Has anyone been fired from a job because they follow the rules?

[Judge]

Thank you.

I followed protocol re the narcotics, and was part of why I got fired.

How does everyone else avoid the double binds?

If you work in what amounts to an overtly corrupt environment there's not much you can do other than go along just to get along. Where whistle-blowing just gets you fired. Especially these days in any medical environment where opiates may be exchanged a little too loosely.

Leaving you only with an option of filing a wrongful termination suit. But where it's likely your former employer and coworkers will simply close ranks in the event of having to defend themselves. Especially if they are hiding any manifestation of what may or may not be construed as a "criminal enterprise".

With such a lack of information it's really difficult to truly understand all the dynamics in play with such a scenario. It's just too bad though that whatever went down cost you your job.

 

[Crossbreed]

If I was in your position, I would consult an attorney while looking for my next job. (It is likely that such an attorney would only charge you if they win.)

 

[Kevin L.]

Thank you.

I'm very upset right now, and feel like a failure.

I have always had problems with my employers for following established policies...and it has been like this since I was a child.

When I was a paramedic many years ago, I ran into similar issues. A partner of mine was stealing patient perscription medications to feed his habit and turn it into a nice little side business...and I did the unthinkable, which was to approach my superiors in a discrete way.

I didn't want to, but I didn't want to get in the ambulance with him since he was a driver, and I feared for my life (not to mention my concerns for other people on the road and a concern for our patients).

I wasn't trying to get him in trouble, but rather trying to get him help, since addiction and alcoholism are considered to be occupational illnesses when they occur in a paramedic.

Even so, the company fired him and I ended up being a 'snitch' who couldn't be trusted.

Everybody did everything that they could to make my life impossible at work, and they refused to work with me.

Part of the reason why I lost my EMS career is because it was a "business descision", and they "did me a favor" by firing me so that I "wouldn't get hurt" on a 911 call if my coworkers refused to come for backup.

I was told that "life isn't always fair", and that this is "how the world works", and so on.

What do I have to do to keep a job?

Thank you all for your concern and for responding to my post.

 

[Kevin L.]

By the way, I have successfully sued my employers in the past on 3 occasions, but it's a hollow victory.

I would much rather have a job.

Suing seems to me (and I'm only speaking about myself...I'm not calling names or judging anyone) to be the last refuge of a loser.

Besides, since I work in the medical field, word gets around. I don't want a reputation as someone who sues out of spite and/or vindictiveness.

What can I do?

 

[Alaska]

I wish I could offer you some useful advice, but I chose not to go into nursing school after I was accepted, because of my observation of what went on while I was a CNA. Co-workers who stole drugs from patients were more common than those who did not. This included MDs and RNs. One RN even stole a pharmacy-sized bottle of seconal and ran off with an orderly.

A doctor prescribed the wrong medicine and successfully blamed it on a good and ethical nurse, ending her career. A new administrator ended up causing the death of many patients from a flu epidemic because he went on a cost-cutting spree. The cost-cutting consisted of making us reuse sterile gloves and eliminating other procedures to prevent disease spread.

The doctors who signed death certificates due to this episode were writing works of fiction for cause of death, like "heart failure, natural causes," etc.

Do I sound jaundiced by these nasty experiences with the medical professions or what? I really feel for you having to deal with this kind of stuff. I hope some of the others on this forum will have some helpful advice for you.

 

[Judge]

By the way, I have successfully sued my employers in the past on 3 occasions, but it's a hollow victory.

I would much rather have a job.

Suing seems to me (and I'm only speaking about myself...I'm not calling names or judging anyone) to be the last refuge of a loser.

Besides, since I work in the medical field, word gets around. I don't want a reputation as someone who sues out of spite and/or vindictiveness.

What can I do?

That's a lot to carry around in the type of work where indeed, "word gets around".

I suppose you could attempt working geographically in a very different and distant environment, but as to how much of your past would follow you on paper in a professional sense I can't say. On the other hand I just don't get the impression that you could adapt to turning a blind eye and CYA as opposed to doing the right thing each and every time.

Give any thought to investing in a new career in a different field?

You aren't a loser. However if you are surrounded by them in a corrupt work environment I can see how that might wear off on you on occasion.

 

[Kevin L.]

Thank for answering.

 

[Rich Gray]

I once worked at a place doing a thing . . . and the supervisor was allowing folks to clock in and then go golfing or shopping (on the weekends).

