I work in California, and I was informed last week that my company is letting me go. My manager said they are changing how my position operates and they want someone with a different skill set. He said I would get ample time to find new work and would be allowed time off to schedule interviews, but he did not give me a set end date. The next day, he emailed me asking me to sign a resignation letter. I responded by saying I wasn't resigning, I was being terminated, and I was concerned this would affect my ability to collect unemployment. He said "there must be some confusion with HR," and said he would take care of it.
Since then, HR has taken over all communication about this situation, and they've been very shady. First, they refuse to do anything in writing. I've sent them several emails asking for details about my separation from the company, but all those emails have been met with phone calls in response. In one of those calls, I directly asked what my end date was. The HR rep said "We hope you will determine your end date. We've given you ample time to find other work, and when you do you can turn in a resignation." I responded that it might not be possible to find another job that quickly, so I needed to know my set end date. She again dodged and focused on how "accommodating" they were being by giving me time to find other work. She brought up a resignation letter again, to which I said, "I'm concerned that would prevent me from receiving unemployment." She said "Oh, we won't contest your unemployment. We just don't want you to have a black mark on your record due to a termination." I asked to get that in writing, and she said she couldn't do that, but "You have my assurances we will not prevent you from receiving unemployment."
The next time HR got in touch, they finally gave me a set end date (May 3) and again acted like they were being very accommodating because that will allow me to receive my company health insurance for the entire month of May. However, this time they also said I was being fired "for cause" because I had been caught applying for other work on company time, a direct violation of company rules. When I said that's not the reason my manager told me I was being let go, she said "Well it's here in your file."
This whole thing seems like a concerted effort on the company's part to intimidate me into signing a resignation letter instead of accepting a termination, thus freeing them from paying unemployment. I will need unemployment to support myself after I'm let go, so that's not something I can afford to do. However, I'm now concerned that a "termination for cause" on my record will adversely affect my chances to gain employment elsewhere. And this HR department has shown they're not above thinly veiled intimidation, so I have no doubt they'll try to tank my future opportunities if given the chance. This company seems to be conducting themselves in a highly unethical manner, and they have turned what should have been a relatively straightforward separation into a very stressful situation. I'm in a bit of an emotional place and there's a lot running through my head here, so I could use some advice about how to handle this situation. Thank you (and I apologize for the long post).
Written By: butterbeancd
Source: https://ift.tt/2UamL9y
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