I was fired because of my health problems
(MoneyWatch) Dear Evil HR Lady,
In May I resigned from a job that I had held for nine years to take a new position at a small, private company. I wanted to finally work in the area where I have a Master's Degree, and this new job was going to offer me this -- or so I thought.
When I arrived at my new employer, I discovered that there was a change in staffing and I was going to be working in a different department. Obviously I was extremely disappointed, but my old job had already been filled (someone from another shift took it).
As my probationary period continued at the new place, things continued to get worse, as I discovered that my manager was verbally abusive and I was given no training guidance. My new co-workers warned me that this was the way this company worked and that there was a huge turnover at this position. Despite all of this, the company was pleased with my work and said I was doing well. Then I became ill and ended up in the ER on three separate occasions and was told that I would require surgery. I submitted doctor's notes for each day that I was off due to this health issue. I emailed my director and spoke privately with her to explain that I was concerned about my absences during probation and that I did not want this to adversely affect me. She assured me that "life happens" and that it was fine.
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I even had a one-on-one meeting with her and the manager about my progress and was provided goals to obtain for the next six months. Three days before my 90-day probationary ended (and 10 days after that meeting), I went to the director's office to notify her that I was going to need surgery. The surgery would require three to five days off and would be scheduled in the next couple of weeks. The director told me to sit down and called in HR. HR arrived with a termination package for me, and I was terminated. I was not provided a reason on the termination. HR just said it was "not a good fit," and the director said my work was great but that the absences were excessive and that it was not fair to the other employees.
This is the first time I have ever been terminated. I do not know how, or if, I should put this on my resume and how to explain it to potential employers. Ironically, I was already applying for other jobs and was hoping not to be at this company very long due to the negative environment and misrepresentation of the job. So what do I tell potential employers? Do I put this job on my resume? (I already had the surgery, so the health issue is already resolved.)
The decision to list this job on your resume is a "six of one, half a dozen of another" situation. If you list it, you have to explain why you left (were terminated) within three months. If you don't, you have to explain why you left your previous job without a new one lined up. Neither of these options are beneficial to you. However, since the latter will require either lying about or explaining the short-term job, I recommend putting it on your resume.
As to explaining what happened, you can be honest: "I was hit with some health problems that required considerable time off work. The health problems have now all been resolved, but because I was a new employee, I wasn't covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, and they let me go due to absenteeism. As I said, my health problems have been resolved, so I have every expectation that that was a one time event." (As an FYI, you probably weren't entitled to protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act either because your problem was temporary and has been resolved. And you need to work a minimum of 12 months for an employer, as well as meet other qualifications, to be covered by Family Medical Leave act.)
What you shouldn't do in your next job interview is get into how your last employer was a political nightmare. No need to get into how you were looking for a new job anyway and that it was a relief to get out of there. While all this is true, it sounds like sour grapes. If you were still employed, then it would make sense to say, "On my first day they transferred me to a different department than the one I interviewed for and changed the entire job description." But since you left the company, that's unnecessary.
The first step is to contact your boss at the company you left. Unless she's a complete jerk, she'll have sympathy for you. We all make career missteps. Even though your old position has been filled, don't be afraid to ask for ideas and guidance in looking for a new one.
Keep up your attitude, and good luck on your job hunt. It's hard enough to get hit with health problems, but for that to come at the same time you're working in a new job with really bad management makes things far worse.
Have a workplace dilemma? Send your questions to EvilHRLady@gmail.com.
