Terminated for Interviewing at JetBlue

[Uppercrust]

Maybe they questioned your sanity??

 

[pilotyip]

Good advice here, get some input from Cage Consulting on the proper path. I would not go the lawyer route. It could bring heartburn to your next employer. Stay away from any bad mouthing of the employer who fired you. That also gives a bad taste. Just make a factual statement. You were let go because you interviewed at another company. That alone says volumes about the low life of the company that fired you without getting into name-calling.

 

[Ben Dover]

Dude,
Just because it's an "at will" state doesn't mean they can fire you for no reason.

Read the excerpt below:
...an at-will statement does not really give employers free reign to terminate employees for no reason. There are two reasons for this. First, although every state except Montana recognizes the at-will employment relationship either by court decision or by statute, most also restrict it in some way. Courts in a majority of states have limited its application by allowing the at-will relationship to be restricted under several legal theories. For example, employees have claimed that their employer’s policies were contracts which the employer breached, that their termination violated some public policy, that their termination violated a “whistleblower” statute or statutory anti-retaliation provision; or that the employer’s action constituted a wrongful act (or, in legal jargon, a “tort”). The result is a patchwork of case law that varies from state to state, making it difficult for employers to know when, or if, they can rely on the at-will nature of the relationship.
The second reason for caution is that many employees are specially protected under federal or state discrimination laws, which must be complied with regardless of at-will status. Therefore, if you terminate a protected employee for “no reason” or without following your normal disciplinary process, you are raising a red flag that the termination was for improper or even discriminatory reasons. Thus, you may be provoking a challenge to the termination which otherwise might not have occurred.

 

[onthestreet]

Good advice here, get some input from Cage Consulting on the proper path. I would not go the lawyer route. It could bring heartburn to your next employer. Stay away from any bad mouthing of the employer who fired you. That also gives a bad taste. Just make a factual statement. You were let go because you interviewed at another company. That alone says volumes about the low life of the company that fired you without getting into name-calling.

Ditto

Aviation is a very, VERY, small world. Never let anyone see you be negative. If necessary, go out back and beat your dog, stomp on bugs, throw darts at the ex-bosses picture, do anything to "let it out", do NOT publically acknowledge negative feelings.

Been there, done that, it don't work!

OTS

 

[737 Pylt]

Be careful about "outing" the company. In the process you may inadvertently justify your termination.

Getting even isn't always the best solution. Good luck.

Wow, I can't believe I'm saying this. Surplus is right. Also, don't "bad mouth" your present/past employer, it will make you look bad and make your future employer wonder what they are getting into by hiring you!
737

 

[JP4user]

Maybe they questioned your sanity??

Here we go.

 

[Charlie Brown]

Man, good luck to you. I would let JetBlue know for the reasons stated above. Also in the meantime, you can always get some Federal money and get a 737 type in case B6 doesn't work out. It would also keep your head occupied rather than worry about losing your job. I wish you the best.

 

[Dangerkitty]

Dude,
Just because it's an "at will" state doesn't mean they can fire you for no reason.

Read the excerpt below:
...an at-will statement does not really give employers free reign to terminate employees for no reason. There are two reasons for this. First, although every state except Montana recognizes the at-will employment relationship either by court decision or by statute, most also restrict it in some way. Courts in a majority of states have limited its application by allowing the at-will relationship to be restricted under several legal theories. For example, employees have claimed that their employer’s policies were contracts which the employer breached, that their termination violated some public policy, that their termination violated a “whistleblower” statute or statutory anti-retaliation provision; or that the employer’s action constituted a wrongful act (or, in legal jargon, a “tort”). The result is a patchwork of case law that varies from state to state, making it difficult for employers to know when, or if, they can rely on the at-will nature of the relationship.
The second reason for caution is that many employees are specially protected under federal or state discrimination laws, which must be complied with regardless of at-will status. Therefore, if you terminate a protected employee for “no reason” or without following your normal disciplinary process, you are raising a red flag that the termination was for improper or even discriminatory reasons. Thus, you may be provoking a challenge to the termination which otherwise might not have occurred.

Hey Dude,

If you will re-read some of that fabulous cut and paste job you did you will see that a lot of that post backs up what I am saying.

However, as far as the top half of the paragraph goes I disagree. I will take a Labor Attorney's Professional opinion over an anonymous poster named Ben Dover anyday.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

I think this is the downside of thr PRIA act. It allows employers to target pilots looking for other work.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

People don't mind change, they just don't like being changed.

Let's look at it form a different perspective. You want to leave your current employer for jetblue, you just wanted to do it on your terms...not theirs.

Nonetheless, you are doing what you want to do. Leaving your current employer for jetblue.

So, enjoy the time off and the unemployment that your employer has to pay. Fix the house, go on vacation, get some WIA cash.... watch American Idol. Make the best of it!

 

[lostplnetairman]

In the HR world, we call at will the legal right to be arbitrary. But surprise = lawyers and lawyers= jury decisions. I call it the Janis Joplin rule of litigation: freedom's just another word for there's nothing left to lose.

