I was recently fired but my former employer told unemployment that i quit because i had another job opportunity.

by katie
(California Unemployment Benefits)

Before I was fired, I was the stylist for a major fashion retailer in CA for 5 years. I always had good reviews and was promoted many times. I had my first phone interview this morning and was informed that I may not be eligible for unemployment benefits because I quit for another job opportunity. This is completely false. The truth is that I was fired by a new manager because she didn't like the way I reacted to a "higher-up" during a high-stress photoshoot where I was being verbally berated in front of my assistants, models and the photographer by the aforementioned higher-up. On the day I was fired, I was made to stay 45 minutes past the end of my shift and was asked to come to the conference room. My manager and an HR girl were in there and I was told that I was being terminated because of that isolated incident. There was no paperwork or anything to sign. This came as such a shock I didn't say anything. I figured that the damage was done and there was nothing left to say. They gave me my final paycheck and another check with my pto balance. I was not allowed to go back to my desk to retrieve my personal belongings and was instead told that they would ship everything to me and my manager went and got my purse. Is this legal? And do I have a case if my benefits are denied and I need to appeal?






Hi Katie,

All I've got to say is if you don't at least try to make a case of out this .. you're nuts!!

But I always advise a hearing rep .. and I think one is especially important to have when you already know your employer is lying up a storm .. just in case they do show up at the unemployment hearing .. you need someone able to get them to "say things" that actually discredit themselves.

One more thing .. California is a state that allows you access to your personnel file .. do so. There might be ammunition in there.

Who says employers don't lie? Employers.

And I know why yours lied .. the discharge would have been for insubordination, yet piping up when someone is verbally berating you is open to interpretation as to whether you were insubordinate or not.

I've got to tell you .. your employer is the type of employer that really made me HATE my former job.

Even if you are initially denied. The employer will not be able to provide a resignation letter and they must have gave some detail as to the reason you quit.

So I say it's she said/he said or any combination thereof and that in the final analysis it will end up being a credibility decision.


And if they deny your benefits .. I say APPEAL, APPEAL, APPEAL!!!