Originally Posted By kennect I am completely baffled by this and wondered if any here would have a comment...My partner was fired today from his job, of over ten years, because he reported that another employee pulled a gun on him at work...This happened on Saturday...That evening he came home and told me that he felt something shoved into his side and then looked to see it was a pistol...The character doing it told him not to worry that it wasn't loaded...Well, he reported the event to the owner and was told he was fired for "Creating this type of trouble"...I personally heard that line since they fired him via the phone answering machine...They won't even talk with him in person...She also made the comment that she didn't believe it actually happened...The story gets a little more complicated though knowing the fact that the gun was illegal and sold to this guy by the business owners brother inside the shop....Her brother was dumb enough to discuss this with shop employees earlier in the week stating he needed the money....Plus the fact that the character is also illegal in this country...IRS is already after another employee of their's that they are now paying under the table since he was notified that his SS number belonged to a dead person....Isn't it amazing that people you thought you knew and liked can act like this? This story is long from over....
Originally Posted By JazzCat I am as stunned by this as you are! Your bosses could get into a crapload of trouble for everything they've done. I guess your partner has two choices: go to the authorities or let it go. It depends on how hellish he wants his life to get.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I'd be calling the police, a lawyer and the labor board. Where are you again kennect - Georgia? I'm sorry I can't remember.
Originally Posted By kennect The police are invovled but no formal report has been made yet...The delay with them was the idea of it being the weekend since he didn't call 911 when it happened...We had to be out of town today, regradless he was finally able to get all of the info to file a formal complaint later today....Stupid of him to walk away as he did but he said all he wanted to do was get out of there as quickly as possible....
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<Stupid of him to walk away as he did but he said all he wanted to do was get out of there as quickly as possible....>> I don't think it's stupid to walk away from that situation at all. Now time to call a lawyer and then the labor board. I'm so sorry he's going through this. Sadly, you are right to say that it is just beginning.
Originally Posted By ShivaThDestroyer It's probably a no win situation, He could sue the company for wrongful termination and even create legal trouble for his former employers but I doubt that would get him his job back and even if he did, the environment would always be hostile. Has your friend sought legal consultation? Half an hour with lawyer might give him a clearer view of what his options are.
Originally Posted By kennect OH he doesn't want his job back there...I can't say I blame him either for thinking that way...What is bothering him most is the people begged him to leave his job ten years ago to join them...He has known them for over eighteen years...Well, he did go with them...He has carried keys to the business the entire time...Opened it and closed it alone...That is how much they supposedly trusted him...Now to pull this on him is what is really bothering him...
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Yeah, I don't think getting the job back is what he'd want but I won't call it a no-win situation. He should be compensated for the hours lost, stress and wrongful termination. Ugh! Seems like something else is going on there. Probably best he's left but he should pursue justice.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <a href="http://research.lawyers.com/Georgia/Employment-Law-in-Georgia.html" target="_blank">http://research.lawyers.com/Ge orgia/Employment-Law-in-Georgia.html</a>
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<I'd be calling the police, a lawyer and the labor board.>> Absolutely. And it doesn't matter that your partner might not have been "perfect" in the situation. (As in: reporting the gun incident immediately. Or having glowing employee reviews. Or having completely irrefutable evidence of the owners' illegal activities.) An attorney can help you decide whether it's worth suing to get the job back or to go for compensation. Or, at the very least, the attorney can help get your partner's name cleared so that he can collect unemployment compensation and get hired at a decent place. Don't erase that phone machine message. Have your partner write down EVERYTHING he knows that's incriminating about the employer. Gather all the evidence you can that shows he was a responsible, valued employee before this incident. (Performance reviews, lack of disciplinary action, memories of "Attaboys!" the owners gave him informally.) Conversely, have him document any evidence that his treatment by management or staff was negatively affected because he is gay, was unpopular with other employees, or was critical of management. It's an ugly situation. VERY unpleasant to go through! And there's no gaurantee that right will win out. But you need to do all that you can to maximize your chances of the best outcome. UGH! HOW unfair! Hang in there!!!
Originally Posted By beamerdog Definitely talk to an attorney before going to the media. Never depend on the media to get things exactly right. Also, if he is going to end up in court, you don't want to sully the jury pool. I agree with I57 that you need to maximize the chances for the best outcome from this nasty situation.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Sorry, DlandJB. I usually agree with what you say, but at least in my area I've learned that even if the reporter is someone you know and have trusted for many years, they still can get it wrong :-(
Originally Posted By kennect lisann, Thanks for that link...I have consulted that site many times....There is a great deal of information there....
Originally Posted By Lisann22 No problem. I work out of Georgia a lot and use that site as a point of reference. I really hope you guys get a resolution that is satisfactory to you. This kind of life changing stress sucks. He did not deserve to be treated like that no matter what happen.
Originally Posted By LuLu Sorry to hear this. I agree that he should pursue anything that would help justice to be done. Hopefully he gets some compensation - but if not, at least the bosses will have the grief of the investigation / lawsuit to deal with. Amazing he worked there for 10 years and not notice things amiss - however I know people can change very quickly when drugs or other enticing illegal activity enters the picture. Sorry you guys have to go thru this.
Originally Posted By alexbook >>OH he doesn't want his job back there...I can't say I blame him either for thinking that way...<< With all the stuff you're describing, he's probably better off away from there.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger That shop sounds like it's just ripe for being pwned on every side, between your partner, the police, and the IRS.
