I Lost 3 Jobs - Need Legal Help!!!

This is no joke and I can't believe that I'm not in the Twilight Zone, but here goes...

On 5/19/05 an employer accepted me for a job in my field. This was through a temp agency and they required a drug test first. I was told they'd contact me the same day after the test but they didn't. I called them and was told the guy handling my case had quit the agency. They finally got back to me on 5/24 (the day I should have started the new job) and verified a clear drug test and could I start the next day?

In the mean time I was offered a local, better paying job, so I said I'd call them back in the afternoon. I also had a third job offer that would have included my unemployed son too but it was a tempory, shitty job.

I contacted the local manufacturer and was assured the job was long-term and as permanent as I cared to make it, so I accepted that job after confering with some of you here, and my family. We all felt the local job made the most sense.

I contacted the other two employers and thanked them and told them I took a different job.

My job at the local factory lasted only six hours! It's a good thing I was sitting down when they told me they just lost a $ 3 million contract and my job was no more.

The other two employers filled the jobs and the temp agency won't deal with me because I refused their offer - even though I would have been working for them the day I got the other offers, if they didn't drop the ball because their agent quit without getting back to me.

I've yet to tell my wife the whole truth so her weekend wouldn't be ruined. When I came home, early, from work on Thursday, I truthfully told her my machine was down until Tuesday - I didn't tell her they let me go. The reason they lost the contract was due to too many bad parts from that machine I was going to be trained to opperate - this, apparently was an ongoing problem they failed to mention.

I've been, mostly, out of work since my former employer laid three of us off the Friday before last Labor Day - with no holiday pay for us.

Seems like business has a blank check to poop on their loyal employees. My wife lost her job of eight years, last June when it went to Mexico. Four years ago I lost my maintenance supervisors job when that plant went to Mexico.

I know others have it worse than me and I'm grateful for what I still have but pretty soon we're going to lose our house. If anybody could point me to some help I'd appreciate it. My head is spinning and I have to break the bad news on Tuesday.

Thanks all.

Jay /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

talk about bad luck.
I have nothing to offer except that I feel sorry for the mess you are obviously in Jay ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Keeping fingers crossed for you!
bernhard

I was the first one to view your post. I didn't have an idea what to say at that point.

I still don't! If it helps at all, at this point it HAS to get better!

You are added to our prayers Jay!

yikes, i know nothing about business/employment law, but i hope you find something soon. it has to be scary and terribly frustrating to have that happen.

i, and the rest of your family here at CPF will try to send some good karma your way!

take care,
Bob

Jay, I remember your post from last week, I am truly sorry, in our prayers as well.

Joe

When it rains it pours, there has to be more than one temp service in your area. Sign up with as many as you can find in the phone book. I was in a similar situation but with out a family to feed and house. I had a 9 month job with a temp service as a supervisor for the temp agency at a P&G repackaging facility, and got significantly more pay than the temps I was supervising. If your an honorably discharged veteran the VA can help also.

About the only thing I know of is that there was a fund for folks that lost their jobs when NAFTA was passed... If you could prove a job loss, there was training (or such) funds available to help... Don't know if that is still in effect or not.

Regarding employment--many states (like California) are "employment at will" states. Basically, you can work or not, your boss can hire you or let you go, no reasons required. And many companies make you sign an "at-will" form stating that you or the employer can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason.

There are various age discrimination laws--but I don't think that they will apply to you in this case (would be very difficult to prove).

The only party that you may be able to take action against is the employer that you did work one day for--Basically, if you took the job based on their assurance that it was stable and long term (no employer in their right mind should guarantee employment--either in writing or verbally) and you can prove that you had one or more offers that you turned down to take their offer--you may be able to collect (20 years ago, a person where I worked gave notice to quit and take another job--the company convinced her to come back with all sorts of promises--then laid her off several months later)...However, it would be difficult (and expensive) to prove that you had "a right" to that job (especially if yours was an "at will" or temporary employment.