The bottom line is that, with time comes a sense of entitlement. So the doctrine of at will is diffused.

If the OP was really let go for interviewing elsewhere, he or she is certainly entitled to unemployment benefits because that is not willful misconduct.

HR Diva

 

[Hair-on-Fire]

If they fired you, it doesn't say much for that company. They just showed you their true cards so it's probably for the best anyway.

DW

Unfortunately, this doesn't pay the mortgage or put food on the table for the 3-6 months he might be waiting for a class date.

I would certainly call JB and tell them what happened. Don't bad mouth your previous employer--just the facts. You need to keep them updated on your employment status anyway, so what could it hurt? Additionally, you took a risk to interview at JB because you wanted to work there. I think it shows a strong desire for the job, and should help you, not hurt you.

Good luck.

 

[Lear70]

All of the armchair lawyering isn't going to help.

Advice from Cheryl Cage WILL help. My first instinct would be to ask EXACTLY what your termination letter says.

If you called in sick or otherwise ditched out of a trip and got busted non-revving to your interview or something similar, you're totally screwed. They had every right to fire you in that kind of scenario and jetBlue will, more than likely, find out about it.

If you were terminated simply for interviewing at JB, I ask the question: How did they find out? Again, what does the termination letter say?

Not enough information to give any kind of intelligent advice... other than get PROFESSIONAL help.

p.s. Danger Kitty, just because you live in an at-will state doesn't mean an employer can terminate you for any reason or say anything they want about you on a PRIA request. My attorney is working up a case against Flexjet and he's doing it completely on contingency because of some things a certain Chief Pilot has said and done. Flexjet is in TX, I'm in TN, both are at-will work states and my attorney (who usually bills at $250 an hour) would most certainly disagree with your blanket statement about termination for ANY reason without recourse.

 

[starvingredtail]

All of the armchair lawyering isn't going to help.

Advice from Cheryl Cage WILL help. My first instinct would be to ask EXACTLY what your termination letter says.

If you called in sick or otherwise ditched out of a trip and got busted non-revving to your interview or something similar, you're totally screwed. They had every right to fire you in that kind of scenario and jetBlue will, more than likely, find out about it.

If you were terminated simply for interviewing at JB, I ask the question: How did they find out? Again, what does the termination letter say?

Not enough information to give any kind of intelligent advice... other than get PROFESSIONAL help.

I 100% agree with this advice.

 

[Dangerkitty]

p.s. Danger Kitty, just because you live in an at-will state doesn't mean an employer can terminate you for any reason or say anything they want about you on a PRIA request. My attorney is working up a case against Flexjet and he's doing it completely on contingency because of some things a certain Chief Pilot has said and done. Flexjet is in TX, I'm in TN, both are at-will work states and my attorney (who usually bills at $250 an hour) would most certainly disagree with your blanket statement about termination for ANY reason without recourse.

Lear,

Please re-read my past statements. I never said that there was not ANY recourse. You are putting words into my mouth. I never stated such. However, when dealing with Attorney's (who are billing by the hour) I take everything I hear with a grain of salt.

I could paint a wall bleach white and I guarantee you I could find many an attorney that would argue (at $250 an hour no less) that the painted wall was actually a cream color and not bleach white.

 

[FN FAL]

If you called in sick or otherwise ditched out of a trip and got busted non-revving to your interview or something similar, you're totally screwed. They had every right to fire you in that kind of scenario and jetBlue will, more than likely, find out about it.

As we were driving to dinner tonight, I told my wife about this thread. First words out of her mouth was, "Did he call in sick to take the interview?"

 

[flylears]

To all who gave some great advice, please check your PM's.
Thank You

 

[Way2Broke]

A guy in new-hire class with me at one of my past jobs had exactlly the same thing happen to him.

He didn't take it too hard since it qualified him for unemployment benefits, he was the only guy in class getting paid!!

Thats funny!

 

[Black Hawk]

Employment law is pretty complex and the only way to get an up to date legal interpretation of your situation is to find an attorney who specializes in employment issues and deals with this kind of thing everyday. I have no idea if they would have good news or bad news for you and neither do most of the posters here either. Your not the first guy to be let go when your employer finds out you're looking for other work. Training is expensive and no one wants to waste cash on someone who is preparing to leave. Check with Cheryl C to see how JB might view this explanation.

 

[arthompson]

All of the armchair lawyering isn't going to help.

Advice from Cheryl Cage WILL help. My first instinct would be to ask EXACTLY what your termination letter says.

If you called in sick or otherwise ditched out of a trip and got busted non-revving to your interview or something similar, you're totally screwed. They had every right to fire you in that kind of scenario and jetBlue will, more than likely, find out about it.

If you were terminated simply for interviewing at JB, I ask the question: How did they find out? Again, what does the termination letter say?

Not enough information to give any kind of intelligent advice... other than get PROFESSIONAL help.

p.s. Danger Kitty, just because you live in an at-will state doesn't mean an employer can terminate you for any reason or say anything they want about you on a PRIA request./quote]


Ok this is scary, I'm now agreeing with Lear twice in a night.