GrUmPy1 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 hello people something happend and i want to know if there is anything i can do about it. its kind of long im sooo sorry but please read... ok here goes i used to work at a daycare for a catholic school. it ran from the beginning of the school year until the last day well i got another job for the summer but before i started that and before the school year eneded the teacher in charge of the day care called me in and handed me a letter. i read it and what i understood was that they wanted to make sure i was coming back next semester, well i must have had a confused look on my face because she told me and i quote "this letter is basically saying that we would like for you to come back next semester" i told her yes i would love too and i signed the letter. so we continued talking and she told me how i like it there and i told her that i loved it and the kids there and the other job was just for the summer and that i was excited about returning. so school starts aug. 31 or 30 i cant remember im that mad but anyways about 3 weeks before that, the teacher called my mom and starts offering her hours and the office of the school and for the daycare at that point my mom tells her well i thought she was going back to work there and that lady says "no, i thought she was happy in her new job" my mom told her no she thinks shes going back and then she mentioned the letter and the teacher says that the letter was to say that no i wasnt going back. so a few days later mom goes to the school (my sisters go there) and sees the principle and the principle says to her i hope (my name here) isnt upset it was nothing personal we just needed someone older. so the whole,, i signed the letter to not come back was a lie they just didnt want me there anymore because im too young! im 19 turining 20 and the teacher who runs the daycare, her son worked there for 2 years and he was 17 so anyways i want to know can i sue??? Link to post Share on other sites
LikkleMissConfused Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Well I'm not sure how you stand there in the US but I'm sure they must be breaking some sort of employment law! Did you take a copy of the letter which you signed? You need soem proper legal advice not something I think the forum can help with! Cheers. Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 You should talk to an Attorney. Here is a link to the California Department of Consumer Affairs Lawyer Referral Services: http://www.dca.ca.gov/r_r/lawrefe1.htm Link to post Share on other sites
pixie2004 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Do you really want to go through all the trouble to sue them? Life is hard, you know and what they did is wrong. But you are so young, do you really want to get involved in something like that? I'm pretty sure that you won't be signing a letter again without reading what you are signing! Very expensive lesson to learn! I'm sure you can find a much better job than what you had. If I were you I'd leave it and just walk away. You don't need them! You are young and there are so many opportunities in the world! Best of luck. Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 YOU NEVER EVER EVER EVER SIGN SIGN SOMETHING WITHOUT READING IT FIRST!!!!!!! And even then, if something is signed, then you need two copies of the document, of for you, one for them. Never sign anything! You don't even sign your own chequebook unless you know what is going on! (Sorry if that was "posting to preach rather than to engage") Bastards! If I was you I'd write a testimonial and post it all over the school walls. Hijack the PTA meetings. Post a letter to the local newspapers. Let everyone know what bastards are teaching their children. Link to post Share on other sites
pixie2004 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 I think we all learned a lesson again NOT TO SIGN ANYTHING I like the idea (papillon) to write a letter to the local newspaper. But then again - they would just say that they wanted the best for the children and needed someone older. Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Why then do it an underhanded fashion? It was disgusting, immoral, unethical, dishonest and probably illegal, too. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 This doesn't make any sense. There is no earthly reason why any employer would try to induce someone to sign a letter saying they would not come back the next semester! Ask for a copy of that letter. You are entitled to it. Then have someone read it who understands such things. And I know everybody else has said it but don't sign things without reading them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ever! If you don't understand something you're about to sign, you have the right to take it away and get somebody else to read it for you. Link to post Share on other sites
faux Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 If you signed it, you technically agreed to whatever was written on that document. I'd think it would be incredibly difficult to prove that you did not know what you signed. As for getting an attorney, why bother wasting your money? Why bother filing suit when you most likely will not see one dime. Even if you do win, you probably won't see any of the money for years to come. I'm not even sure why you have even considered the possibility of filing suit. Why not just say, "These people are icky", and find another job? Link to post Share on other sites
Naive Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Originally posted by pixie2004 But then again - they would just say that they wanted the best for the children and needed someone older. Then they would publicly accept discrimination! Link to post Share on other sites
Author GrUmPy1 Posted August 25, 2004 Author Share Posted August 25, 2004 i did understand what was on that letter,its just that she called it a letter of intent and i didnt know what it was called that so she said basically...blah blah blah. i am going to askfor a copy and the reason i didnt is because my sisters have been going to that school for 4 years and those people know my mom and i thought i could trust them. off topic how do u put pictures in the little icon space Link to post Share on other sites