I am not a lawyer, but I would not hold out much hope for a judgment in your favor--plus, if they are the only big employer in your area (or there are few others), you would kill any chance you would have to get hired later--and many times, the HR employees exchange information among each other and you could get a black ball against you with other local employers...

What ever you decide, my best wishes to you and your family.

Sincerely,
-Bill

Jayflash,
I wish I had some advice for you but I just keep coming up blank. All I can offer at this time is that you are in my families prayers. Very sorry you are going through such a tough time. If I had the money I would make sure you did not lose your home you can bet on that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

I'd tell the wife the truth right away. I think you'll find being jobless is gonna be nothing compared to how pissed she's gonna be when she finds out you're lying to her about the job.

Honestly is the best policy to your wife if you want to stay married Otherwise contact me if you decide to divorce.



Just kidding!
-drchow,ph.d., esq.

Don't you know that all those jobs going to Mexico keeps costs down and "helps" the economy? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

With jobs going to India, Mexico and everywhere else, I wonder what all the benifits of low cost manufacturing and support will be when there are not enough jobs left to support the population. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

The gap is getting bigger and it hurts everyone.

I'm very sorry to hear about your job losses. Don't give up!

It is a factual trend that many jobs are moving from developed to developing countries. USA to Mexico is one example, Hong Kong to mainland China is another. This is particularly true for low paid, low skilled jobs and labour intensive jobs. To tell you the truth jayflash, I think you seriously need to consider some retraining for yourself either to upgrade your current qualifications, or maybe even move into another field of work completely.

Thank you, everybody, for your thoughts. I floated this in hopes there might be a lawyer or two on the CPF that may have been able to tell me where to start my inquiry on this matter. It seems that the Bar Association isn't well represented here - except for those well versed in mixology.

I'm "leaving" for work tomorrow and will break the news when I come home, early, from "work". I'm going to try to have the VP of Operations call and explain this situation to my wife as he's the one who hired me.

I'll keep telling myself it was for the best and, who knows, maybe an even better job will avail itself.

It's nice to have this CPF shoulder to cry on and to share life's joys too. I appreciate the support we give each other. Cheerio!

[ QUOTE ]
My wife lost her job of eight years, last June when it went to Mexico.

[/ QUOTE ]

This has been going on for a long time. I heard an NPR report a couple of months ago that I thought was hilarious but I don't think they meant it to be funny. It was about a television factory (I forget the actual company name) the fellow they were following had worked there for the last 8 or 10 years since the plant moved to Mexico from America and was now loosing his job as the company moved the plant again, this time somewhere in asia...

So he GOT his job because the company was bargain hunting and then was confused as to why he was loosing it again when the company continued to bargain hunt...

You'd of thought that NPW would have picked up on the irony... but they did not.

Jay, I'm sorry, this has nothing at all to do with your issue. Sounds like you're entitled to some unemployment seeing as how you're looking for work and were let go from the last job due to no fault of your own. Thats what that stuff is there for, to help you get through to a new job.

THe only other thing I can suggest is that if you had 3 job offers at one time, then there will be another one before too long. Hang in there.

sorry for youre bad luck jay.things will inprove hang in there

I'm sorry about your rotten chain of events. I wish I had some good advice...

Not sure if you all noticed or not, but not just the manufacturing jobs are going overseas.

Software engineers are just starting to see the tip of the iceberg, and it hit the electrical engineers, a couple of years ago.

One other point to keep in mind, unfortunately, is that from the description you gave you were an independent contractor, not a regular employee. Even in a right to work state (or at-will as mentioned before) most employers will not terminate without cause if for no other reason than the possible lawsuits that could follow. In the case of a contractor you basically have no rights. Unfortunately none of the employers owe anything other than a possible "We're sorry..."

Sorry to "Pile on" but I will pile on the good thoughts as well.

-F

Hey Jay, we're pullin' for you here, in our thoughts and wishes.
Good luck,
daloosh

Jay, I am a lawyer. Patent/Technology to be exact.

Not familiar with your state law regarding employment, I know California's though. Checkout your state's unemployment insurance board.