accused of harassment and fired without any evidence being presented. HR simply let him know that he was easily replaceable and that the company would be moving on without him. What they didn’t know was just how irreplaceable he was. It didn't take long for them to find out though, and the lesson ended up costing them a cool $60,000 a month.
If you're planning to fire the person who handles your biggest client, you should probably have a solid backup plan in place
Image credits: Agustin Farias / unsplash (not the actual photo)
When an arrogant HR manager went ahead and let go of a crucial team member, it backfired in spectacular fashion
Image credits: Mohamed hamdi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: BeaconIcon
Harassment in the workplace is a serious offense that requires a thorough investigation before termination
Harassment can take on many shapes and forms. Whether it’s bullying, racial discrimination, or verbal or physical misconduct, harassment is basically unacceptable behavior.
The Cornell Law School website defines harassment as "words or behavior that threatens, intimidates, or demeans a person," adding that it is “unwanted, uninvited, and unwelcome and causes nuisance, alarm, or substantial emotional distress without any legitimate purpose.”
Cornell notes that in employment law, harassment is defined as "offensive, unwelcome conduct based on a victim's protected characteristic, that is so severe or pervasive that it affects the terms and conditions of the victim's employment."
A 2021 study conducted by AllVoices found that 44% of employees polled had experienced harassment at work. It ranged from personal harassment and bullying to discriminatory harassment and bias, and online harassment and cyberbullying.
53% of respondents said their workplace immediately addresses harassment. But 12% reported seeing no action whatsoever. Just over half of those who had filed harassment complaints had had their issues fully resolved.
Harassment is a serious offense that can result in someone not only being fired but in some cases, having criminal charges laid against them. There are certain steps that companies are meant to take before firing someone for harassment. Suspicion is not enough.
The Lacy Employment Law Firm warns that terminating an employee for harassment is a serious disciplinary action. "[It] typically involves the employer conducting a thorough investigation into the allegations," notes the firm's site. "In many cases, an employer must also issue a written reprimand or warning before terminating the employee for harassment."
While the former employee decided not to take the matter further after being fired, there are steps he could follow. The Lacy Employment Firm advises those fired for harassment to seek expert legal advice, and to find out whether there is an internal process to appeal against the decision.
The firm says it's also important to check your employment contract. There might be a clause that could help you dispute your termination or seek financial compensation.
Image credits: Austin Distel / unsplash (not the actual photo)
The former employee gave some more info in the comments
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