# I was terminated. Was it unfair? Should I pursue the issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848 "2009-03-09T17:28:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/41 "2009-03-10T17:50:44Z")
> [@Caricci](#): > > I am very interested in hearing back from the OP. I’m interesting in learning just how old the OP is – my guess is early 20’s, at most. Kids these days have such a self-absorbed sense of entitlement, it’s like they can’t even recognize their faults or take accountability for their selfish actions. And now my joints are creaking for having used the phrase “kids these days” in a sentence. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/42 "2009-03-10T17:58:51Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > I’m interesting in learning just how old the OP is – my guess is early 20’s, at most. Kids these days have such a self-absorbed sense of entitlement, it’s like they can’t even recognize their faults or take accountability for their selfish actions. > > And now my joints are creaking for having used the phrase “kids these days” in a sentence. :smack: He’s worked in a bar. . . for 10 years. . . ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/43 "2009-03-10T18:07:58Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > I’m interesting in learning just how old the OP is – my guess is early 20’s, at most. Well, he says he was employed there for 10½ years, so unless he started as a 12-year-old shoeshine boy or something, I’m gonna guess late 20s at the youngest. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/44 "2009-03-10T18:09:54Z")
He’s posted the same post on the Domebo and Giraffe boards, too. And he’s not getting any validation from anyone. StG ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/45 "2009-03-10T18:48:27Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > He’s posted the same post on the Domebo and Giraffe boards, too. > > StG For real? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/46 "2009-03-10T19:05:57Z")
He did come back on GB and concede that reading all the responses had convinced him he’d “fucked up,” but I don’t think he’s posted on any of the boards since last night. Getting fired from a job you’ve had for ten years is a tough thing to go through even if you know it was your own fault. I think he’s at least accepted that he made his own bed now. If he has any sense, he’s looking for another job now, not posting on message boards. Hopefully he’ll get hired somewhere else (it shouldn’t be too tough to get another bartending job), and hopefully this time he won’t be so cavalier about his employer’s needs. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/47 "2009-03-10T20:52:04Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > \*\*You then managed to be too lazy to make your lie work. The final nail on the coffin. Your company might have been able to overlook your laziness and lies if in the end it worked out and they could plausibly give you the benefit of the doubt. But you were too lazy to even do that! You made it so that they couldn’t ignore what happened. And- not so surprisingly- the didn’t. > > Bummer. Good luck on the job search. That’s the killer. He lies to his boss about having the card, but he can get the new card the very next day and everything would be fine, he can show his boss the card and assuming his boss doesn’t check the time stamp on the card too closely, he can skate past. Except “something comes up” and he doesn’t actually go and get the card. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/48 "2009-03-10T21:53:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My point was that the OP suggested the unfairness of letting him go despite the expired license. I thought that it would similarly be unfair for the employer to be penalized for his negligence. And yes, the employer should have a system of ensuring that all employees have up-to-date licenses. (This could be something computerized, or just a paper calendar with each employee’s license expiry date noted.) Well, the system that they did have worked for them. The license was in the OP’s possession ever since he got it. If he can’t be bothered to take care of it, it’s ludicrous to think that anybody else could/should. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/49 "2009-03-11T02:52:16Z")
Everyone else has answered the main thrust of the OP; no, it wasn’t unfair, and no, you shouldn’t pursue the issue. Therefore, I’ll just add this: If you had ANY idea whatsoever what it was like to go through an investigation, let alone a potential lawsuit, regarding an unlawful termination, you wouldn’t even let the thought cross your mind. I was fired for a reason that fell in the ‘protected class’ category; after talking to a lot of people and agonizing over the decision, I finally decided to file a lawsuit. I had buttloads of evidence in my favor, witnesses, a top-notch lawyer (who thankfully worked based on whether we won or not, otherwise it would’ve been over before getting started), you name it- and it was not only the worst experience of my life, but if I knew then what I know now, I seriously would have let them get away with it. To read about someone thinking about filing a complaint or calling a lawyer over such a bullshit claim makes me physically ill. I hope you learn a very, very valuable lesson from this. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/50 "2009-03-11T03:03:19Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > If you had ANY idea whatsoever what it was like to go through an investigation, let alone a potential lawsuit, regarding an unlawful termination, you wouldn’t even let the thought cross your mind. I’ve always wondered about these (heretofore) hypothetical cases… now I’m _really_ curious. Would you mind sharing? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/51 "2009-03-11T05:06:08Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > I’ve always wondered about these (heretofore) hypothetical cases… now I’m _really_ curious. Would you mind sharing? Yes I would also be very interested to hear about your experience. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/52 "2009-03-11T14:52:25Z")
In this particular medium, no… can I email the two of you? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/53 "2009-03-11T20:19:14Z")
**bobkitty** , I think there’s a lot of interest. You might consider writing it up at some point at posting in anonymously somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848/54 "2009-03-11T20:23:37Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > In this particular medium, no.. can I email the two of you? Yes please do - if it’s not too much trouble! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-terminated-was-it-unfair-should-i-pursue-the-issue/488848.md?page=2)