People were clocking in, and then leaving the building to shop or play golf . . . I mean wow, that's something!

I mentioned something to him as delicately as I could (I did not want to get anyone in trouble), and he tried to have me fired.

When I ask what the difference is, I'm "playing a game", and "if I tell you what the difference is, I'm catering to your deliberate stupidity, and I refuse to do this. You deserved to be beaten up, and you brought it on yourself..." and so on.

Not letting either of them pee is horrible. I would not blame the old man if he peed in the corner. In the future tell these people to ask your boss.

I think that you may need to talk someone and see the rest room policy, if there is one. Your store's policy got you punched! Ask them how this is a thing.

 

[GGPViper]

I wasn't fired for following the rules.

I was - however - marginalized by my boss at work and got passed up for promotion... for following the rules.

This contributed to a downward spiral at work, and I quit my job some time later on due to stress. I've come to suspect this was the intended outcome all along from my boss' perspective... a way to get rid of someone with much less paperwork, after all... but I have no solid proof...

Anyway... I was younger and more naive back then. I was far too likely to trust my boss, and not very good at looking out for myself in the workplace.

 

[dragonwolf]

Got canned today.

I got fired for following policy.

I've found narcotics lying on the floor in patient areas, and turned them over to my supervisor. Because of this, no one wanted to work with me because I'm a "snitch", and because everyone didn't want to work with me, I get fired for "not being a team player".

The human resources director didn't want to hear my side of it.

"It isn't a democracy," he said.

I don't know how to navigate my way around social pitfalls/double binds.

I can't leave narcotics lying on the floor in the hospital where I work because it's dangerous to patients, I shouldn't carry them on me and ask all my fellow employees who dropped them because I'm not authorized to have custody of them, and I can't turn them over to my supervisor because it makes me a snitch.

When I run this problem by my managers, the only answer I get is "....nobody else has this problem. You want to have the problem...."

I have a degree and credentials.

How do I keep a job?

I'm pretty sure that constitutes retaliation, which is illegal. (Now, whether you can get a lawyer to take the case is a different story.)

In this case, I'd file an anonymous tip with the DEA if you suspect there's more going on.

And no, these problems are not something wrong with you. The only thing you're guilty of is having ethics in an environment that clearly doesn't.

What I recommend going forward is to start keeping track of these red flag behaviors in potential employers. Now that you have several outcomes, think back to before your actual firings and see if you can identify behaviors and talk that can be linked to their lack of ethics. See if you can find some patterns, and if you remember them, see if you can identify those things from the hiring process.

With that, you can start building a repository of mental flags to look for in the interview process that indicate a bad place to work. You can also find questions that you can ask to gauge responses.

Additionally, write down what you want to see in a good company. Look for evidence of such things in the interview process (don't be afraid to ask for a tour) and used that to guide your acceptance of a job.

I know it's a scary thought when you just want a job, but it's well worth it. You're in a high demand industry, which means you have the upper hand, in reality. Keep your standards high and you'll find the better jobs in the long run. In the meantime, take note of what is good and bad about the environment and learn what you can to apply to subsequent jobs.

Also, own being a whistleblower. Spin it as an example of your ethics and adherence to the law and the right way to do things. Don't be afraid to be up front about why you got fired on that one. The sane and ethical ones will see how messed up that situation was.

Being fired from a corrupt company or by a corrupt boss isn't as likely to reflect on you as you may think. If you explain the situation when it comes up, you'll likely find that people will, in general, side with you and agree that it's highly unethical if not downright illegal.

 

[Kevin L.]

Thank you.

I have a meeting with the local ARC rep in about 3 weeks.

My problem has always been keeping a job...not so much getting one.

If I could figure out the difference between a baby in a carriage and an elderly, demented lady who's passed out in a wheelchair (see earlier post) when it comes to sleeping in the library...I'd be home free.

 

[Crossbreed]

When I get out of work, her husband is waiting and punches me in the face because I hurt his pregnant wife...and I hit back.

Your scenario is MAKING THE NEWS.

 

[Mad Reader]

What is the difference between an elderly customer who has to pee because of his diabetes, and a woman customer who has to pee because of her pregnancy?

I swear that I'm not being passive-aggressive.

In my eyes their isn't any difference either. CUSTOMERS are not allowed to use the restroom!

