I interviewed for a cook job yesterday, I was upfront about my part time work only 20-25 hours due to a disability I have and that I talked about. I bring up my disability quickly in interviews because otherwise the interviewer is beating around the bush trying to figure out why I have these limitations on my schedule. I also tell them upfront what I can physically do, and what I can't, that way I don't take a job that expects more than I can provide. Basically I'm upfront during the interview with all my issues. I don't need accommodations, just a part-time schedule. At the end of my interview I'm offered the job, I sign an employment letter as required in NY as well as other forms.
My first work day was today at noon but I'm to arrive a half hour earlier to complete the new employee paperwork. So I'm there, and I'm filling out forms when I have to go down the hall to a room with two accounting employees. I recognize one of them but couldn't remember where, but she definitely recognized me and was acting really weird. I asked for both their names again and she wouldn't respond, then I asked her directly that I recognize her but can't place her. She says she was teacher at my children's daycare / private school. I remember her then, tell her my boys are 11 now, and then continue filling out my paperwork. She excuses herself immediately and I noted the whole vibe was weird. A couple minutes later she comes back with my boss and my boss says to hold off on the paperwork because she needs to talk to the chef for a minute. So i sit there, a few minutes later the boss comes back and takes me to her office where the the chef is (Three of us). He fires me then, saying they don't need part time kitchen help. I tell them I know that the accounting lady told them something and whatever she said is why they're firing me. They start looking around and saying “Who?” and “What lady?”. There's only two other people in the office area who weren't in the room with us, they knew exactly who I was talking about. So I ask them what her name is because I instantly forgot it earlier, and they say they don't know her name or who I'm talking about. The chef says that I have to leave and I get up to follow him out of the office. But then I turn quick left to go back the accounting office to ask that lady her name again and the Chef took a few quick steps after me before pulling out his phone and threatening to call the cops if I don't leave immediately. I tell him ok call, then I turn around and go into the accounting office and ask the two employees their names again. She wouldn't tell me, she just said “Mrs. K”. I turned and left, and as I'm walking away I told my boss and the chef it's not a big deal I just wanted her name. The chef threatens to call the cops again so I stop and tell him that if the cops are coming I'm not leaving, I'm gonna stay here and give them a report. I'm not gonna have the cops chasing me through town just to get a report. He said he won't call the cops if I leave and I did just that.
My ex-wife and I have a lot of problems involving our kids, but nothing illegal. That lady wouldn't know anything about me except what she learned through school. Whatever she told them about me I'm certain is a protected issue that she isn't allowed to disclose, there were a lot of family court stuff during and after the divorce. My boss and the Chef obviously lied about why they were firing me, it was glaringly obvious it's because of something she told them. If it wasn't illegal they would've just said it's because she doesn't like you. It's not like they're protecting an unemployment payoff by falsifying the reason for termination, firing me because they don't need me anymore still qualifies me for unemployment.
Almost every restaurant I get a job with here does something illegal. I just want a normal job with normal people who don't lie, cheat, and steal.