Workplace Fairness, www.workplacefairness.org, is a great resource for information about employment laws, job rights, and employment issues.
The following is taken from the website and is a good reminder of what to do when your employer tells you your employment is being terminated:
Don’t burn your bridges
Anger is a natural response when you lose something as important as your livelihood, especially if you feel that your termination was unfair or unlawful. However, giving in to your anger only hurts you and hinders your attempts to regain your job or make progress toward finding a new job. Don’t write your employer a letter in which you finally get off your chest all those things you’ve wanted to tell your supervisor or employer for years about the horrible way the company is run and the rotten way you’ve been treated. Such letters never help you, and often hurt. They are usually regarded as confirmation that the company’s decision to fire you was correct and proper.
Do not write anything that could be considered an admission that you deserved to be fired. Don’t accuse others, especially your supervisor or manager, of misconduct or being incompetent. Remember, just about everyone who could actually help you get your job back will be part of management, and they usually stick together. Don’t threaten anyone with physical harm or massive litigation. Examples of harmful threats include:
- “I’ll get you for this!”
- “You’re going to be sorry you messed with me!”
- “I’ll sue you for every dime you’ve got!”
- “You just bought yourself a million dollar lawsuit!”
- “You fire me and I’ll go to 60 Minutes and tell them what really goes on around here!”
Threats will get you nowhere and ordinarily will backfire. A threat of physical violence or extortion might even land you in jail. Likewise, don’t make critical remarks about the company, your boss, co-workers, or anyone else in the company. Disparaging comments and threats will label you a troublemaker and damage your position.
