Fired over a Fish Sandwich…how low can you go?

 

 

 

 

 

Article from the NY Times that details a growing trend.  Companies are firing people for things like misconduct so they won’t have to pay unemployment benefits.  Ralph Reese’ s story is disgusting and I hope that Whole Foods has to do more than just pay his unemployment.  But I’m not sure if you can get more damages for having been wrongly denied a benefit…but the bottomline is that more employers are making it harder for employees to collect unemployment.  I was luckly-when my office decided to give me the heave-ho, it was because they were eliminating my position which is a green light to unemployment.  So make sure you check the rules for receiving unemployment in your area before you poop on your boss’s desk.  

Fired Over a Tuna Sandwich, and Fighting Back – City Room Blog – NYTimes.com.

Two takes on Biglaw to ProBono

ATL and CNN both featured articles on BigLaw lawyers transitioning to ProBono and volunteer work…but the messages could not be more different.  Read it and weep…as with so many articles about the legal field these days:

Public Interest Jobs Won’t Fall Into Your Lap – Above the Law – A Legal Tabloid – News, Gossip, and Colorful Commentary on Law Firms and the Legal Profession.

and CNN:

Plan B…how does it pay the bills again?

No Surprises Here…Unemployment is now at 8.1%

I was canned in February so this is where I finally get added into the mix.  Not much new or interesting news but if you’d like to start your weekend off on a down note, read on friends…read on.  

651,000 Jobs Lost in February; Rate Rises to 8.1% – NYTimes.com.

Go Korea…well, at least South Korea

Union members of an Electrical company in South Korea have opted to reduce their wages by 20% in exchange for no layoffs.  An innovative way to deal with the employment crisis and economic downturn we’re all in.  I’d love to see more American companies offering employees options like this.  Of course, I’m not sure that US workers would make the same choice.

Koreans Take Pay Cuts to Stop Layoffs – WSJ.com.

More Notes from the Breadline…don’t read if you’re a lawyer and worried about getting laid off

In her second posting, Roxana describes what happened during the two weeks at the law firm between being given the news and her final day.  Grim news from recruiters and no job leads.  Friends have told me prospects are even more grim when you look in other cities like Chicago, DC, and LA.  More power to my legal brethren.

Above the Law – A Legal Tabloid – News, Gossip, and Colorful Commentary on Law Firms and the Legal Profession – Notes from the Breadline: I Have My Freedom, but I Don’t Have Much Time (Part I).

Layoff Tracker – Law Shucks

Just incase you were looking for a status update on the continuing blood bath in BigLaw, the kids over at LawShucks have put together some pretty charts, graphs and layoff trackers…doesn’t make it look anymore humane…just more colorful.   

I know…just what you want to look at as the snow starts falling.  Hey, if there’s no work because of snow, you can’t get laid off, right?  

Layoff Tracker – Law Shucks.