A Personal Blog
I Was Just Fired for Blogging
I guess I’m a sucker for punishment. Or publicity. Or something.
I was just fired for blogging. Or, more specifically “divulging company secrets in a public space”. No details provided. My “severance” is what my pay would have been up until I left.
Sadly, it doesn’t include pager, so I’m out 2,000$ and it doesn’t extend my benefits so I can’t get the dental surgery I’d planned for next week.
I’m not sure if I should fight this. There isn’t a big enough precedent to know. Anyone know a good (cheap) lawyer I can talk to?
In the meantime… I feel like I’ve been in a car accident. I know it happened. I know what it means. But I have no idea what happened or what it means.
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| Print article | This entry was posted by Jeremy Wright on January 5, 2005 at 9:54 am, and is filed under Blogging, From My Life, Work. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |
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about 7 years ago
All I can say >> Ouch :(
Don’t forget that every person who made it REAL BIG did have to go through low phases. Just think this to be one of them!
Good Luck!
about 7 years ago
Fight it dude; “divulging company secrets in a public space” sounds very suspect… especially because of your role as an IT guy. It would be expected of you to have an online presence and discuss problems/ideas with other professionals, right?
Down with the man!
about 7 years ago
Bites the big one, but as I’ve said to you a dozen times, you will do well on your own.
about 7 years ago
I presume that this might simply be “it pisses us off that he does his own company, does it while working, possibly blogs while at work, possibly is not here 100%, what can we do against this?”
Of course this is just a guess, but it would be a very natural reaction.
about 7 years ago
I don’t do my own company while working, nor do I blog much and I’m doing more than ever to be 100% here.
I’ll have more details on everything later today or maybe tomorrow.
about 7 years ago
Can they just do that? Fire you on such vague grounds?
about 7 years ago
Robert: Dunno, that’s why I’m hoping someone knows a labour lawyer… I’ve never sued anyone before, and I’m not really sure I want to now. But I do want to know my options.
about 7 years ago
I didn’t say you do run your own company when working at your job, I don’t expect you to, but there is a difference between reality and imagined reality if I can put it like that.
So yes, in a sense I am saying that you could fight. Just think how much money it will cost, how much time you will use and if it is really worth it. $2000 less in your pocket and you are out now, free to do insideblogging, … try to think about whether this is really that bad for you. If fighting it is worth the stress.
And talk to a lawyer, so I will just shut up now ;)
about 7 years ago
Call the Hakes Miester he went through the exact same thing you did one year ago.
about 7 years ago
Call the Hakes Miester he went through the exact same thing you did one year ago.
about 7 years ago
Ouch. I hope you get you job back or maybe find an even better one :-/.
about 7 years ago
Jeremy that is a bummer! You have probably heard of Diary of a >fired< Flight Attendant. Since her being fired from Delta and an ongoing lawsuit is now her life’s work, you might get some good info there.
Good Luck with everything!
Make lemonaide out of lemons.
about 7 years ago
Jeremy: This sounds miserable.
FWIW, If you do decide to get legal advice, I’d consider getting at least two opinions and test them against each other. When I faced legal stress I slipped into the error of “trusting the expert” instead of testing the expertise.
Whatever happens, I hope you find a way to turn this to your advantage.
about 7 years ago
oops…my link got messed up but it still works :-)
about 7 years ago
Clete, he doesn’t need a new job (correct me of I’m wrong, Jeremy). He had sent his letter of resignation and was going to be living off blogging. As it seems from this post, the only downsides is he doesn’t get the health care benefits (and that $2000).
Sucks nonetheless. I say fight it.
about 7 years ago
Sorry to hear that, Jeremy!
It’s easy to imagine someone at your employer being bothered by something you posted – for example, all of the security-related stuff might make it look like you’re making information public that could be used by hackers.
(I say *look like* because I haven’t seen anything that would really be useful to a hacker, but sadly, people with your or my knowledge of network security probably aren’t the ones doing the firing.)
Nonetheless, it stinks and the fact that they won’t give you specifics stinks even more.
I say move on, don’t waste your time fighting it, put it behind you and get a head start on your consulting career.
