What did they say when you asked them to expand upon those performance issues? You did ask, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is funny I'm sure OP is working in at "at will" state. All you screaming "get a lawyer" are wasting everyones time.

No, the lawyer will ensure she gets some cash. It's not about getting her job back, it's about easing the burden while she looks for a new one. It'll still be cheaper for the firm to pay her for 3 months than to fight it.

OP, don't sign anything!

This poster is posting from some other dimension where this is a thing. It’s not a thing in this dimension.

You are probably not entitled to much more severance than you've been given even if you were laid off.

Just file for unemployment and move on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure OP can collect unemployment.

And I don’t know where these wrongful termination people live. I can get fired because it’s Tuesday.

Yeah, but you don't have to make it easy on the company. Just having a lawyer in the mix makes it more likely you'll get severance, or at least ensure they won't contest your UI claim.

No, the company won’t care. There would be zero basis for a claim. It’s unlikely a lawyer would take the case unless OP can come up with something else like harassment. This is foolish.

And it’s unlikely a company is going to contest unemployment.

It’s a bummer but OP will have to move forward.

Anonymous wrote:If there are zero documented performance issues (and I do mean zero - both nothing communicated to you directly and nothing that could be interpreted as a failure to meet any baseline standards for your role), you probably have a case for wrongful termination. You'd have to get an attorney, but they may at least agree to settle for additional severance.

Not sure where you're located, but the reason they fired you for cause versus laying you off is likely because they don't want to be on the hook for any unemployment.

In Virginia, all employment is at will, unless a signed contract says otherwise. I do not know about any other states.

Collect unemployment look for a job. Make them pay.

This is OP. I appreciate all of these perspectives. For various reasons: no way in hell am I hiring an attorney. My DH’s salary can carry us so no urgency in getting anything new. I already teach yoga on the side so will probably lean into that. Maybe I’ll open a corner store or try my hand at standup comedy: overall I *hated* corporate life and dreamt of leaving anyway.

Life comes at you fast!

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry. They sound terrible. If they sad you're being fired for performance but there's no documentation and you're almost 40, it reeks of age discrimination

Are you the person who always posts about age discrimination against basically everyone over 30?

I got fired because our tiny thinktank lost its State Department grant and big donors are pulling back their funds, or redirecting them. It was so sudden, and I was fired by phone. (NOt that that really matters, but it seemed like an in-person meeting would have been more respectful). I loved the place and the people and honestly thought I could work there to retirement and beyond.
They were nice about it--I got a month's severance which I think was all they could afford. I don't want to burn my bridges because I'll need them as a reference. A lawyer burns bridges...I'm so sorry, OP. I have been in your place, and am with you now. We are in good company. File ASAP for unemployment and try to figure out how to survive the next few months.

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure OP can collect unemployment.

And I don’t know where these wrongful termination people live. I can get fired because it’s Tuesday.

Yeah, but you don't have to make it easy on the company. Just having a lawyer in the mix makes it more likely you'll get severance, or at least ensure they won't contest your UI claim.

I’m sure OP can collect unemployment.

And I don’t know where these wrongful termination people live. I can get fired because it’s Tuesday.

Anonymous wrote:If there are zero documented performance issues (and I do mean zero - both nothing communicated to you directly and nothing that could be interpreted as a failure to meet any baseline standards for your role), you probably have a case for wrongful termination. You'd have to get an attorney, but they may at least agree to settle for additional severance.

Not sure where you're located, but the reason they fired you for cause versus laying you off is likely because they don't want to be on the hook for any unemployment.

That’s not how unemployment works…I’m not even sure you can avoid unemployment if you fire an employee for committing a crime unless you file actual charges.

Anonymous wrote:This thread is funny I'm sure OP is working in at "at will" state. All you screaming "get a lawyer" are wasting everyones time.

No, the lawyer will ensure she gets some cash. It's not about getting her job back, it's about easing the burden while she looks for a new one. It'll still be cheaper for the firm to pay her for 3 months than to fight it.

OP, don't sign anything!

Who is the hateful commenter that keeps posting malicious comments? Regardless of the truth, why the hell would you kick a person when they are down, you clown?

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry. They sound terrible. If they sad you're being fired for performance but there's no documentation and you're almost 40, it reeks of age discrimination

Um, firing someone in their 30s in no way “reeks of age discrimination.” If he was 50 or something it would be different.