I work as a property manager at a 35-40 unit apartment. It has come to my attention that the owner has plans to terminate me, but has not discussed this with me. I am currently paid less than $190 per week, plus get free rent (value of $ 600./month). I have been in this position 1 year and have no written complaints, have been told I am doing a wonderful job, and have turned the property around from being drug infested to drug free.

I work a minimum of 10 hours per day and am to be available 24/7. (There is no assistant property manager.) In addition, my duties have included not just property management, but pool cleaning, landscape maintenance, apartment cleaning, painting. I have also been responsible for the supervision of outside contractors, maintenance employees, (generally temps), purchasing of products, all office duties and the list goes on.

If I am terminated it will leave me without a home for my child and myself. As you can see by the weekly wage, I barely make enough to cover utilities and groceries, to say nothing of raising a child.

When I came to work for this property, it was through a real estate management company in the Tucson area. I had a written contract with them. When the owner fired that management company, he gave me the job of property manager, with promises of increased wages, bonuses and more pie in the sky offers, but did not draw up a contract, even though he said he would. I was naive enough to believe what was promised without getting it in writing. That should be naive with a capital N!

My question is, if I am terminated, do I have any recourse? And if I do, can you provide me general direction as to who I should contact?

Thank you for "listening". I will be watching for your post(s) in response.

if I am terminated, do I have any recourse? That depends entirely on why you were terminated. If the boss lets you go "just 'cause," that's not illegal. If you're doing a wonderful job, I can't imagine why he would though.

If you really do think you're going to be terminated, it would be a good idea to start applying for jobs elsewhere rather than just wait for the axe to fall. While you'd be eligible for unemployment benefits (unless you're terminated for willful misconduct) I expect you'll also lose your apartment. You may want to have a back-up plan lined up (move in with a friend or relative briefly?) should the termination you anticipate occur before you've found another job and another place to live.

Good luck.

Thank you Beth for responding. I sent out my resume today to some management companies & am confident that I will not be out of work long.

Having done a wonderful job, as the owner has told me repeatedly, does not guarantee longevity. I just learned that I was the 4th property manager in the 3 years, or less, that he has owned the property. All were let go basically "without cause". Guess that is what employers can get away with in a "right to work" State.

Thank you laborlawtalk.com for having this site up to glean information from prior postings, to ask for advice, and to receive fast responses.

Just as a matter of semantics, Right to Work means you cannot be forced to join a union to get work. What you mean is that Arizona (like every other state in the US except Montana, and even including Montana in some circumstances) is an employment-at-will state.

You are absolutely correct. It has been less than a wonderful day and think I am getting groggy.

I do appreciate the correction though.