Yay for being discriminated against!

[yeeeaaahhh]

So, today I woke up this morning with a message on my phone from my boss. It appears that I had been laid off because "one of your co-workers wanted your hours, and she has been at the store longer, so we gave them to her." I, of course, was pissed about this, so I called to find out what happened. Upon talking with her she just kept saying the same things over and over, and when I would ask "So why didn't you just change the schedule or give her SOME of my hours" she would not answer, and eventually hung up on me.
So, I felt like something was going on.

Later I went into the store to talk with her about it (that way she could not hang up on me) and we got into it again. Things got pretty heated, and finally I just decided to leave. While walking out I said "Maybe it's because I am gay" and she heard me, and then replied with this...
"If I would have known that in the first place I would not have hired you"

...Okay?

So I go home kinda not realizing what she just said and that it made things seem VERY peculiar about why I was really fired. And then later my boyfriend (who was there and heard everything) asked me about it and then it really hit me.

I always had a suspicion about my boss. She is rather conservative, and ever since she found out that I was gay she has acted very different toward me. At first, before she knew, when I would come it she was all friendly and we'd chat, but then after she found out she would barely talk to me. It had crossed my mind that maybe she might try to get rid of me because of my sexuality, but I never thought that it would actually happen.

So yeah, that is my day. I don't have a job anymore and it is because I am gay.

Ohh, and she didn't like that I was agnostic either. So maybe that added a little wood to her close-minded fire?

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

^ It's not like you actually liked the job...

 

[Apollo]

If you can afford a lawyer, sue her and the company for everything they got.

 

[sexsomniac]

If you can afford a lawyer, sue her and the company for everything they got.

I don't how things work in US. But, in where I live as far as I know, you actually don't need to have money to sue this conservative a** holes. Cuz, for this kind of case, lawyers work on contingent basis. All you need to do is meet a lawyer, explains everything and they'll tell you how much they want from compensation. That's about it. You are ready to make this homophobe lives miserable.

 

[vulgar_newcomer]

A long drawn out process , that maybe will cost you nothing if a lawyer decides the case is worth taking on a good gamble of winning or have your pen and check ready.
But it would be worth it to speak with a couple attorneys.

Sounds like a suck shit place to work and they were you laid off fired was juvenile, but some job is better than no job.

If you keep going back in getting in heated sets with the owner/management you will busted and it diminishes the case.


You may be very correct in being fired because you are gay but only you can decide if its worth fighting or do you need some cash in that kitty now and move on to something else.

 

[Apollo]

I don't how things work in US. But, in where I live as far as I know, you actually don't need to have money to sue this conservative a** holes. Cuz, for this kind of case, lawyers work on contingent basis. All you need to do is meet a lawyer, explains everything and they'll tell you how much they want from compensation. That's about it. You are ready to make this homophobe lives miserable.

True, isn't the ACLU pro bono or whatev? Find a good lawyer willing to work for free, and proceed to sue.

 

[SonOfSlobone]

Probably Washington has some kind of civil rights commission where you can file a complaint? Start with that, it's simpler than suing.

And definitely immediately write down exactly what happened and what she said to you, with dates and times. If you have a written record, even if you wrote it yourself, it will help considerably later on.

Also make a note if anybody witnessed her remarks to you. Otherwise it will just be he said, she said, and if she denies it you won't get very far.

 

[frankfrank]

^ As he said - start to write this down immediately.

It's surprising how many details a person can forget, even a mere day or two later. The details could become very important.

 

[sexsomniac]

Also make a note if anybody witnessed her remarks to you. Otherwise it will just be he said, she said, and if she denies it you won't get very far.

Even if she can successfully deny flat-out and no witnesses come forward to support OP claim, she still has some explaining to do why she fired him. I think he still got the case of wrongful dismissal. He was fired for no obvious reason and,base on what op said, I doubt she has any to back that.

 

[yeeeaaahhh]

I am not in Washington right now. I am in Oregon living with my parents. I've already contacted the Oregon State BOLI and am waiting for more information from them. Should I also contact the ACLU?

