Just got fired! What do i do?

Cptn Pants

So like the title says I just got fired. The simple version is I'm an idiot and it was all my fault so let's keep the flames a little low eh? Ok so here's what happened, over the last year me and my co-workers have been downloading TV shows and audio books to keep us entertained while we do our mind numbing job. No one complained that we where watching them in little windows or had headphones on. But apparently the company just took notice of this downloading and decided that everyone they could find doing this was out the door. Fine, whatever it's my fault I’ll take it like a man.


Anyway, what do I do now? Can I apply for un-employment (I'm in New Jersey if that matters.) even though I got fired because I'm a jackass? What do I put for reason for leaving? I was thinking of just putting that my temp. Position just ended. How hard will it be to find another job with this little blemish? I can’t imagine everyone that ever got fired never found another job after that .Any and all advice is well appreciated.

brandotheninjamaster

You should be eligible for unemployment. As for the rest, I don't know. Just out of curiosity what did you do (what was you old job)?

CoJoeTheLawyer

We need a bit more infomation

1. What do(did) you do? Is this just a temp. thing, or is it your lifelong calling?
2. How long were you doing it? Have you done it other places before?
3. Did you sign a contract for a specific period of time, or was it employment-at-will?
4. Did they ever tell you "no downloading"?
5. Still in school, or graduated?
6. Money: How much, how soon can you get more and how long can you last on what you got?
7. Bills and other responsibilities: How many, how much and what's due ASAP?

Answer those and then we'll chat

grungebox

More Info from New Jersey's Dept of Labor. If you worked for 18 months, you're eligible it seems. I'd consult that site and talk to the Dept of Labor for specific information.

Cptn Pants

CoJoeTheLawyer wrote: »

We need a bit more infomation

1. What do(did) you do? Is this just a temp. thing, or is it your lifelong calling?
2. How long were you doing it? Have you done it other places before?
3. Did you sign a contract for a specific period of time, or was it employment-at-will?
4. Did they ever tell you "no downloading"?
5. Still in school, or graduated?
6. Money: How much, how soon can you get more and how long can you last on what you got?
7. Bills and other responsibilities: How many, how much and what's due ASAP?

Answer those and then we'll chat

It was a temp position that ended up lasting since Oct of last year. It was data entry very boring stuff. It was my first data entry job but I’ve been employed since 2002 none stop often with 2 or more jobs. Most jobs in NJ are at will and so was this one. They didn't tell me specifically but they do claim that it's in the company regulations.

I am out of school and I have about $1500 saved up. I live at home and I only have 3 real bills and I can trim one down if need be. I am paying for my car, which is $200 a month plus $200 for insurance, which I have paid off for the next 2 months. Then I just have my phone bill which is $90 now but I can drop data and get it down to $60 or less. I should be good for about 2 months with 0 income. I've already started applying online, monster and such. I've also tried calling my old retail jobs and see if I can't get back in there.

Thanatos

CoJoeTheLawyer wrote: »

4. Did they ever tell you "no downloading"?

I would assume by "downloading," the OP meant "illegal downloading." I don't think you're going to make a case for wrongful dismissal when the reason for dismissal is "using company assets to commit a crime."

If I'm incorrect, feel free to correct me, Pants.

CoJoeTheLawyer

grungebox wrote: »

More Info from New Jersey's Dept of Labor. If you worked for 18 months, you're eligible it seems. I'd consult that site and talk to the Dept of Labor for specific information.

This site is basically all the info you need if you think you'll need unemployment. Good find

In terms of your odds for future employment outside of pimping yourself out to lonely supermodels, it sounds like you have built up enough of a resume in your field to be able to survive this one minor blemish. You'll still have to list your last place of employment (and answer questions about why you left), but that can be manipulated into the best possible light for you. The fact that it was a rudimentary temp. position works very well in your favor, as well as the fact several other people were released as well as you.

It sounds like your on the right track to finding something better, or at least taking steps to make money until you do. Worst thing you can do right now is nothing.

It also sounds like you have enough money to survive until you do find something else. Just keep the unnecessary expenses to a minimum and you'll be fine.

I don't know whether your company can fire you for downloading without a specific warning, but if I had to wager, I'd say yes. Unless you feel like they really over stepped the line in terms of privacy, it isn't worth pursuing from a legal standpoint.

urahonky

I had sorta the same situation as you Cptn Pants, and I filed for unemployment... But the job apparently refuted it somehow. Anyway, my suggestion is to go to your local Manpower place and get hired there while you're looking for another job. I did that, and actually got paid a HELL of a lot better than my last job, and we got paid weekly.

While there I found this job, told Manpower and they were cool with me leaving that day.

Fellhand

What Thin said. On one had, if their policy was unclear then they should have given you a warning, on the other, if you are commiting a crime with their resources you won't have a case.

Cptn Pants

Fellhand wrote: »

What Thin said. On one had, if their policy was unclear then they should have given you a warning, on the other, if you are commiting a crime with their resources you won't have a case.

I'm aware that was i did was wrong and otherwise just dumb. I'm not going to even try and attempt any legal action agaisnt them. I'm just trying to deal with my mistakes and move on. It's good to hear from someone who's had a sort of same situation urahonky, thanks.

