Lost my Job

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OpenGambit said:
I suggest you speak to an employment lawyer. Good luck.
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+1......or go to the Labour Board yourself. It's very difficult to fire someone these days without a documented history of cause. Getting fired is tantamount to the death sentence. If the cause doesn't justify the punishment, you have a valid complaint and be entitled to damages.
 
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RockerGuy said:
:sad11:

That hit a spot. I remember exactly how that feels man. I only bought what I need and all the money I saved up while working was close to gone. I was so broke.

Even now, I have a crappy job and is still looking.

Well put my friend...
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First of all, sorry to hear about losing your job. I was in the same position a year ago and it sucks.

As for the financial hardship....that sucks too but you can deal with it.

Me and my boyfriend are very aggressively trying to pay off debt completely and save for a down payment on a house.
We use the jar method and it's working so far. There is no money for extra things, there is no "let's go to the movies tonight", etc.

I find us things to do that are free or damn close to it. A good place to look is your local tourism website. There are tons of free things....you might even expand your interests a bit.

Good luck!
 
CrazyKell said:
First of all, sorry to hear about losing your job. I was in the same position a year ago and it sucks.

As for the financial hardship....that sucks too but you can deal with it.

Me and my boyfriend are very aggressively trying to pay off debt completely and save for a down payment on a house.
We use the jar method and it's working so far. There is no money for extra things, there is no "let's go to the movies tonight", etc.

I find us things to do that are free or damn close to it. A good place to look is your local tourism website. There are tons of free things....you might even expand your interests a bit.

Good luck!
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Luckily I have no debts to pay.

My ex loved to go out and eat and do all the crap that seems expensive after a while. I can truly relate when he said the GF paying for things. Even driving around can become expensive, when you are not getting a source of income.

Its a good thing I love doing things outdoors. Hiking,cycling, going to the beach doesn't cost much.

I had even cancelled my east coast trip about 2 yrs ago, it was only accomplished this year.

Not looking for sympathy, just stating my similar experience
 
promac said:
+1......or go to the Labour Board yourself. It's very difficult to fire someone these days without a documented history of cause. Getting fired is tantamount to the death sentence. If the cause doesn't justify the punishment, you have a valid complaint and be entitled to damages.
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You're dreaming. An employer does not need to justify their reasons for terminating an employee.

Justifying cause only becomes an issue if the employer wishes to terminate without notice and without severance pay in lieu of notice. The employer can sidestep any need to demonstrate just cause simply by paying the severance pay required by statute for a normal termination.

Absent termination for cause, statutory severance pay is the greater of one pay period, or one week per year of service provided the employee has been in the position for more than 3 months, to a maximum of 8 weeks pay. If the employee is older and a very long-term employee, there is common law precedent to award more severance pay in certain circumstances, but none of these would apply to a relatively young employee who was employed for only four years by that employer.
 
turbodish said:
You're dreaming. An employer does not need to justify their reasons for terminating an employee.

Justifying cause only becomes an issue if the employer wishes to terminate without notice and without severance pay in lieu of notice. The employer can sidestep any need to demonstrate just cause simply by paying the severance pay required by statute for a normal termination.
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You beat me to it. Firing with cause may be difficult, but firing without cause (and ponying up the minimum required) is a walk in the park.
 
turbodish said:
You're dreaming. An employer does not need to justify their reasons for terminating an employee.

Justifying cause only becomes an issue if the employer wishes to terminate without notice and without severance pay in lieu of notice. The employer can sidestep any need to demonstrate just cause simply by paying the severance pay required by statute for a normal termination.

Absent termination for cause, statutory severance pay is the greater of one pay period, or one week per year of service provided the employee has been in the position for more than 3 months, to a maximum of 8 weeks pay. If the employee is older and a very long-term employee, there is common law precedent to award more severance pay in certain circumstances, but none of these would apply to a relatively young employee who was employed for only four years by that employer.
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A person can fight for anything they want but anyone I have talked to that has done so has regretted wasting energies that would have been put to better use looking for a new job.

The exception is the person that is so well off and connected that they don't need a job in the first place. Do not confuse the working stiff with the CEO that gets a $5M severence after driving the company into the ground.
 
Take this as an opportunity to get closer to what u really want. Many times these obstacles make us stronger and better off. Hope you find your way.
 
promac said:
+1......or go to the Labour Board yourself. It's very difficult to fire someone these days without a documented history of cause. Getting fired is tantamount to the death sentence. If the cause doesn't justify the punishment, you have a valid complaint and be entitled to damages.
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where did you come up with this??
This isn't the USA.

