Legal Question in Employment Law in California
can y be fired for leaving the door to the building open although I was never given the key to the door? I was basically leaving my job, I turned off the lights in the building and headed to the next door building to tell another employee i was ready to leave so he could locked the door. However, half way i was encountered by another employee who started telling me about a matter we needed to solve the next day, and that made me forget about telling my coworker about he needing to close the door My braind focus got shifted. I am I still responsible? Where is the company's responsability as far as giving me a key? Another co worker told me that my supervisor had told him that the reason he would not give me a key was so I would not stay in the office late hours? I maybe loosing my job on Friday 3/22/12, but I want to know my chances the whole thing is not all my responsibility.
2 Answers from Attorneys
This is not a legal issue. An employer can fire you for whatever they want, as long as it is not based on illegal discrimination, such as race or gender, or in retaliation for protected activities, such as union organizing or taking action under a whistle blower statute. The only legal issue involved in your case is if they fire you and then deny your unemployment claim by saying you were fired for cause. Considering you knew you had to tell another employee to lock the building, and you just forgot, there is a good chance if they fire you the EDD will agree it was for cause.
In general you are an 'at will' employee that can be disciplined or terminated any time for any reason, with or without �cause�, explanation or notice. Any employee's goal should be to keep their supervisors happy and make them look good to the company, and make the company money. That�s how the company pays employee wages. If you don't, then don't be surprised to be replaced.
Whether you like it or not, whether you agree or not, whether you them or not, you are always 'responsible' for the consequences of your actions, choices and decisions in life.
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