Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: Florida
I'm aware of Florida being a right to work state and as such the employer can terminate employment without giving a reason (I believe). Here's my situation:
I have been working at an alarm company that services national contracts for over six months now. It is being brought up that my previous company, a small-time local company, needs to be dissolved or they would not be comfortable with me working there. The concern is that in the past they've had issues with people trying to steal customers from them.
This company operates on the national level, and my small company on a local level. We wouldn't have the assets or resources to do anything else, which is the reason I took the job here at the other company. They are now essentially saying that if I don't get them a contract for taking over my old company, I can't work here any longer.
What protection under the law do I have, and if none, what other legal options might be available in the future?
Thank you!
Re: Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
First, right to work relates to union membership. It has nothing to do with anything in your post. You mean, employment at will, whch means that either you or the employer can terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason (except one specifically prohibited by law). No state ever requires the employee to give a reason; only a handful of states require an employer to give a reason and even in those states, only if the request is made in writing within a limited, (state-specific) period of time. Only Montana is not an employment at will state, and even Montana recognizes the employment at will doctrine in some situations. Florida is not one of the states where the employer is required to give a reason to the employee on their written request.
I am having a hard time following your post. Are you saying that you own a competing business? Or that they want you to be instrumental in the forcible takeover of your previous employer? Or something else altogether?
Re: Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
My company was failing but still generating recurring revenue. It was never a condition of my employment to get rid of my old company. It is not in competition with the company I now work with. Now they are telling me to resolve it quickly by splitting the profits and have the company I currently work for do all the work, rendering my company defunct. They want to write up a contract this week to send to all my customers announcing the takeover.
The basic gist of it is can they force me to dissolve my company, when it was not mentioned in the terms of my employment and if I do not, can they let me go? If they do let me go, what action can I take?
Re: Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
This is a company that you own?
They cannot force you to dissolve it but they can fire you if you do not. And I'm a little surprised you were hired in the first place; the conflict of interest is quite clear.
Re: Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
I do own the other company, correct.
They can fire me based on the theory that I could steal customers from them? We're in completely different markets, and many of the customers under the new company I am not even licensed to work with on my own as it is. How can they fire me for not getting rid of a company that is not in competition with them?
Re: Alarm Company Conflict in Florida
They can do so because there is no law that says they can't.