Sounds like your manager didn't like you. But neither the company nor your manager owes you an explanation, legally. It's even possible that your manager did it on purpose to make you unhappy, hoping you'd leave. Perfectly legal.Why did they have to assign a cubical for me between TWO toilets?
Having already been reamed by this manager for going over their head? It would depend on how bad I needed my job. For me personally, I'd bite my tongue and start looking elsewhere or try to get transferred to another area of the company (because no matter HOW happy OTHER departments were with you, your manager is apparantly the one with authority to terminate you). As noted by other posters, when your supervisor has already told you that action A pisses them off, choosing to take that SAME action later is asking for the snake to bite you.If you were to ask your manager "hey, can I switch my cubical?" and got no reply, would you continue sitting in cubical with broken lights between 2 toilets and tolerate it or would you go to higher management for the help?
It isn't about what anyone else would like or wouldn't like. Circumventing your chain of command can result in unpleasant consequences, up to and including termination. Some managers REALLY dislike that - just as yours told you. Unless there is a contract or CBA that says otherwise, then yes, an employer can terminate you for ANY reason that isn't protected under law (race, color, etc.). This is a case of choosing your battles wisely - you wanted to battle, and your manager, didn't.
Unless your final pay check was a personal check from the manager, then the cutting of that final corporate check means that the company chain of command supported the termination. Final paychecks usually include amounts for things like sick or vacation time not used, possibly severance according to company policy, etc. - it's HIGHLY unlikely that the manager who terminated you had the will or even the ABILITY to just "gift" you funds in a final check. Check your final pay report carefully - it should outline exactly how the figure was determined.
No one is suggesting one way or the other, only pointing out that LEGALLY, the employer can terminate you for ANY reason not otherwise protected by law. Some companies and their managers are really open to hearing and working on employee grievances. Others are not. Your company apparantly was not, and your particular manager, appointed by the company as your supervisor, made this pretty clear. MORAL realities are one thing....but the LEGAL reality is that yes, sometimes if you want to keep a job, you eat crap, or they'll find someone who will.So if a manager ignores your request, you suggest to keep tolerating whatever it is you have and not go for help to higher managment. Basically you are saying, eat crap and be quiet about it.

