I Got Fired

I truly thank all of you who have responded and given advice. I am literally writing this with tears in my eyes.

Double J touched on exactly what I feel about the whole situation. Even if I had done something wrong, which I don't feel I did in anyway, I still could understand getting called on the carpet and being told not to do it again. But, as Double J pointed out, to go from zero to termination has left me completely baffled.

Write then drink inquired about whether or not I sought permission, but to be honest, I never even thought about it considering we have two people on my staff who write for "rival" newspapers, including one who writes for the other paper I wrote this story for.

The guy who called me to ask if I would write the story for his paper is a colleague of mine I've known for 10 years. We both serve on a board that selects the All-District football and basketball teams every year. He's a good, decent man who would never ask me to do anything that would jeopordize my job. He would not ask me to write a story for him if he thought it was unethical in any way. He was absolutley floored when I told him I got fired.

And as far as policies go, well, that's a joke. Shortly after I became sports editor 10 years ago, I asked our HR person for a job description so I could understand all my legal boundries. The response I got? "We don't have one. We probably should do that."

I'd also like to retiterate that when I initially was asked to write the story for the other paper, I said I wasn't going to be at the game, but I would have my reporter who was covering the game write a story for them. I only decided to write the story for the other paper when, upon second thought, I thought it would be best not to ask my reporter to do double duty on a night when I didn't have to cover anything. I seriously doubt that if I had my reporter write the story for the other paper that he would have gotten fired for doing so.

And Double J, you are correct. I am not leaving out any details whatsoever.

Again, I thank all of you who have responded and shown your support.

 

No, I wrote the story on site - and on a laptop I purchased with my puny salary. My shop couldn't even purchase one for me.

 

Sounds like you worked for a CNHI or a JRC paper. Those papers have so many problems throughout the years, it's downright criminal that they still (somehow) still exist -- for the moment.

I'd see a lawyer, just to see what the law is in your state on firings. But unless he is going to be able to get your job back instantly, it may not be worth the time and money and stress to try to get your job back at a company that will be looking for the slightest thing to boot you out again.

Unfortunantly, there's no law against a company's stupidity.

At one of the first weekly papers I worked at, the editor of the paper was married to the advertising manager. Advertising manager quit to work for a competitor, so the owner of the paper retailiated by firing the editor, claiming he didn't want her married to a member of a competing paper.

Owner had all sorts of financial and other problems, and ended up selling the rag a few months later. Still, the firing showed his smallmindedness and lack of trust for his staff.

The couple said they thought about suing to get her job back, but decided to just move on with their lives.

 

Something is defiitely not right. If there is no written policy in place, they can't fire you. Also, if others are doing it, or have done it, and you can document it, you have grounds for a lawsuit.
If you covered the game on your own time, were you compensated by the rival paper?
It sounds as if you're in a right to work state (who isn't?) but there are a few holes that need to be filled. I kind of think you should be able to get your job back but if they pulled crap like this to get you out in the first place, I wouldn't feel secure.
Good Luck. I'm sorry that it happened to you.

 

Uh, Drippy, only about half the country is a right to work state.

* Alabama
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* Florida
* Georgia
* Idaho
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Louisiana
* Mississippi
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Oklahoma
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Virginia
* Wyoming


And again, if it's an at-will state, employer and employee can end the working relationship at any time for no reason.



editor, here's some employment law sites I found when I googled to see how many right to work states there are.

http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/historyoftechindustry/tp/Employment-Law-Research.htm

 

editorhoo:

I'm really sad to hear this. I have a question: Have you thought about going in tomorrow and asking the boss for your job back?

You've been there 18 years, you've presumably doing a good job or you wouldn't have been there that long, and your absence is going to put the paper in a bind. It might be that the boss was just pissed off and did something he regrets, and an apology from you might give him the excuse he needs to rescind the firing.

I don't think this would work in all cases, but as you say, going from zero to firing in eight seconds seems a little odd.

In any event, good luck.

 

Just go in like nothing happened and start churning out preview stories.

 

Trust me, if I thought I even had a remote chance, I would walk in tomorrow and ask. I loved my job and would have done it for free if I had the means. But the abruptness of my termination speaks volumes. My fate was determined before I walked into my publisher's office. He already had paperwork prepared for me to file for Cobra, so there never was going to be any listening to my side of the story.

And I don't understand it at all. I've done nothing short of donate my life to that newsroom and the product I produced daily. I'm sure most people on here can understand that I worked nights and weekends, so I've never lived much of a life outside of work. Work had been my life. I don't even have siblings or a spouse to lean on in tough times like these. I've dated a few women here and there, but it's difficult to create anything serious when you simply can't be there for the other person on a consistent basis.

Hell, there's been a woman in my life that I've been dying to pursue, but on my nights off, she works nights, so there literally is no chance of me taking her for a night out on the town. We've had lunch together, but that's just not the same thing.

Damn, some things are just starting to hit me, like all the contacts and professional relationships I've developed over the last 18 years suddenly have been severed. I mean, all the networking with colleagues and relationships cultivated with coaches, ADs, athletes ... it's all gone in a heartbeat.

The thing that hurts the most? My staff consisted of two full-time employees, three part-timers, two columnists and two stringers. Over the years, I've had full-timers, part-timers and stringers come and go. I've heard from many of them since my firing, wishing me well and telling me what a raw deal I've gotten.

I've not heard one peep from the current two full-timers at my shop. One of them, I provided his start in the business. The other, I hired out of a bad situation at another paper. And I've not heard one word from either.

This definitely was a Thanksgiving that I didn't have much to give thanks for, but I am thankful that SportsJournalists.com has given me an avenue to vent my feelings. When I started in this business, this never would have been possible.

People on here can be cynical, critical and sometimes downright mean-spirited, so I really do appreciate that everyone who has posted here has been respectful of my situation.

 

Post of the year, in my estimation.

 

editorhoo.
None of this adds up. Not shooting an arrow at you but someone has to give you better answers than what you're putting out on the thread.
If they can't, I'm inclined to tell you to go for legal help.

 

Not trying to be smart hank, but what is the difference between right to work and at will?

 

Door shuts, window opens.