Can I collect unemployment if I have been fired for violations of the employers safety rules and regualtions?

by John
(Sanford NC USA)

was told twice to tuck shirt in for safety reasons..The third time I was fired for it being out again and forgot my safety glasses...Had gotten hurt on the job two years earlier, not my fault and since then it seems like petty things to get rid of me..Also fired 3 others that day..Also plant had been laying off for weeks..can't collect unemployment..was there 7 years


Hi John,

Was it a rule John?

The cost of unemployment is nominal when compared to an employers cost associated with worker comp claims and liability and workman's compensation insurance.

Employer's get in big trouble for not complying with OSHA rules so they take this very, very seriously.

Unlike other types of rule violation discharges, employers are usually well prepared for discharges for safety violations. You may think the reasons were petty and they may have been trying to discharge people rather than laying them off, but if an employer decides to do this they are going down the right path .. rather than choosing a performance issue.

I'm sure you received the safety policies and initialed somewhere that you were notified and provided with any updates to the policies.

Generally speaking .. Bing, Bang, Boom!! You're done.

I, of course, do not intentionally try to discourage anyone from fighting for unemployment benefits because I don't know what the employer actually has. My opinion is entirely based upon what I know employers do usually have by way of documentation for safety violations.