Lilyann Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 I sign a contract twice every nine months myself. I am speaking from the background of which you were working for (a school that is). If you say it was a letter for wanting to work there again the following here, how is that a guarantee that you will work there? Also, anytime that you sign a contract you should request a copy of the contract. Was this a contract or just a letter of intent? There is a difference there. When a contract in a school setting is given it could be revoked at times for various reasons. I am not saying that this is right and without just, but it has happened before. I do not think in my opinion, it would be worth your time. After all, would you really want to work for them because the law said they had to hire you. If it didn't turn out to be helpful to you, would you want to see your community again? I would hold your head up high and consider it a stepping stone. I know it is easier said than done. Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 ...it wouldn't hurt to consult with a lawyer. You'll be better off for the experience and just maybe you might come out okay. Get a copy of that letter you signed regardless of what the school calls it and take it to a lawyer . You can get a free initial consultation with a lot of lawyers. Oh, one more thing before you see the lawyer make sure you understand how much free time you get or you could get a bill for any extra time you spend with them. Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Exactly what kind of letter did you sign? Did you read it first? Was it a contract? Was it merely an employee satisfaction survey? "Letter" is vague, and can mean many things with many different implications. Unless your under contract, most employment in the U.S. is "at will", meaning that the employer can hire and fire as he or she pleases. Most states do have wrongful termination liability, but you have to prove there was something wrong about the way you were terminated. In this case, you were simply not re-hired. Sucks, but I don't think there's much re-course in this case; maybe a qualified attorney would have a different spin on it, though. If you feel passionately about it, it might be worth sitting down with an attorney, but my instincts would tell me to move on quietly. Get them to print out a good reference letter for you so that you can use it in a subsequent job search. I think a lawsuit would burn your bridges - you only want to go down that road if you have to. Link to post Share on other sites
unloved Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 It sounds like age discrimination to me! I was harassed at work and there are no laws protecting against nonsexual harassment. but I'm sure there are for your dismissal. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Author GrUmPy1 Posted September 11, 2004 Author Share Posted September 11, 2004 the letter was a letter of intent. and it didnt say that I iwanted to work there again it said that THEY wanted me back next semester. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Did it have any sort of conditions that made it less than a definite offer? What was the bit that you signed? Did it just acknowledge that you got the letter or was it an acceptance of an offer? Link to post Share on other sites
unloved Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 I may be wrong...but it sure sounds like age discrimination to me!! What they did was underhanded and wrong. To me, it seems like you did sign a document stating you would be back in the new school year. They breached it. I would take it further, get an attorney. Good luck to you!!! My daughter-in-law just started teaching kindergarden kids and she is only 20. She takes a lot of crap about her age from the older teachers. It sounds like you have the same kind of thing going on. Link to post Share on other sites
ziggue Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Originally posted by GrUmPy1 Im 19 turining 20 and the teacher who runs the daycare, her son worked there for 2 years and he was 17. Link to post Share on other sites
ziggue Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 That would make me mad. If she had someone even younger was working there and dumped on you for the same reason. Doesn't matter if they were related. It just doesn't seem fair to you. I was descriminated against in a Clothes Shop once. They thought I stole something from them. They should've approached me that night. On a Wednesday but they approached me on Sunday instead. 4 days after. This was because I was wearing a jumper that they were still selling in the shop. That I bought a month ago. That Wednesday night. They didn't see me walk in with it on because they were too busy talking amongst themselves. Only when I walked out of the change rooms in a rush (stressing) because the shop was closing soon with my blue top on. My jumper was on the floor in the change rooms when I did this. After I walked out of the change rooms I was had the jumper I owned on again. Bought something. Then left. No problems. Even after the guy checked my back pack and everything. On the Sunday. They approach me about it. This girl was full on hounding me. I am a pretty quiet person and can't take confrontation very well. I was trying to explain what happened but the girl wouldn't get off her high horse over it. Trying to get me to confess over something I didn't do. I didn't though. Wouldn't confess to something I didn't do. They hand me over this form to sign. Explaining to me I'm band from the shop. I was in total shock! I have never stolen anything in my life! Signed it anyway because I was in a hurry to meet my friend and felt like I was forced into it. I have anxiety so I was stressing at this point. When I was signing I kept saying. I didn't do this. I have never done anything like this. Then left the shop. When I met my friend she asked me if I got a Photo Copy of what I signed and I said no. So we went back into the shop and got a photo copy. I had a right to get a copy of what I had signed. After that went back home told my parents about it. Ended up writing a letter of complaint to the head office of the Clothes Shop and even had a dozen photos that my boyfriend had of me wearing the jumper they thought I stole. Plus I wore it too work a lot. I think that is what you should do write a letter of complaint to the head of where you work. It all worked out in the end. I got an apology letter from the shop and the Shopping Centre (Mall) the shop was in. Plus a $50 gift voucher to shop in the Shopping Center (Mall). I think I was descriminated against too. Cause of my stress and shyness in confrontation. People told me I just should've walked out and told them to **** off. They had no proof. (That's why they didn't call the cops on me)Wish I did do that but I didn't. Needless to say since that incident I have never set foot into that clothes shop again! Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 It's still too vague. A letter of intent isn't a contract, it's just something that they can put in their records so in case they need to hire you again, they know you're interested in the job. Meanwhile, they might have gone out and found someone more experienced or more qualified for the job. Age discrimination lawsuits are more likely to get compensation for someone who is over the age of 40, not a teenager. If they find someone more experienced and more qualified (which is easy to do when replacing a teenager), then you've got no leg to stand on. Age discrimination laws were written so that people who were middle aged and more qualified wouldn't lose their jobs to someone with a younger, more attractice face. Your best bet is to leave gracefully. In fact, I'd still let them know that you'd like to work there sometime again in the future if it's convenient for both of you. Whatever the case, make sure you don't burn that bridge - that would be a big mistake. Link to post Share on other sites
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