PDA

View Full Version : termintated for no reason? other than boss did not like me New Jersey


outofworkagain
03-15-2008, 12:35 PM
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone out there can answer some questions for me and let me know if I have a case and whether i should bother pursuing it.
I worked for a large chain childcare center. I was not there very long (I think my 90 day period was just up), but from the moment I started there my boss harassed me. It was not harassment that by law would get her in trouble, but it upset me and made me feel unliked.
She would make up "rules" that applied only to me. But that is not why I am here.
This past Monday, I had to leave work early to take my child to a doctor's appointment. Before I left she called me into her office and stated that she would have to place me on suspension pending an investigation, because she alleged I left my classroom unattended. My children were in the bathroom (all 6 of them) since my class is a potty-training class. I had to step out of the bathroom to retrieve a child that ran out of the bathroom and to obtain cleaning supplies from my room because a child had an accident on the floor. I would not have had to go after cleaning supplies if they were stored in the bathroom as I requested of my supervisor on more than one occasion. I asked my supervisor to place cleaning supplies in a locked box in the bathroom for such emergencies, but she refused.
When she stated that she was to suspend me it was to conduct an investigation. She indicated that she had a witness to state that this was not the first time I had done this. And she claimed I did the same thing on the previous Friday. (Which is untrue).
I had to return to the childcare center to pick up my other child. She "chased" me down the hallway to come into her office. In front of my child without a word she states "I am firing you". And that was the end of my employment there.
I am bothered by this because ALL of the children in the childcare center use the bathroom unsupervised. The only reason I was in the bathroom is because I am potty training the children. The teachers in the 3, 4 and 5 year old class send children up to 3 at a time to the bathroom by themselves (and unattended I might add) But I am fired for it?
Our payday was yesterday (Friday March 14th). I have direct deposit. I went to look into my bank account just now and notice I was not paid!
Needless to say I am rather upset by this. She would doctor my time sheet each week, and when I would confront her to see copies of them, she would "conveniently" forget to show them to me.
She would chase me into my classroom or interrupt my teaching to obtain my tuition check for that week (she did not do this to ANY of my other co-workers) and what would bother me is it was so little money that I owed. She acted more like a used car salesperson than a director of a childcare center. She did not chase down any of our parents like this!
I could go on, but really I am upset that I got no warning. Not a verbal warning, written warning, nothing! That i was in any violation of any policy regarding bathroom usage by the children and I was fired on the spot! and in front of my child!!
Do I have anything here?

panther10758
03-15-2008, 12:45 PM
Wrongful termination is termination that violates law. Unfair is not always illegal and nothing in your post suggest your termination was illegal sorry

TM1
03-15-2008, 12:52 PM
As far as being fired you have no recourse. You can be fired for any reason at any time, as long as they were not discriminating against you because you were in a protected class: age, sex, race…

If you believe that you were not paid for all of the hours that you worked you can file a claim with the DOL for wages and overtime pay.

From your description the employer will try to fight UI benefits by stating that you were fired for misconduct. Do you have any written evidence showing that leaving the children alone in the bathroom was allowed for the age group that you watched? Will other teachers write that this was a common practice at this facility?

I would have concerns about any child care facility that would allow children in potty-training to be left alone.

New Jersey Labor Law Posters
Comply with New Jersey regulations with one Complete New Jersey Labor Law Poster.
Trusted with customer satisfication.
Call (800) 745-9970 or shop online at www.LaborLawCenter.com.