Also, thanks for the advice to write everything down. I will do that right now! And lucky for me, I had my boyfriend come with me (just in case I needed a witness) and he heard everything.

 

[ansc1127]

http://www.lambdalegal.org/states-regions/oregon.html

 

[braex27]

Sue the bitch!

 

[Puzuzzu]

Were you airing your business out to her in the workplace, knowing she's conservative? Why would you do such a thing and then expect a different result from her? Some things are better left unsaid, you know. You're there to do a job, not let everyone taste the rainbow.

She fired him before he told her.

 

[Swellegant]

So yeah, that is my day. I don't have a job anymore and it is because I am gay.

No.

Let me say that again: NO.

You did not lose your job because you are gay. You lost your job because your boss is a bigot. There's a serious difference in those two concepts.

And that bullshit about being closeted at work so the bigots don't have ammunition? No again. Bigots aren't bigots because they have something to be bigoted about, they're bigots and will be bigots no matter what.

Finally, lawsuits work because bigots start to understand that their views are very expensive. Even if you don't win the suit, it will cost them a packet in legal fees... ain't nobody out there doing pro-bono work for the bigots. And really, most such people will relinquish their views in the face of any serious opposition.

 

[Dolmance]

If you find it problematic to take legal action against the company (and God knows, it seems that you have a perfectly legitimate basis for it), my advice would be to spread the word; make sure the gay community round abouts is made aware of the woman's actions and perspectives, try writing to local newspapers etc and so on and so forth. You'd be surprised what that kind of press can do for a business, even when it stems from a single individual.

 

[yeeeaaahhh]

Were you airing your business out to her in the workplace, knowing she's conservative? Why would you do such a thing and then expect a different result from her? Some things are better left unsaid, you know. You're there to do a job, not let everyone taste the rainbow.

Umm... I work at a coffee shop. So I talk to my coworkers. When they ask, "So, do you have a girlfriend?" I am not going to say "Nahhh........." and just not mention that I've been dating a guy for a year and 8 months. And when Kyle came in the store, should I just pretend that he is my "roommate".
It is sad that you think that gay people should have to re-closet themselves for a job. It's not like I pranced in that store everyday in a rainbow speedo, with Cher music playing in the background and a posse of naked men riding unicorns behind me... no. I was who I am. My flamboyant, gay self. And no one, and no job, is going to push be back down into the closet that I came out of. It sucked living like that.
...And had bad lighting



But anyway, I am just going to play it by ear. I have contacted the right departments, and I should be getting a phone call from a rep within the next day or two.
Hopefully something gets done!

Thanks for the help

 

[yeeeaaahhh]

I think my story might end up making it into the regional news paper! So the media may have my back on this one! Woooo

 

[yeeeaaahhh]

I don't think you should "re-closet" yourself at all. What I meant to say is, you have to be protective of who you are in an environment that might be hostile towards you. I'm not saying to lie, but if you detect that you are in a bigoted environment, I don't see the point in discussing your personal life, or emphasizing it.

In my opinion, I am a person who fights for equality. The only way we are going to get equality with everyone in the future is if we start giving it to ourselves now. I am gay, and that is no better or worse than being straight. If my straight coworkers can talk about their boyfriends and girlfriends, and have them come in, then I certainly can too.
If someone has a problem with it, well, there are laws protecting me. If they break those laws, I will fight that.
Does that make sense, or do I just sound like a crazy person? lol

 

[jizzeater]

I hope you do sue her ass and win. You have a witness, so that's a big plus right there. I'd hit her every way you can - the advice about spreading the word about her is good. If you haven't contacted the ACLU, I would. It couldn't hurt.

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/index.html

 

[lilTomTom]

Sue their asses for everything they have! I can't stand any form of racism whatsoever. That's number one on my list of things that anger me quickly. If you knew what type of person I was you'd know that has to be something drastic.

As I can see though, it doesn't look as if you liked the job. Although its still no right to just up and fire someone for their own personal life. Its not like they are having sex with you lol.