Forced to Quit!

by Anonymous

I have a state job that has not been working out for me after about 5 months of training. I was not looking to leave the job in spite of some personality issues with a supervisor, but was recently told that if I don't resign within a few weeks that I would be terminated. If I allow them to terminate me rather than quit it would make it very difficult to apply for another government job with this on my record. They sort of have me over-a-barrel, so my question is, under these circumstances, if I should quit would I be eligible for unemployment benefits?


Hi Anonymous,

What State?
Why will they terminate you?

If you are still an employee there may be something you could do now to stop this from happening.

Generally speaking, only a stupid or possibly a smart employer would tell an employee quit now or I'm going to fire you in three weeks. There's got to be a reason ... which you did not supply.

A clever employer might do this in hopes that a person, especially a "newer" employee that isn't performing well and has been put on a performance plan might just throw their hands up in the air and quit, which would more than likely be disqualifying because the documented performance plan will not contain any information that suggest anything, but things that need to be improved. A quit in anticipation of discharge is disqualifying .. unless you can prove wrongdoing on the part of the employer and this is difficult to do without following the employer's "grievance procedures".

Why would an employer do this? To get rid of employees who are completely unaware of their rights as an employee. It makes sense really, want to get rid of an employee ... make him quit so it will be disqualifying .. plus avoid any specter of harassment, retaliation by a manager who used their position to get rid of someone just because they didn't like them ... etc.

Our ability to protect our rights is greatest while we're still employed, not after it's over.