Hai Guyz,
Ignoring the red flags
So a couple months ago I was hired by a telecom company that contracted with other telecom companies. I was given an answer key to a test required by the client and told not to tell anyone. I was also told to lie about my certifications. This was the first red flag, but I ignored because I've been unemployed a month and needed a job.
Employer lied to me
Fast forward a month, I asked to travel to another state. However, they neglected to tell me that I'll only be working 20-30 hours a week. If I were in my home state, I could supplement my income other ways. They also tell me that they only reimburse 10 bucks a meal. This is problematic being in a high cost area where all of the restaurants serve entrees well above that. I get texted at 3AM that I have to be somewhere an hour away at 9AM. I don't see the text until 7:30, and have to check out of my hotel room. I get there at 9:10 and written up for being late. When I tell the boss I didn't see the text he says that he was driving since 3AM. This is the same boss that forced me to take a driving safety class, which stated never to operate a vehicle with less than 8 hours of sleep.
Anyway, I send an email to the client, and attach the answer key. The client asks a bunch of follow up questions. The day after, I get a call from HR, where I am given a laundry list of complaints. Such as not wearing the right shoes, despite wearing sneakers like everyone else on the jobsite. They also accuse me of threatening other employees. I ask to be transferred to another team, and they refuse.
Employer makes false accusations in retaliation
Two days later, I was accused of damaging equipment. The accusations were from the same person who bragged about driving on 4 hours of sleep. I ask for video evidence, and they refuse to provide it. I call the client and they say that there was no evidence that the outage was caused by me or even my team.
Despite this, I am asked to return home and await further instructions. A week passes by and no one returns my calls or emails. I call my state unemployment office. Interesitngly, my HR rep answers the phone for the unemployment lady but not me. They say that shell discuss the issue with me at the end of the week. The end of the week comes and I am told that they conducted a “comprehensive” investigation. But don't tell me results of said investigation. I finally get told that I am terminated.
I got fired, but they lost a client
The guy who gave me the answer key was fired, even though the COO knew about it. The client chose to terminate the contract with my now former employer, who made up one third of it's business.
I've contacted a couple lawyers, one of whom refused. Another who said he wanted a 10,000 retainer. I get a lower paying job 3 weeks later. I still have some satisfaction know that the company paid for their dishonesty.