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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Olympia, WA
    Posts
    1

    Default Wrongful termination, Discrimination, Retaliation?

    I began working as a temporary employee for State of Washington, DSHS, Division of Child Support, in November, 2004. I was hired as a permanent employee in February, 2005. I began dating a co-worker in March who worked in Personnel.

    In July, 2005 the relationship ended and for whatever reason my co-worker had management launch an investigation into her allegation that I had accessed her file. Management questioned me on this and I admitted that I had accessed her file.

    On August 2nd, 2005 I was informed by the Acting Director that my position was being terminated for accessing a co-workers file. In my termination letter he stated that I was trained on DSHS' confidentiality expectations which is not true. DSHS does have orientation for new employees, which some employees had attended, but I had not been scheduled for one. I therefore had not been trained or counseled on agency policies.

    My issues are as follows: 1. That I was discriminated against by being terminated, while other employees I had talked to had been counseled and reprimanded but not terminated for the same policy violation that I allegedly committed. This is a double standard and in addition my termination letter states that “inappropriate use of confidential state resources will not be tolerated by anyone working for DSHS. 2. My co-worker, whom I dated, worked in personnel and is personally known by the acting director, which I believe could have contributed to my termination. This is retaliation. 3. I was within 3 days of completing my 6 month probation and feel that this was a way for them to prevent me from utilizing union representation, and avoid my being able to file a grievance. 4. The co-worker I had dated had knowledge that I allegedly accessed her file since February, 2005, yet did not report it until July, 2005. This also an example of retaliation. Do you think I have a provable case? Thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    28,906

    Default Probationary Employee Fired

    It would be difficult to make a case out of that - you were a temporary, probationary employee, who could presumably thus be terminated for any reason, and you admitted to a very serious breach of confidentiality.

    If you want to see if you have a viable case, I suggest that you have your situation reviewed by a plaintiff-side employment lawyer in your state.

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