And get a company to sponsor your dental surgery. It doesn’t sound as good as sponsoring your laptop, but I’ll bet someone will do it…
about 7 years ago
Michael – come on now, how many people can he get sponsored? :p He’s going to be giving blogging out to anyone who can buy him anything he wants? He’s only got 2 arms! ;)
about 7 years ago
I don’t know the labor laws in your area. They differ greatly from region to region. I’m sure you already know this link: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/home.shtml
If they gave you the reason of “divulging company secrets in a public space” they must justify why it constitutes as company secrets. If so, what damage has the company incurred because of your ‘neglectful divulgence’?
If I had to guess: they were looking for a reason to save money and hoping that since you were planning to leave it would not be worth you time or money to press the issue. Of course not knowing any of the fact it’s just a guess.
My last company skirted the law. It stinks dealing with a company that walks the line between legal and illegal.
Good luck with whatever course you choose. I hope you find a satisfying resolution in the end.
about 7 years ago
sorry man. pryers with your guys.
about 7 years ago
sorry man. pryers with you guys.
about 7 years ago
Jeremy, this plain sux! It sounds more like bitter feelings to me. I mean, you turned in notice and then they turn around and do this? Sounds very suspect. More like they want to get out of benefits owed you. I know you’ll land on your feet, and I’m sure everyone here feels the same, just yell if you need our help.
about 7 years ago
Ouch…now that sucks, but I’m confident that you’ll do just fine.
about 7 years ago
That’s terrible, but at the very least you’ve been setting up IB so there’s a “fallback” there. I can’t imagine what would have happened had you not been going with InsideBlogging. Good luck and let me know if you need help with anything. :)
about 7 years ago
Hi Jeremy, It’s a blow but not a knock-out. Stay on your feet and keep moving…and I’ll see what I can do to help ;)
about 7 years ago
$2000 for a pager?!? Wow.
about 7 years ago
Is this a joke? Serious?
Move to Denmark and I’ll get you a promissing blogger-job-opportunity.
All the best – heads up….
Hans Henrik
about 7 years ago
Man, that sucks. I am looking here for colleagues who can actually Blog!
about 7 years ago
Sorry to hear this, Jeremy.
I’d echo some of the comments here – this could be a positive move, albeit enforced and not in a timing of your own choosing, but it could pave the way for you to really focus on some of the things you are good at and obviously enjoy a lot: Inside Blogging, for instance.
Having emerged from leaving my last company in October following their being acquired in mid 2004, I can tell you that (in my experience) radical workplace changes can have a mega silver lining, in many ways, in the apparent cloud!
about 7 years ago
On the other hand, you made job search history. Balls, brains, and initiative won’t leave you high and dry very long.
AJ
about 7 years ago
Did they tell you what specific posts of yours divulged their company secrets? Michael Gartenberg has posted some wise words on this sort of thing recently – if you’re blogging about your employer without their consent or knowledge, then you’re asking for trouble. I don’t know your situation though and I find it hard to believe you would divulge company “secrets” (??).
Best wishes for you and your family.
about 7 years ago
I am confident this won’t hurt you Jeremy, you’ve got a lot going for you. Having said that, sorry to hear about this :(
about 7 years ago
Damn. Are you sure you didn’t say “F*ck” somehwere?
Seriously, Jeremy, that’s major. Ask for a full explanation in writing. HR is obligated to show cause to you, even if it’s *only* to you and, by agreement, not for 3rd party dissemination. I’m winging here cuz our HR guru’s out with other gurus, but if we can help, email me.
best
mark
about 7 years ago
Jeremy I’ll add my condolences, thats certainly unreal. Unfortunate, as many companies do, they basically include a clause stating ‘we can fire you for whatever reason we’d like..’ but I hope theres a strong case for you. This is so shocking.. really.
about 7 years ago
You’ll have the last laugh!
about 7 years ago
In hindsight it will be the best thing that ever happened, but in the meantime you gotta get over the obstacles – good luck. I was dumped from my job in 2003, and lost out on severance pay, etc. My legal advice was that it wasn’t worth it to fight, just get on your feet and get even. That’s what I’m working on now as a free-agent.
