Thursday, November 06, 2008

No easy way to say it. Tom has lost his job. TJX's Loss Prevention (from the home base in Massachusetts) swooped in yesterday and grilled him for 3.5 hours, accusing him of stealing scrap metal, tens of thousands of dollars worth. Of course he didn't do it. He refused to sign any papers that they tried to force him to sign, because he said that what they wanted him to say was WRONG.

What he did do was sell some scrap metal because the price was up, and he took the $200 and had a pizza party for his employees. Company policy is that the scrap metal is to be hauled away at the company's expense. He didn't follow company policy.

He hasn't been officially notified yet; yesterday they took his badge and keys and suspended him pending "investigation". But tonight he went into his stock options account to sell any options he has before they fired him, and it's all gone.

They couldn't even fire him to his face. Some of his employees have called and are very angry that he was railroaded this way.

He spent today arranging for his Porsche to be sold (I hope it sells quickly; we were counting on that for part of our retirement funds) and went to the Virginia Employment Commission to see about possible jobs. There are two that he plans to apply for. He has four weeks of vacation; he should be paid for this week and all of the vacation.

He's gone to bed; he says he's depressed, but he says that I can't be. I told him that I already am depressed, so no go there!

Since we still have two free Airtran trips each, and probably won't be going to Cancun in the spring or CA in the summer, I told him that he should just take off and go see his daughter in Ft. Lauderdale. The sun and warm weather will do him good, and so will spending time with her. He said that he probably will. He still wants me to go to Orlando next week since it's a free trip and already arranged; it would cost about $100 to change it. Better save that, huh?

Crap. Crap crap crapcrapcrapcrapcrap.

If nothing turns up here, we just might sell the place and head to Florida earlier than we'd planned. My retirement would be a lot lower, but I'd have to get a job anyway. Maybe we could both work at Disney World!!! Woohoo! He loves Disney!

Tom is the most honorable, honest man I've known (other than Dad), and this shouldn't be happening to him. Oddly enough, his former boss (plant manager) quit suddenly in June and was told to take his four weeks of vacation and not come back. He's now working as a teaching assistant in one of the new city schools; says he wants to become a teacher. Tom always thought it was odd the way he left and took such a cut in pay, with a kid still in school, maybe two, and now we think that the same thing happened to him. Tom won't call him, though; men.

This is the same place (TJX is the company that owns TJ Maxx and Marshall's stores) that fired a woman because she had an accident right in front of the building on her way to work, she was out of vacation, personal, and sick leave. She left the accident, ran into the building to clock in, ran back out to her car, got a ticket for leaving the scene of the accident and was fired for leaving the building after clocking in. Doesn't matter what the circumstances are. Company policy.

I'm calling for a nationwide boycott of all TJX properties. You're on notice, TJX. You won't be getting my Christmas shopping money this year, hahahahaha. It has nothing to do with the fact that I won't have any Christmas shopping money or that our income has suddenly become less than 2/3 of what it was yesterday, either.

I can play dirty, too.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Rita, I am so sorry to hear this. I can't imagine Tom doing anything dishonest, but I sure CAN imagine a corporation being dishonest and heartless.

So, you can count on me to spend NOT A SINGLE DIME in any TJX business from this point on.

Sucks to them. Hugs to you.

Courtney said...

I am sorry :-( For you and your husband, that sucks... cant he do anything like file a law suit or something, for wrongful termination? That just sucks.

Anonymous said...

Rita, that's terrible! I keep you guys in my prayers!

rita said...

Thank you all! I appreciate the support, and I know Tom will, too.

I think he should talk to a lawyer, but he doesn't want to drag it out and have it in his face for any longer than necessary. But I want vindication. I want the corporation (yes, heartless and uncaring and everything else unpleasant) to hurt, too. Tom was a loyal, hardworking upper-management employee, and they do this to him. It's so wrong.

Thank you for not shopping at TJX stores, Elisa! Shame, they've got great shoes.....

Leetie said...

Whoa. I'm so sorry Rita and Tom!

Debbie T said...

Awwww crap Rita!!! I know this is a hard pill to swallow right now, but I'm going to say it anyway...everytime I ever lost a job (twice), it made me available for something better! Tom has a good head on his shoulders and I can't picture him being out of work for long..he would be a great asset to any company!!
I almost went into Marshall's yesterday...glad I didn't!!! I will NEVER shop there now!!!

rita said...

Thank you, Leetie and Deedee. We both feel that something better will come of this. I'm not panicking, for some reason, and I panic easily!

Good thing I got this better job, eh? And that Tom went on my health insurance policy last year because it was cheaper than his and better. Ha, Marshalls!

Debbie T said...

Well, even if he hadn't gone on your insurance, Federal law mandates that he be given the option of having Cobra. It's pretty pricey (just ask me!), but it's better than no insurance at all.
I just re-read your post Rita, and now I'm thinking why would anyone want to work for a company like this anyway?!!? I know it's a hard time to go through something like this, but maybe Tom should be thanking them!?!?!?

Trillian said...

Sorry to hear that, Rita. hopefully this will be an opening to move on to better things.

rita said...

It's not the best time to lose a job, but then, when is? I think you're right, though, it's best not to have to deal with such a heartless organization. Something better will be found. We're okay.

Thank you all.

Anonymous said...

I am also so sorry to hear this - what a bummer!

I hope things turn around for you and that Florida is terrific.

Jenny Girl said...

i am so sorry tohear about this Rita. It completely sucks. I will definitly boycott and keep you in my thoughts and prayers.