 

[Mad Reader]

What is the difference between an elderly customer who has to pee because of his diabetes, and a woman customer who has to pee because of her pregnancy?

I swear that I'm not being passive-aggressive.

In my eyes their isn't any difference either. CUSTOMERS are not allowed to use the restroom!

 

[dragoncat16]

I agree that you were screwed either way. It sounds like your manager was just waiting to have an excuse to get rid of you.

Having recently been burned in a work situation involving, among other things, some "unwritten rules", I think the problem is that "normal" people impose a different set of rules on other people than they do on themselves, and those rules change according to the situation. They are just not capable of seeing how illogical they really are as they go through their lives. Exactly what damage was done when you let an old guy use the bathroom, anyway? If you were letting everyone use the bathroom and it needed to be cleaned more frequently as a result, that would be a different thing, but what's wrong with being kind and sympathetic to someone in need now and then?

Your manager should have taken responsibility for the very specific instructions he/she gave you. You were following those instructions and got into trouble as a result. From your manager's perspective, it was all your fault and there is not even the remotest possibility that he/she would consider analysing the situation from a different angle and maybe realizing he/she gave you instructions which were opposite to expectations (those that were made up AFTER the trouble). Completely illogical.

If I were you I would ask the police to look at any video footage available from the store or any surrounding areas. If the husband was waiting for you right outside the store, maybe the footage from cameras inside the store would show just who threw the first punch. In a drug store you can bet they have hidden cameras going 24/7. I see that you started this thread in April so it might be too late now or it might already be resolved, but maybe it's still possible to get some justice. Good luck.

 

[Kevin L.]

How did it go @Kevin L. ?!
Please be good news...please be good news...please be good news!!!
Oops, thinking out loud again!

I just got a job through ARC and vocational rehab that seems very promising. Pay is very good, it's in my field, and benefits are good.

I start Monday. I'll let all of you know how it works out. Thank you for the validation and emotional support.

 

[Otenba]

The fact members of the public are not allowed to use the toilet suggests to me that it is a staff only one that was offered, which would be a no-no situation. Employers get funny about helping public usually because of insurance reasons.

I do feel bad for you though, especially with a member of the public assaulting you over a toilet break. I also find it really weird that you're like a toilet gate keeper for this employer.

 

[Tom]

There just about always seem to be 'unwritten rules' as well as written ones at any job. There are some that are very common from job to job (like don't be a snitch) and others specific to the job. Its the nature of the beast.

 

[Kevin L.]

The fact members of the public are not allowed to use the toilet suggests to me that it is a staff only one that was offered, which would be a no-no situation. Employers get funny about helping public usually because of insurance reasons.

I do feel bad for you though, especially with a member of the public assaulting you over a toilet break. I also find it really weird that you're like a toilet gate keeper for this employer.

Not neccesarily a gate keeper...but I was often asked because I interract with customers on a sales floor.

I just have a problem when an employer says "no exceptions", and I get fired because I don't make exceptions.

I'm not neccesarily blaming my employers, because I've had this happen at several jobs. I've run into similar issues when I was a paramedic, and even when I was a small child.

My mother liked to occasionally grab me by both my shoulders and yell in my face (quite horrible given my sensory issues).

She told me that I'm never, ever, ever to talk to strangers.

Also, my parents told me that just because someone else does something that's wrong (like shoplifting, or drugs)...it doesn't mean that I should do something that's wrong.

So, we have a substitute teacher in school, and I get sent to the principal's office because I refuse to talk to her or acknowledge her existence because she's a stranger. My parents punished me because I was "trying to be funny".

"You could see all the other kids talking to her!" screamed my mother.
My answer was that just because they did something wrong, it doesn't mean that I should do something that's wrong.

This happens to me to this day, but in an adult context with my job.

So, I would be home free if I could see the difference between an elderly customer who needs to pee from his diabetes, and a customer who needs to pee because she's pregnant.

 

[Otenba]

I hear ya on all your points.

I don't see why I should go against rules just because others do too. I know that attitude alone really bothers others though, especially if they have a tendency to be mischievous to others on purpose. They see us as a threat or a personal insult because we behave better than they do and they don't like the thought of that.

I'm impressed that you're okay working in a sale environment. That would super stress me out. I hope the new work is a lot better experience for you, with better support, now you're out if that clearly awful sales role.