This is such a stupid story with such a cartoonishly awful person that everyone is going to accuse me of faking it but this actually happened yesterday. I've been at my job for over 10 years. Yesterday, a new employee (first day) with “deplorable” and “eat a dick” (spelled out in symbols to look like the “coexist” sticker) plastered all over his truck stayed 15 minutes past his shift to rattle out every talking point he's ever heard (“America is the only country with freedom!” “If everyone likes China so much they should just move there!”) and I was getting annoyed but didn't say anything. He said “if your mask works why do I need one?” and I finally said “because the mask is for protecting others, not you” which immediately set him off in an explosion of “what fabric prevents infectious diseases” and “where's your mask then?” at which point I told him to “get the fuck out, your shift is over,” he finally left, calling me a bitch as he did so. I'm a woman with dyed hair and I felt like he was trying to start a fight with me the moment he got there.
Got a call from my boss today informing me I'm fired. My boss said that what I said (because I said “fuck”) was assault. The new employee is staying. He reviewed the cameras (no audio) and decided the new employee wasn't yelling at me based on his body language.
I have surgery next week and was working extra hours leading up to the surgery. I'm already in financial trouble. After explaining my side of the story, he said he would consider keeping me on but I would have to write up my side of the story and talk to and get along with this other person. Another employee (also right-leaning, has severe hearing loss) contradicted my story and they're believing her. But I was telling the truth. My boss said I was too stressed because of the surgery, and that the new employee did really well yesterday and was in the military.
I am in Florida, in a very red area with very right-leaning employers.
I don't know what to do now, I was already stressed about my surgery next week and now this. I have severe anxiety (diagnosed), and although I have a bachelor's degree and I graduated with honors, it's in humanities and it's not very helpful for getting a job. I was working there making $12.50 an hour because it was a low-stress job. The thought of trying to find a new job and going to interviews while recovering from surgery is terrifying. But after this, I don't think I want to work there even if they allow me to. I don't know if I can even get unemployment because I'm being unfairly accused of assault.
Do I have any recourse?