B Henze
05-03-2006, 04:38 PM
I am employed in Indiana my an engineering consulting firm. Last November I started a job asignment in Mississippi. I was flying back and forth from Mississippi to Indiana every other weekend. Before I continued back down to Mississippi after Christmas, I asked my boss whom I worked with down in Mississippi and who is one of the owners if I continued to work in Mississippi would I have a job to come back to in Indiana. He said definitely "YES". I then informed him that I only wanted to stay until April. One thing led into another and we picked up another job at the same job site. Eventually it was discussed that we might be there through August. I again mentioned I only wanted to stay until April. When I called the main office in Indiana and spoke with my Supervisor about returning her reply was, "I don't have anything here for you only part-time and you need benefits". I couldn't believe it. They had contracted someonw thru August to fill in for my position. I asked her why wasn't I informed of this?
The weekend of Easter my ex-husband who by the way had been watching my two teenagers had an unexpected emergency surgery. He was unable to continue taking care of the kids. I kept my company abreast of what was going on. I asked if the work couldn't be sent up to Indiana. On Tuesday after Easter, I received a phone call from my supervisor in Indiana. She asked me if I was going back down to Mississippi. I told her at this time there was no way I could go back and leave the kids unattended. She then asked if I was ever going back down when my ex-husband was better. I told her at the moment that I had no idea when that would be. She informed me that the work was not coming to Indiana and that all that the company could offer me then was a leave of absence consisting of what was left of my sick-time and vacation. This totaled about 42 1/2 hours. I told her I couldn't believe it. I had worked for this company for over 6 years. I also told her that my income was the only income coming into this household and I had a house and car payment plus two kids to finish raising. I also informed her again about the conversation that one of the bosses told me regarding that I had a job to go back to. She told me that she would talk to them and get back to me either that day or the next which was Wednesday. She did not call back. I called her on Thursday to see how my vacation and sick-time was split. I needed this so I could file unemployment. She did not take my call because of being busy with an accountant but gave the information to the receptionist. I again called her the following Tuesday regarding all of my clothes and misc. that was left in Louisiana where we were living. She asked me if I had received a letter from them. I told her no. She then proceeded to read it to me over the phone. The letter mentioned that I had voluntairly left the company. I told her I did not agree with the letter and that it was the company that let me go. I went over again the discussion we had the previous week on the phone. She didn't say anything. I went ahead and filed unemployment. This past Saturday, I received a notification from the Indiana Labor Force stating they were not paying me unemployment. They said the company I worked for had stated that I had left the job. I sent a six page letter to the Indiana Labor Force appealing for a hearing. I also contacted an attorney in Indiana. He said unless there was a contract drawn up there was nothing I could do. I was wondering if this is against the law in Mississippi since I was actually working there? Is this company at fault? One of the owners that is in Indiana had contracted a friend from the country club to fill my position. It just seems that this was a set-up all along. I have been a very loyal employee and have never had any trouble with any other jobs i've had or with this company before. In fact I usually don't have to go out and find a job, the jobs usually find me thru old contacts. Can you answer these questions? I think this was very dirty of this company to do what they did. After all if I would have known what was going to happen I would not have ever jeopordize my job to begin with by going down to Mississippi.
The weekend of Easter my ex-husband who by the way had been watching my two teenagers had an unexpected emergency surgery. He was unable to continue taking care of the kids. I kept my company abreast of what was going on. I asked if the work couldn't be sent up to Indiana. On Tuesday after Easter, I received a phone call from my supervisor in Indiana. She asked me if I was going back down to Mississippi. I told her at this time there was no way I could go back and leave the kids unattended. She then asked if I was ever going back down when my ex-husband was better. I told her at the moment that I had no idea when that would be. She informed me that the work was not coming to Indiana and that all that the company could offer me then was a leave of absence consisting of what was left of my sick-time and vacation. This totaled about 42 1/2 hours. I told her I couldn't believe it. I had worked for this company for over 6 years. I also told her that my income was the only income coming into this household and I had a house and car payment plus two kids to finish raising. I also informed her again about the conversation that one of the bosses told me regarding that I had a job to go back to. She told me that she would talk to them and get back to me either that day or the next which was Wednesday. She did not call back. I called her on Thursday to see how my vacation and sick-time was split. I needed this so I could file unemployment. She did not take my call because of being busy with an accountant but gave the information to the receptionist. I again called her the following Tuesday regarding all of my clothes and misc. that was left in Louisiana where we were living. She asked me if I had received a letter from them. I told her no. She then proceeded to read it to me over the phone. The letter mentioned that I had voluntairly left the company. I told her I did not agree with the letter and that it was the company that let me go. I went over again the discussion we had the previous week on the phone. She didn't say anything. I went ahead and filed unemployment. This past Saturday, I received a notification from the Indiana Labor Force stating they were not paying me unemployment. They said the company I worked for had stated that I had left the job. I sent a six page letter to the Indiana Labor Force appealing for a hearing. I also contacted an attorney in Indiana. He said unless there was a contract drawn up there was nothing I could do. I was wondering if this is against the law in Mississippi since I was actually working there? Is this company at fault? One of the owners that is in Indiana had contracted a friend from the country club to fill my position. It just seems that this was a set-up all along. I have been a very loyal employee and have never had any trouble with any other jobs i've had or with this company before. In fact I usually don't have to go out and find a job, the jobs usually find me thru old contacts. Can you answer these questions? I think this was very dirty of this company to do what they did. After all if I would have known what was going to happen I would not have ever jeopordize my job to begin with by going down to Mississippi.
