FIRED! The only one of two people?
Asked by smartaudrey
I was let go..."FIRED" from my job of 25 months on 9/22. The reason for my discharge was: "Employee downloaded & installed unauthorized software and/or programs to company systems." The small business I worked for only had a very informal computer policy and allowed everyone to check email, download music, social networking, stock trading, you name it, these people are/were doing it. I showed up last Monday and was presented with a written "Computer & Vehicle Policy" that I had to sign that said I wouldn't download any malicious software, spam up email boxes, the usual stuff. I gladly signed it, took a copy and gave it to the office manager. I was told that my computer "may look different" and "if you have trouble with any of your programs or can find things and need help just ask because we installed special filters on all of the computers this past weekend." I was like, okay, no problem. The purchasing person and the office manager had both viruses on their computers for the past week so I figured they were debugging them. I had no idea that they had deleted all of my music, all of my pictures, all of the contents of my documents folder, all of the programs that were permitted before...just gone. I was quite surprised when I turned on my computer and found all of that to be gone...oh, they also installed a key logger on my computer so they could monitor everything I do...the one person who doesn't use myspace or scottrade or whatever any of those other sites are that douche bag slackers use to waste time at work. From August of 2006 when I started at the company I was using Microsoft (safety guaranteed) Messenger to communicate only with the people in my office, and so was everyone else. This is not the first time that the program has been deleted by the computer tech after a sweep so i went to my documents file found the install and reinstalled the file. I texted my coworker (call her sally, purchasing person) and told her that I put the install file in her folder on the network and in seconds she and I were connected again. We had a brief, yet very harsh disrespectful (toward the boss) something about d*ck sucking (so embarrassed, but I was mad and thats so not like me! All my stuff was deleted!) Oh and I did say, well, I better get this payroll done before I get the axe...guess I was right. I got the axe, fired. That day and was presented with the computer log and the conversation that we had. I WAS THE ONLY ONE FIRED! The next day (sally is also my out of work friend, which makes this uber lame) she tells me that she gets written up only because the office manager we will call her The Ice Queen said their attorney advised them to do so. I am now being told that they are trying to say that the virus outbreak came from my computer when mine was never sick. Oh the previous Friday The Ice Queen (office manager) presented me with a write up for being 15 minutes late after working until 8pm the night before on special reports for the Vice President. I refused to sign it. Now, dont you think something smells fishy? Im in Florida, is it even legal to only fire one person? I know they are going to fight the unemployment, Im going to fight back? Please advise. Thank you to anyone who reads this! Much Love!

Best Answer:
yes it is legal to fire just one................. you have admitted to blatantly violating the new policy and encouraging a coworker to do the same. would you feel better if they fired your friend because of your mistake? being written up for tardiness is a separate issue and again well within the employers rights and was appropriate. you can and should file for unemployment insurance and the employer should fight it. from what you have stated here you won't qualify due to the fact that the job loss was for cause. brush up the resume' and move on, learn from the experience and become a better employee because of it. make sure you turn this experience into a positive and be able to show how it has made you a better prospect. take ownership for the mistake and show the maturity to use it as a tool.

You have absolutely nothing. It is amazing that any company allowed employees to download all that personal stuff in the first place. Obviously, the had serious virus problems and instituted a new, very strict policy -- even had you sign a copy. Then you promptly totally ignored the new policy and not only reinstalled an instant messenger program (one of the worse offenders for virus and hackers), but you emailed this install program to another employee. Update your resume and find another job. It's pretty standard in most companies that you absolutely cannot install ANY software or personal crap on company computers.
Answered by bdancer222

They did nothing illegal by firing you - and if they fight unemployment, you are probably going to lose since you were fired for cause. They could fire you with NO reason, but then you could get unemployment.
Answered by Judy

it would take my company about 5 seconds to find out I had downloaded something personal etc, even less if i had been in a social group web site. I would be asked to leave on the spot. We have a message come on our computers every month to click to accept the companies data policy. You have been lucky to get away with it this long.
Answered by gill c