Fired for divulging secrets, eh? As McLuhan said, “Only puny secrets need protection. Big discoveries are protected by public incredulity.”
(Found out about this this through Fouro)
about 7 years ago
That sucks. But weren’t you planning on leaving this job anyways–or was that the last job?
If you haven’t divulged any secrets and this is a job that you want to keep with instead of moving on to bigger and better things, then I’d say you should most certainly fight it. Good luck if this is the choice you make.
about 7 years ago
I swear my trackbacks are getting lost somewhere…
my comments
about 7 years ago
Weird. I got the emails about the TB’s… Might be an issue with WP.
about 7 years ago
Sorry to hear that. Are you in the U.S.? If so, you can pay to extend your medical benefits under CORBA. If not, I’m not sure what you can do. Legal fees can add up.
about 7 years ago
that sucks man – that kind of news stings.
Sorry to hear it but don’t let it stop you. I remember the important lesson I learned in my first year of studying marketing – the challenge we face with threats is not what they can do to kill us but how we can actually turn them into opportunities. You might not feel like hearing this now – but in order for something to spring into new life it often has to die first – so after you’ve sat in the pain of this for a little bit let IT propel you into something even better.
about 7 years ago
If you’re looking for legal advice, call your local law association/bar assocation. I know that in Canada, a provincial law association can direct you to a lawyer who will do a consultation for $10. I’ve done this in the past, and it’s a pretty easy way to get a quick opinion – you may even want to get a second opinion.
about 7 years ago
If they’re gonna get you, they’re gonna get you.
If they want to keep you, they’ll keep you.
Do you want to work for a company and managers who do this to you. Do we want to do business with a company that behaves this way.
It used to be “expenses” that they got people with.
Times have moved on! It’s now blogging!
You join an elite group right now. Enjoy it!
I’m sure though you must have a lot of mixed emotions.
Good Luck in the future.
about 7 years ago
Fired huh?
That really is a low blow based on ignorance methinks. I’ve followed your blog quite closely and really see no indication of intellectual property or confidentiality being breached.
The good thing about the blog is that you actually have a traceable and historical record of what you actually have said.
All I can do is echo the sentiments above and wish you all the best.
Find a lawyer and screw your former employer.
Good Luck!!!
about 7 years ago
Fired huh?
That really is a low blow based on ignorance methinks. I’ve followed your blog quite closely and really see no indication of intellectual property or confidentiality being breached.
The good thing about the blog is that you actually have a traceable and historical record of what you actually have said.
All I can do is echo the sentiments above and wish you all the best.
Find a lawyer and screw your former employer.
Good Luck!!!
about 7 years ago
“Sorry to hear that. Are you in the U.S.? If so, you can pay to extend your medical benefits under CORBA. If not, I’m not sure what you can do. Legal fees can add up.”
He lives in Winnipeg, Canada, Scott. Or at least last time I heard, he lives there. (I guess he should update his SitePoint profile if he is living there, then, eh?)
about 7 years ago
First, you had already resigned.
Second, I’m not sure how ppl who have never met you or worked with you can make you a martyr.
Third, maybe this was a way to have you fired without having to wait for further documention of you incompetencies. When you accept a job or position where others rely on you… you need to be reliable… you should not have to be told over and over how things are to be done and you need. You should give your all… 100%… not 70% or 50%
Fourth, I’m sure why any company would want to have someone blog about its’ weaknesses or vulnerabilites as you did.
about 7 years ago
The above comment by Thermo is from someone internally at my old employer. FYI.
about 7 years ago
It’s intersting that this has already started to degenerate.
A point that I made on my blog about Jeremy’s dismissal is quite true, and that is:
No-one will actually know the complete story except for Jeremy and hid former employer.
Things are often promised, deals struck, warnings given etc, that are within the privacy of the employee/employer relationship.
That having been said, I still maintain that I have not read anything on this blog the warrant a dismissal.
about 7 years ago
Somewhere in the blogosphere I saw an ad by a lawyer specializing in blogging matter…I think it was at http://www.rogerlsimon.com though I can’t find it there now.
about 7 years ago
“The above comment by Thermo is from someone internally at my old employer. FYI.”
His last 2 points gave it away. As well as his negativity.
