Fired by email...

Stormtrack submitted 605 days ago

I�ve read the experiences of the other fired employees and I now submit my story for consideration�

In April of 2005, after taking almost two years off from my accounting career, I applied for an accounting position with a small Community Services District. After three intense interviews (almost seven hours total), I was employed as an accounting clerk (I know seven hours of interviews should have been for CFO). Immediately upon my employment, I could see that there were problems with the District�s system (purchase orders completed AFTER the purchase was made, phone calls to board members to get checks signed, leaving checks in an unlocked District truck for a board member to pick up and sign, etc., etc.). Being a probationary employee, I did not have the freedom to raise a big stink about the problems I was encountering with the District�s accounting policies. I did mention the problems on a couple of occasions but, since I was the probationary guy, my recommendations were treated with little regard. The District had been doing business in this manner before I arrived and there was no need to change those practices because I saw a problem with them (small town politics).

In July I went through an illness that would keep me out of the office for a week. I called the office and kept them posted each day on my progress. It was on that Wednesday I discovered that my answering machine was not recording complete messages so I requested that, if the District needed something from me, they send me that request through email. Apparently that started the ball rolling towards my dismissal. The General Manager replied by directing me to provide the password to the accounting system by email and to NOT come to the office. The following Monday morning, I sent an early email to verify that I would be allowed to return to work. The answer I received later that morning from the District was one I could not believe. The General Manager replied that he came to my house on Monday to deliver my termination letter and my final paycheck. I was not at home because I had went out to seek further treatment for my condition (I had informed the District of this fact too). Now here is, at least to me ( :eek: ), the most surprising part of this story. Attached to the District's email was an official letter stating that the District was sorry to hear about my illness and the fact that the GM had come to my home to deliver my termination letter and final check at the time I was out seeking treatment. A second attachment to the same email notified me that I had not satisfactorily completed my probationary period and that my employment with the District was terminated immediately.

I have never heard of anyone being fired by email (unencrypted too). I submit my experience in order to find out if this has happened to anyone else.