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And another one bites the dust ... oh, wait

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Rhody31, Jan 30, 2013.

  1. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    Got fired today.
    Bosses didn't give me a specific reason. Said the company was going to move the department in a different direction.
    If I had to guess, here's what led to my firing:
    November - new publisher has meeting, explains to us that editor of our most important paper is now our boss. Moves myself and another co-worker from office in middle of the state to office in the south of the state. We are told not to work at that office anymore.
    Monday - Get a call from boss. My faxed timecard didn't go through right. Says I need to get a copy to the office at some point. After RX appointment, I go to office in middle of the state at 1 p.m., fax time card and mileage down. Plan was to turn around and go home while i waited for 4 p.m. swim meet to start. While I'm faxing, games get canceled. Instead of driving 30 minutes South to post info online, I post from the office I'm at. As I'm doing this, I get a call from a co-worker; he tells me he got a story for us. I tell him I'll do a story in return; his school is 5 mins from middle of the state office. Instead of driving 30 minutes south to turn around and drive 30 minutes north - and be late for start of practice by 20 minutes - i wait until 2:20 when I head to school.
    Get back at 3 p.m., write story by 4. Call my boss to tell him what went on and where I was and why I was there. Apparently when I left for story, building manager called publisher to tell her I was at the middle of the state office.
    Anyway, when i was taking to my boss I asked him if it was cool if I spent time there writing my other stories instead of driving south. He said it was OK, but don't do it in the future.
    Tuesday - Nobody says anything about the day before when I arrive in the morning. Intern shows up at noon and we had nothing for him to do, so I have him go to our morgue and gather copies of the paper for 2012 from all our sections. We failed to keep up with it last year so it was every issue. Crappy work, but something perfect for an intern.
    I explain to him what to do and if there is only one copy of the paper in the morgue, leave it be and we'll get another copy of the paper from the middle of the state office. He's not dumb, so he does everything correctly.
    I left for swim meet at 3 and, according to my former co-worker, publisher flipped out about the work intern was doing. I cover my swim meet, then drive south for a feature on a hoops girl who scored her 1,000th point. Back to the office, process photos, decide to leave early because I didn't want to stay late.
    Wednesday - Show up at 10. Design paper that's due at 2, finish paper that's due at 1, write two cheerleading stories, finish paper that's due at 2 at 1:30. talk to co-worker and intern about what we want intern to do for hte next few weeks. Boss tells me it's time for my 2 p.m. meeting.
    Walk in, sit down, publisher says I'm being terminated, effective immediately. They would pay me 40 hours for the week, will give me my two weeks of vacation and if I file for unemployment, they won't fight the charge.
    I ask why. They won't give me a reason. I tell the publisher - without swearing - that not giving a reason for stuff is something that happens too much at our paper and is something that doesn't happen at real businesses.
    Boss walks me out. I ask if I can pack all my stuff now. Says I can't, I have to come back to get it later. I give him the keys, walk out and I'm done.

    \Right now I am so happy for the support of my friends and family but most of all, my wife and daughter.
    And thank god she made the smart decision to become a pharmacist and not something else.

    Fucked up thing is I still want to be in the business.
     
  2. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    Holy smokes. I am so sorry.
     
  3. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    That's life in this business today (most businesses for that matter): they won't give you a reason unless they have to -- and they probably won't have to. All power has gone to The Job Creators and the duty of Joe Schmoe is to bow and kneel before them.


    The "flipping out about the work the intern was doing" sounds like some kind of concocted bullshit on the part of the publisher. Few publishers know or care anything about what interns are doing unless it's something that can expose the company to big legal problems.

    You can probably figure out the reason but I'm not sure it will do you any good. If you're in an at-will state they can fire you if they don't like the color socks you wore the other day.
     
  4. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Sucks, Rhody. If they aren't going to contest it, get the unemployment.
     
  5. wicked

    wicked Well-Known Member

    I'm pretty sure you're not in an at-will state.

    I'm sorry, Rhody. You're a good guy, this definitely is a massive dicking. Sounds like it's happened to a few people there.

    If your wife lets you return to the business, well, she's a lot more tolerant than I'd be. If I were making decent coin and my spouse requested to return to journalism, I might request a competency exam. And I'm only partly kidding.
     
  6. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    Sorry to hear it. Good luck.
     
  7. ColdCat

    ColdCat Well-Known Member

    that is fucked up.
    Is the middle of the state office a building they still keep the lights and heat on? Do they still have sales staff there? If so you were just smart in using your resources by going there. I don't see why that would be an issue.
     
  8. murphyc

    murphyc Well-Known Member

    Damn Rhody, that sucks. Good thing is your spouse works so it's not quite as bad as it could be, at least from the financial point of view.
    I can understand the desire to stay in the business, but I'd suggest keeping an open mind. Good luck with everything.
     
  9. YGBFKM

    YGBFKM Guest

    At least you don't live in Texas.

    Seriously, as a father with a young child, I feel for you. Good luck bouncing back.
     
  10. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    Yeah, that sucks.
    Hang in there, Rhody.

    Look at all that work you did just today and yesterday.
    It says a lot when asshat managers don't appreciate what they've got.
     
  11. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    If you have the support of your wife, you're ahead of 75 percent of married men in this country :)

    Seriously, that sucks about the job and if the people around you are understanding and supportive, you'll be much better for it.
     
  12. GidalKaiser

    GidalKaiser Member

    I'm sorry to hear that, Rhody. Really am.
     
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