Also, I don’t see how we believe him to be a martyr–I questioned whether that word made sense with how you used it, so I looked it up at Dictionary.com confirming my belief. Most people just see Jeremy as a very bright and friendly guy whom’s advice should be welcomed.
about 7 years ago
Get legal advice. I was “severely warned” about having a blog – with content that was questionable. I sought advice and it turned out that I had pissed someone off at work and the action amounted to harassment. After extended discussions – they bought me out.
Get at least 2 – preferably 3 opinions – take the common ground and that is probably close to reality.
about 7 years ago
All I can say is that I am stunned and speechless.
about 7 years ago
And you didn’t even post racy photos in your flight attendant uniform. I hope.
Seriously, your new business is off and running. If you want to make a go of a business, it needs to be a full time effort. Make some lemonade out of this thing.
about 7 years ago
Jeremy, I’ve been through something like this in the last year (I wasn’t actually fired but was getting an inordinant amount of pressure from my employer to stop blogging OR ELSE) and I found a good labour lawyer (in Australia) who successfully fought my case. It was worth it to get legal assistance, even though it cost a bomb. It made me more than it cost me. Here’s what I’d recommend: get a copy of your employment agreement, and copies of their termination letter to you and then find the BIGGEST, NASTIEST industrial relations law firm you can in your area. And have one meeting with them to assess your case. If they want to take it on, ask them to work on a fee-for-success basis. The biggest thing I learned from my experience was the value of a good lawyer. It took all of the emotional pressure off of me. I knew that if there was a positive outcome to be had, my lawyer would find and maximize it.
In retrospect, it was the best thing that happened to me. Forced me to go out on my own. I’m confident you will feel the same way 12 months from now.
Good luck!
Cameron
about 7 years ago
I went through a wrongful dismissal suit a few years ago. I had been lured away from my existing job by a dot-com. The day before I was due to start, they emailed me and told me they needed to delay my start date by one month. A couple of weeks later, it became evident that they weren’t going to bring me (or the other six new hires) on board. So I sued in Small Claims for wrongful dismissal, since I’d been fired without cause. Even though I had not worked a day for the company, they caused me to give up a good job and end up unemployed. I was able to get a settlement for one month’s salary AND I was able to convince HRDC that it was wrongful dismissal, not firing for cause (this meant I qualified for EI). You may want to contact HRDC to ask for information on wrongful dismissal. Although I got some information from initital consultations with lawyers, I was able to defend myself.
about 7 years ago
It was interesting to hear of Cameron’s experience… not least because it worked well for him. My experience is that a firm with a reputation for nastiness can be nasty not merely to opponents but also to its own clients. I would not judge a firm’s competence by its size either. And I would always get at least two different opinions and compare firms before appointing them.
about 7 years ago
Hi Jeremy, sorry to hear the news.
I suggest you look into this matter. I believe you’ll get a get lawyer from your blogosphere to assist you. Geoffrey
about 7 years ago
Hey Jeremy,
Really sad to hear this..
I guess you could ask for your HR guy to respond to your demand for information on this policy.
I am not very conversant with US/Canadian labour law, but in India some companies say that any company information you share can get you fired…without warning…so you’ve got to check if you signed any such document and also what is the instance of that violation…
All the best on your other company….godspeed and good luck !
regards
Gautam
about 7 years ago
Jeremy, good luck with your life ahead.
about 7 years ago
Jeremy, take this incident as a blessing in disguise.
A repressive company environment is not good for you and you will do better elsewhere. I am sure that there were indicators of this kind of treatment which you may have ignored because you were getting your work dome.
Any outside creative activity can be a target for those whose game is playing office politics rather than getting work out.
Figure out what your next job is going to be and don’t waste time trying to fight your dismissal. I’ve been there and done that and it is generally a waste of time. Keep networking until your friends and associates hook you up with somebody that needs your skills.
Good luck!
about 7 years ago
Sorry to hear that you got fired. Don’t feel down I’m sure you will get a new job fast if you are not going for blogging 24/7. You are a tallented guy.
about 7 years ago
I think it’d be very interesting to see how well he could do with just blogging being his job. But with his experience in it, and his popularity I’m sure he could do well with it.