The Original Poster (OP), known as u/disappoint-mint, posted about the incident on Reddit’s popular “Antiwork” forum where it received nearly 29,000 upvotes and 3,500 comments. The post can be found here.
Employee Rights
Individuals facing terminations in the United States have certain rights, in some cases including the right to financial compensation and to keep provided health care coverage, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Some individuals who meet the requirements are able to collect unemployment while actively searching for a new job.
Wrongful termination laws vary depending on the state. In Michigan, where the OP lives, employers have the right to terminate employees for any reason and terminated individuals can challenge the terms of termination.
Individuals who believe they were wrongfully terminated or did not receive the appropriate compensations can contact their state’s WOTC office to receive a consultation.
Without Notice
In the post titled “I was fired and am being told I need to repay $1,100,” the OP said the company he works for told him he could take lunch and breaks at the end of the day and leave early.
But recently, OP said he was fired without any notice for logging hours without working. Now, OP’s employer is asking him to pay back the money they paid him when he “wasn’t working.”
OP told Newsweek the company is a staffing agency for several large pharmaceutical companies located in the United States.
“They’re saying that instead of suing me/reporting me to the police they just want me to pay $1,117 dollars,” the post read. “I was not the only person fired under the exact same circumstances. She left at the same time as me everyday [sic] and is not being asked to repay anything.”
When the OP asked for the specific hours referenced, the company threatened to take “further legal action” if he asked for more information.
“I’m being asked to repay this amount by a former supervisor. When I ask for documentation he threatens to take it to legal and have them sue me/report me,” the post read.
The OP added that he has nothing in writing except for the $1,100 the company said they’re owed.
‘Ignored My Emails’
The OP also said that the company did not offer to pay any outstanding wages and that the termination was immediate.
“I received a call and was told not to come to work the next day,” he said. “I had some personal items there and they ignored my emails about retrieving them. I also asked for an official termination letter but they ignored that as well.”
He added that the company began calling and requesting payment about two weeks after firing him and that although he did receive his last check through a direct deposit, his remaining PTO was not paid out.
“I can’t afford to pay them right away and I can’t afford a lawyer. Any thoughts?” the post read.
But the OP said he isn’t sure about taking legal action and is not planning on getting his compensation.
“It’s not worth my time or mental health,” he said. “However, if they do try and sue me then I would consider counter suing for items left at the work site, the PTO, and possibly wrongful termination.”
Redditor Reactions
More than 3,500 users commented on the post, many offering the OP advice on how to deal with the situation.
“Tell them you can no longer speak to them since they are threatening you with legal action and you’ll have your lawyer respond when they file the suit,” one user commented.
“Then contact your Dept. of Labor and notify them of the situation,” another commenter replied. “An audit of the company hours and wages will most likely trigger a fine.”
“Most states have a Workforce Agency that will mediate this sort of situation for free, and if you end up actually being sued, you send them the lawsuit and often they will enter as a third party for free and essentially fight your case for you,” another user commented.
“Look, I’m not your lawyer, and not familiar with the laws of your state, but OP, this advice to contact your state’s employee rights agency is probably the best advice you are getting,” another user commented.
The user added that the issue is not whether the company has a claim against him, but rather he has a claim against the company.
“If you just want to get them off your back, and maybe see a little justice hit them in the process, reporting their illegal practices to the state is likely to get you there,” the user commented. “And if you were expressly fired for this reason, there is a decent chance you have a wrongful termination claim in addition to just meal period violations.”
Other Viral Posts
In another viral post in Reddit’s “Antiwork” forum, a woman’s boss was slammed for calling the police after she left work early. In another viral post, a new employee was backed for quitting after an 11-hour work day.
Another individual went viral after filming the moment they and a class of other trainees were told during the fourth day of training that they were being laid off.
