Can I receive unemployment for quitting my job in Florida?

by Stephanie
(Florida)

I was fired from the county job I was working at after they received a note from my worker's comp Dr saying I would need light duty for another month. I was on probation (6 months) with two weeks left and I received unemployment for about 4 months and accepted another position with the county in a different agency which is below my educational level (BSW). I have only been working for 2 months and have been subjected to personal harassment from my co-workers and supervisor. I called the union rep who said I have to work there for 90 days to be able to utilize the grievance procedure, but that she was aware of several instances involving this supervisor and told me to hang in there. There have been other employees who quit and another employee was transfered to another worksite. I was subjected to horrible insults that were demeaning including accusing me of having a thought disorder and that I know nothing and how dare I ask about job duties and how to interact with other disciplines. This was witnessed by another co-worker who is working with this supervisor and afraid for her job. I was asked by the union rep to talk with an OEO counselor and that counselor stated that it was not due to protected categories and she would get back to me after talking to the union rep, she didn't. I have fibromyalgia and also hepatitis c and anxiety which has been made worse by this situation. I am continuously being picked on for issues that my co-workers bring up unjustly who have worked there for 2 -6 years and are engrained with the county. This started after I asked them to please not yell at me and talk innappropriately to me, such as in a demeaning, ordering way. The union rep also stated when I told her who my supervisor was stated "she's back?" because she had been on leave and said it sounded as if they were trying to get rid of me before I even get started. I just had a meeting with my supervisor and her supervisor, the director of our area, and was presented with a written account of our 2 previous meetings, one with one co-worker and another with another co-worker and my supervisor, which I objected to since it did not state the contents correctly. I was told to sign it and I wrote I did not agree with the contents as written. I do have a co-worker that has gone through a similar issue but they all have been past the probation and have worked there a long time. All the people I have talked to have said just hang in there but this job is making me sicker the longer I work there and can barely go now. After the first horrific meeting with my spervisor, I recorded the second meeting without anyone knowing, the union rep told me to keep it and the OEO stated I could not use it, and it also was not as incriminating as the first meeting. I only have the VA for healthcare and they will not write a medical statement accept for stating what I say. Will I be able to receive unemployment again and do I have any options but to take repeated abuse which is more than I can explain here.



Hi Stephanie,

I honestly cannot give you a yes or no answer, but I think you're getting good advice from the union rep. The counselor that's telling you that you aren't a member of a protected class .. I don't think that's such good information.

Since your situation is one of workplace harassment I'm going to direct you somewhere else.

Undercoverlawyer is a website all about workplace harassment and how to protect yourself and strategies to actually make an employer back off. The free email course is all about protected classes and how any one of us can take steps to make ourself a member of at least one protected class. There's a forum and a lot of free articles. The information is invaluable to anyone in a situation such as yours .. not only for your present situation, but going forward into new employment.

Quite frankly, I think the information is empowering for anyone that works for someone else to earn a living.

I think your situation is much too serious for any "unemployment advice I could give you".

Getting Unemployment is reliant upon your ability to prove good cause. It requires action on your part. The circumstances you described to me .. make me think you need legal help from an attorney .. not a union rep or counselor.