Lesson of the day: If you're a dumbass get ready to deal with what comes your way.

Thanatos

Cptn Pants wrote: »

Fellhand wrote: »

What Thin said. On one had, if their policy was unclear then they should have given you a warning, on the other, if you are commiting a crime with their resources you won't have a case.

I'm aware that was i did was wrong and otherwise just dumb. I'm not going to even try and attempt any legal action agaisnt them. I'm just trying to deal with my mistakes and move on.

Lesson of the day: If you're a dumbass get ready to deal with what comes your way.

Man, from the sounds of it, you weren't the only one doing it, and you probably weren't the first one doing it, either. It's not smart, but we're talking about a low-level data-entry job, here, and it's pretty arbitrary for them to just decide "oh, hey, we're firing a bunch of people for this shit" instead of just saying "hey, knock it off."

PirateJon

it doesn't have to be a "crime" to be a termination offense. Watching TV on the clock? Yeah, shoulda seen that coming.


What to do = get another job and get back in the grind. Or sell everything and follow your dreams.

Sarcastro

In the Great White North, you only qualify for EI if you get laid off, if you get fired for good reason you're on your own. Stateside is different?

Thanatos

Sarcastro wrote: »

In the Great White North, you only qualify for EI if you get laid off, if you get fired for good reason you're on your own. Stateside is different?

I'm about 80% sure Canada is a "right to work" country, which means that it's much harder to fire someone there.

Most states in the U.S. are "at-will" employment states, which means your employer can fire you for almost any reason, but most at-will states have very liberal unemployment laws, in order to compensate for this. I happen to know that New York's unemployment laws are ridiculously liberal, so I would suspect that New Jersey's are, too.

Cptn Pants

Well like i said, i messed up my bad. I wasn't sure if i could get unemployment or not. It's nice to hear that it's there if i need it. Do i have to apply now or can I wait, I don't want to apply if one of my old bosses comes threw for me, which i should know in about a week or so. Would that be to late to apply?

urahonky

You can wait up to 30 days after termination (I think that's the limit), but there's no harm in doing it early and then calling them up if you land a job.

Thanatos

Apply now, tell them you've got a job later if you get one. Usually, getting it is a lot of time and paperwork, and stopping it is really, really easy, so better to get started now.

BRAINS!

One of the biggest resume "no no's" is long blank spaces between jobs. (unless you were a student). So it is good you are moving on and not taking a break. At least you were there for more than a year because many companies have a probationary period of one year. If you left after a year then it can be made less conspicuous.

Just make sure you are pursuing something (which is required for unemployment - if you choose to file). They will require you to show proof of applications being filled and filed. In GA it is a weekly meeting with an official. There is a quota of applications you are required to fill per month - here anyways.

Cptn Pants

Thats very interesting, I would really rather not go on employment if i can help it. It just kind of makes me feel like a loser. I know that these programs are set up for just think kind of thing but something about it just... ehhh. I donno.

urahonky

Cptn Pants wrote: »

Thats very interesting, I would really rather not go on employment if i can help it. It just kind of makes me feel like a loser. I know that these programs are set up for just think kind of thing but something about it just... ehhh. I donno.

I said the same thing at first... But if worst comes to worst, it'd be nice to be able to pay the bills.

Creepy

Just apply now, just in case.

Lots of places initially deny unemployment. The way I understand it is that it costs them (and the state obviously) money to pay you unemployment. You just reapply or file again for it and you'll probably get it.

Good luck finding a new job!

Creepy

Cptn Pants wrote: »

Thats very interesting, I would really rather not go on employment if i can help it. It just kind of makes me feel like a loser. I know that these programs are set up for just think kind of thing but something about it just... ehhh. I donno.

I thought the same thing the day I got laid off years ago. (Store closed, no notice other than, "Hey, isn't that the VP in the parking lot?")

If you been paying taxes then you've BEEN paying for it. Take advantage of it if you need to. It probably won't be enough to live on but it will help offset expenses while you look.

Now when you get that first check, if you start thinking "Ah, this is the life!"...well, then you might be on the bus to loserville.

Boutros

I'm sure it varies somewhat state by state but in my experience applying for and getting unemployment is very easy. They might reject you for having been fired but you might as well apply, your state almost certainly has a phone or internet application system that should only take a few minutes. But you will need to prove that you are actively looking for work. Unless you are on a union out of work list, then you can just sit on your ass and wait for the union to call. It will not be very much money though, certainly not enough to live on for any period of time, but it helps until you can find another job.

And you have been paying into the system the whole time you've been working. Now get a tiny bit of that money back.

Thanatos

Cptn Pants wrote: »

Thats very interesting, I would really rather not go on employment if i can help it. It just kind of makes me feel like a loser. I know that these programs are set up for just think kind of thing but something about it just... ehhh. I donno.

So, if you've got employer-provided health insurance, do you feel like a loser for going to the doctor when you're really sick? No? Then you shouldn't feel like a loser for getting unemployment. You worked for it, you paid for it, you should take advantage of it when you need it.