There's a company (in Oshawa) in the news the last couple of weeks that just fired everyone and started up in the USA. Didn't pay anyone in Oshawa a dime.
 
I don't believe the OP mentioned receiving any termination pay and I assumed that was the case. Terminating employees and not paying minimum amount set out in the ESA is pretty low. Add to that the fact that the employer may have known of the OP's medical condition (GERD). I think the timing is a little more than coincidental given the 4 years of work history without any record of wrong doing or low performance appraisals. On top of that, the OP was not given reason for his being fired, resulting in much mental anguish. It's pretty low to do that to employee of 4 years - whether it's standard practice or not. If the OP hasn't received termination pay, he should contact the Labour Standards Board and make a complaint. He may also have a complaint if he was humiliated by the firing in front of other employees. Other abuses may include favours asked of the OP which were outside (not related) to his work-related duties of which he either declined or was not compensated for. Call the Labour Standards Board at the very least to see what you are entitled to. As someone else mentioned, you are entitled to unemployment insurance benefits as well.

If you can, try to find work in an environment with competent management and supervision. At the very least, you should have an employee file and have semi-annual or annual performance appraisals. Employees need guidance and feedback in order to be successful in their careers.
 
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I've been laid off, a couple of times, and had one business go bankrupt out from under me, with no warning.

When the business went bankrupt, I was the service manager. I had also been quality control, and had the only working relationship with CSA. The boss wanted to keep me around and, because he was the first Secured Creditor (a neat trick, if you can manage it), he was going to end up owning the company again anyway, when it all came out in the wash. The other creditors were being burnt badly, getting maybe $0.10 on the dollar. As a result, the owner was making payments to me, in lump sums, to make up for the 2 weeks in pay I hadn't received, pay in lieu of notice, and termination pay. I gave him hand-written receipts for everything. Which he lost. When the labour board finally came through on my claims they enforced them against the owner, personally, because they determined malfeasance had been afoot. They pointedly didn't ask me about the payments I had received, as in metaphorically looking at me sideways and telling me to keep my mouth shut, because the owner couldn't substantiate them. As a result I ended up getting pretty much what I was owed, rather than being out $1K or so.

I had another job so soon, that I had to pay back my UI in toto.

The last time I was out of work, it was because I company I had worked for, for 7 years, closed the Eastern Canada office. I pretty much ran the back end of the place, with Customer Service being my primary focus. The CFO arrived on Tuesday afternoon, then told us that they were closing up shop and we were all out of work. We spent the next week and a half knocking down and packing up the whole shop, for shipping back to Vancouver. During the weekend, in between, I was in a crash and broke my collarbone. There I was, with one arm in a sling, smashing up particleboard workbenches with a 2x4, like Buford Pusser. On the last Friday the CFO handed us our termination letters, dated for the Monday before he arrived on-site. His mistake. I filed with the Labour Board, again, stating when the written notice was received. That got me two more weeks pay, in lieu of notice, 7 weeks termination pay (one week for each year worked), and vacation pay. I needed it, because I was out of work for a month and a half this time. No UI, because my motorcycle insurance was giving me as much in wage replacement, because of my injury.

That was OK though because, a month and a half later, I landed my dream job. I did my first two interviews while wearing a figure 8 brace under my suit, that I'd made out of web strapping, so that they wouldn't know that I was injured. Been there now for 14 years.

murf said:
where did you come up with this??
This isn't the USA.

There's a company (in Oshawa) in the news the last couple of weeks that just fired everyone and started up in the USA. Didn't pay anyone in Oshawa a dime.
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The laid off workers have banded together and have launched a lawsuit seeking $30 million in damages.

OP, sorry about your situation. I was laid off in May '09 and through Second Career I went back to College for two years. I was able to collect EI for the two years. You may want to consider adding to your credentials with additional education should you qualify for assistance.

Good luck!
 
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murf said:
where did you come up with this??
This isn't the USA.

There's a company (in Oshawa) in the news the last couple of weeks that just fired everyone and started up in the USA. Didn't pay anyone in Oshawa a dime.
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Oddly enough in a great number of US States, you'd have far less chance of recovery, so saying "this isn't the USA" is an invalid statement. Ever hear of "right to work States"? If not, read up on it. There are people (Conservatives) up here, who want to bring it to Canada.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
Oddly enough in a great number of US States, you'd have far less chance of recovery, so saying "this isn't the USA" is an invalid statement. Ever hear of "right to work States"? If not, read up on it. There are people (Conservatives) up here, who want to bring it to Canada.
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I mentioned it because there is no reason required in Canada, and it's the opposite of right to work states!
 
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