I was terminated from my long time employer over what they called "poor performance" that was my boss compiling an actual "dossier" on me - everything from LJ posts from my ex-wife to WHOIS info to claim/show I was moonlighting (one, my photography business), a blog from a friend thanking me for giving him advice on a startup. Basically a hit list - he'd gone off the deep end on a few things, not just me, divorcing his wife, father dying, endless arguments with business partner / co-owner of the company.
He was adamant about a little sit down/FU session with me where he'd show me this damning dossier of all my "misdeeds".
Thankfully the partner got a lawyer involved who told them, in essence, "WTF? No.".
Apropos of both the state we were in being "at-will", and my employment contract / handbook having no provisions about moonlighting etc., the LJ posts being 10+ years old, etc., he basically said "As soon as you start showing this stuff it becomes somewhat defensible - he says 'actually, no, blah blah blah'."
"Just say that today is your last day. Thank you."
My boss was vindictive though. He wanted to contest my filing Unemployment paperwork about my "poor performance". He also wanted to withhold my final paychecks pending "return of all equipment, etc.".
I literally saw in a frozen screen glitch in Zoom the lawyer's response to him on that second one, verbatim.
"No. Do not do that. You cannot do that.".
Thankfully, for me, the partner and lawyer were the voices of reason, or it could have been difficult.
In terms of looking for a new job, more gray - I never stated that I was still at that job, nor did I let any question about it go unanswered or unclear (no lies by omission), other than just not specifically saying "I was terminated from job X on day Y".
I was terminated from my long time employer over what they called "poor performance" that was my boss compiling an actual "dossier" on me - everything from LJ posts from my ex-wife to WHOIS info to claim/show I was moonlighting (one, my photography business), a blog from a friend thanking me for giving him advice on a startup. Basically a hit list - he'd gone off the deep end on a few things, not just me, divorcing his wife, father dying, endless arguments with business partner / co-owner of the company.
He was adamant about a little sit down/FU session with me where he'd show me this damning dossier of all my "misdeeds".
Thankfully the partner got a lawyer involved who told them, in essence, "WTF? No.".
Apropos of both the state we were in being "at-will", and my employment contract / handbook having no provisions about moonlighting etc., the LJ posts being 10+ years old, etc., he basically said "As soon as you start showing this stuff it becomes somewhat defensible - he says 'actually, no, blah blah blah'."
"Just say that today is your last day. Thank you."
My boss was vindictive though. He wanted to contest my filing Unemployment paperwork about my "poor performance". He also wanted to withhold my final paychecks pending "return of all equipment, etc.".
I literally saw in a frozen screen glitch in Zoom the lawyer's response to him on that second one, verbatim.
"No. Do not do that. You cannot do that.".
Thankfully, for me, the partner and lawyer were the voices of reason, or it could have been difficult.
In terms of looking for a new job, more gray - I never stated that I was still at that job, nor did I let any question about it go unanswered or unclear (no lies by omission), other than just not specifically saying "I was terminated from job X on day Y".