Yes, you can be fired for this. It's not a protected activity. A coworker once threw me under the bus for reporting illegal/unethical behavior by our boss. I'd gone to HR who told me to go to the coworker, who was the temporary acting head at that time (although our boss was still our boss). She then called our boss and told him what I'd said.

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure of the legalities. Maybe it depends on your State or maybe it does not.

Try researching some things online or look into some resources at your public local library. They should have some reference-type books for employment laws, etc.

I think you can be fired for any reason, however I am not sure if you can be fired for retaliation which if you are fired from this job, this could be a reason for it and you may be able to sue.

Again, do some research and find out.

Unless this is a really great job, is it going to be worth it? Do you really want to stay in a work environment where both your boss and this former friend work with you? It may be awkward.....

If boss fires OP because OP said/did something dumb and insulting, how is that fired for retaliation? Do you mean in retaliation? If so, that only applies when the person is fired for speaking up against discrimination based on a protected class.

Sorry, OP, people get fired for poor judgment all the time.

What exactly did you say?

Anonymous wrote:Put nothing in writing that you wouldn't mind being read in public!

Yes, just like everyone does on this site.

Anonymous wrote:My asshole coworker and now former friend showed my boss a text where I was making fun of my boss and now my boss wants to
Fire me.

Is this even legal?

You're an idiot. Accept some personal responsibility for your stupid actions and accept the consequences without shifting the blame onto your friend. That's not "throwing you under the bus."

Put nothing in writing that you wouldn't mind being read in public!

I am not sure of the legalities. Maybe it depends on your State or maybe it does not.

Try researching some things online or look into some resources at your public local library. They should have some reference-type books for employment laws, etc.

I think you can be fired for any reason, however I am not sure if you can be fired for retaliation which if you are fired from this job, this could be a reason for it and you may be able to sue.

Again, do some research and find out.

Unless this is a really great job, is it going to be worth it? Do you really want to stay in a work environment where both your boss and this former friend work with you? It may be awkward.....

Yes it's legal as I'm assuming you're an employee at will (i.e. when you started you didn't sign any kind of contract setting out that you'd be employed from x date until y date).

How old are you?? For future reference, you never make fun of any boss -- direct or indirect -- in writing with anyone at work, no matter how good of a friend they are at the time. Work friendships can turn on a dime. And writings never go away. Even if a work friend texts you and says "that asshole Jack is making me work all weekend; he's such a jerk and has no life" -- the correct response in writing is "I'm sorry you're stuck working." Then when you talk to friend -- feel free to commiserate about the jerk boss, but your friend will have nothing in writing from you -- at most he/she can say "well so and so SAID you were a jerk."

You realize that even if someone doesn't turn on you and show the boss a negative text, emails/texts fall into the wrong hands all the time, right? Some people don't lock their phone and leave it lying around -- happens all the time in my workplace, that someone picks it up thinking it's theirs and sees your top email/text -- you don't want it to say anything bad about ANYONE.

Of course it's legal.

You did something stupid and now you've learned: don't put anything negative about anyone in writing or text or on social media. Don't say anything about anyone that you wouldn't say to their face.

Blame yourself for being stupid.

I think stupid is always grounds for termination.

That sucks OP, I'm sorry. I dont know whether it's legal but you could and maybe should consult a lawyer.

Are you actually old enough to work?

Are you an at will employee? If so, then yes.

My asshole coworker and now former friend showed my boss a text where I was making fun of my boss and now my boss wants to
Fire me.

Is this even legal?