I got fired yesterday for "time theft".

For some context I worked in a huge warehouse, I was an auditor working from the office at the front of the warehouse. My job was basically to got to each area and perform random audits of the operations, associates, stuff like that.

I worked 12 hour long shifts, this job was one of the easiest I've ever had. If I hustled I could easily get it done in 4 hours, this job was never meant to be stretched over 12 hours. I was still technically an hourly associate though, subject to punching in and out of a time clock, even though 90% of the time I was a one man department. I had total access to everywhere and total freedom to work at my own pace. I had a job to get done every week, a report to publish, and that was it. My supervisor didn't care how I went about it as long as I got my work done.

Right from the start I realized this job was just a bunch of sitting around and waiting. My direct supervisor told me this when I got it. So I got bored fast and being a smoker I would step out every so often for an extra smoke break. This wasn't something I just started doing on my own though, this was a learned behavior. I was technically only given a 20 min break a day, and an unpaid 30 min lunch. But lots of other managers and several of my peers took extra smoke breaks. I thought it was like an unspoken perk of the job. I did this for the last 2 years and no one said a word.

Today I got pulled in by a lady on the loss prevention team. She said she's been watching me, straight up told me they have hidden cameras, and that she had added up all my smoke breaks from the last 2 years and told me I owed the company $290.

I told them I took full responsibility and if they wanted to work something out to recoup there money I would be willing. My job was worth more than that 200 bucks. But no, they terminated me. I've never been fired before, I never got a write up, I thought I got along well with almost everyone, and I had excellent performance reviews, not a scratch on my record. They even waited for a day my immediate supervisor wasn't there, I know he would've at the very least said something to try and stop it.

I asked them what was the difference if I was sitting at my desk or sitting outside, I had no work. I was still on site in case anyone had any questions. It didn't matter. They wanted me to sit at that desk for hours on end, staring at a fuckin excel sheet that I was done with 4 hours into my shift. If y'all wanted a robot you should've just bought a damn robot.

Fuck that place. And fuck those people.

I freaked out at first, I still am kind of. That job paid for my family's insurance and my mortgage and car, it was one of the best paying jobs I've ever had. But we'll be ok, I have an amazing wife, who without I would've for sure lost everything. She's my rock. And I already got one of my old jobs back. They were very excited to have me back actually. Unemployed for about 4 hours, that's a record for me.

I'm just so sick of this corporate world with it's dumbass arbitrary rules and drama like I'm back in highschool.

Thanks for letting me rant a little, even writing this all out helped me feel a little better.

This is actually happening at my current job. Guy just left after a year for a great new opportunity. He was hired as a department manager, ends up being the whole department himself and our CEO doesn't want to replace him as he thinks that other workers can pick up that job along with their daily tasks 🙃

The annual cost of living raise was pretty much cancelled out by my insurance going up.

I typed up a proposal on what I felt I should be making an why. As well as a spread sheet on income vs deductions. I got my approval on the spot.

It shows that if you are good at what you do you can present a case and get paid what your worth.

I've been a reporter for The Pulse, a science show made by WHYY that airs on NPR stations for five years. I helped edit SERUM, an excellent limited-run investigative podcast.

I also do stand up mostly local to Philly and New York. I post reels on my IG @ JadSlay, (about an hour's worth at this point) A lot of clips here too.

My boss /team all knew and didn't care. My stage name is just my first name, last initial, Jad S (Arabic last name, tough for hosts). I never talk about work.

But recently I got called into a meeting with no warning and fired on the spot for "egregious violations of WHYY values" because of those reels. Guess some exec(s)/director(s) of whatever saw them? I dunno.

My act isn't clean, deals with dark stuff, I'm a former Marine, an Arab Muslim from West Virginia and I used to be a war correspondent and EMT.

But in all my clips it's a room full of people laughing. (They’re all clips where I’m doing well obviously)

I told them I’m a complete unknown, no real fan base. If you’re at my level and try to do true edge lord stuff, you just bomb. I told them I get booked at black shows, gay clubs, up in the Poconos for old white people, everybody has fun.

Isn’t the laughter proof you're overreacting?

They didn't care, it's like they mentally edited out the audience. If I'm so shitty for telling these jokes, what's that make the laughing crowd?

My work knows I recently got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (had some trouble walking, stable atm tho) and losing my job means it's back to the VA hospital that's not really designed for that.

They flat didn't give a shit. It was kind of unreal just how enraged they were (again, not my team or my actual boss).

I dont think your employer should have a say in your off hours creative expression(unless you like shit talk them), but at the same time I wouldve changed my byline or stage name, whatever. Didn't get a chance. They said the meeting was over.

This all seems like a kind of moral extremism to me. You watch clips of a show that a diverse room full of people is enjoying and your reaction to that is... blind fury?

You go yeah for his jokes this guy needs to lose his livelihood and his doctors. I feel like these people would take me out back and shoot me if they could get away with it.

The VA has improved over the years so fingers crossed on that.

But I told them I wouldn't let them do this quietly. Ive been a journalist for 13 years and if I ever want to work in media again they'll ask why I was fired and it's out of the bag then anyway.

So i dunno, share my IG clips. Remote editing work would be dope (I do happen to be one of the best story editors around, google my work) Can I get a guestie on your bar show?
Go birds.

I've been working for over 20 years and I'm tired of losing my job because of nepotism. Last week I posted about finding out my employer's nephew is graduating in 6 months and may take my job. For the past 5 years, I've worked hard to grow the business I'm working for. It's disappointing needing to leave my job again because some kid is going to take my job. The exact same situation happened about 8 years ago at another office I worked at. Both times the offices kept it from me that their young ones were going into the same job. My old employer's son graduated and I was laid off a few weeks after his son finished school.

Last week, people from this sub suggested I ask my employer if she could put something in writing about me staying with the office. I had a meeting with my boss in her office last week and asked in a professional way if she would consider drafting paperwork so I could have more security. I was told the same thing:

"There's nothing to worry about. God will take care of you."

My job is to help others. I've sacrificed 20 years of my life to help others and it's been soul sucking. I'm tired of being lied to and am considering changing my career and possibly starting my own business. Don't tell me that a higher power will take care of me. Plenty of good people have bad things happen to them so I trust myself than someone up in the sky.

I met with a lawyer last week and discussed my options. From my long history with the current job, I knew that something was inconsistent with their accounting. I brought evidence to my lawyer and a forensic accountant about the inconsistencies and they said I have a case that could bankrupt the company. My case and a report to the Department of Labor will trigger a 40 year audit. Not only will I be getting more money, other former workers will be entitled to more as well.

I had my lawyer's office serve my boss today. We'll see what happens and how the office reacts. I decided to not go in today and have a few interviews lined up regarding a new career. I am done being thought of as a patsy. If my employer asks me why I did this, I'll say.

"Don't worry. God will take care of you."