She Wants Her Stuff Back

I feel bad for my friend Mae.  She lost her job about a month ago - was an accountant for a small company downtown. She's smart - was probably too smart for that hole-in-the-wall company who has a lot of secrets to hide - but that's a story for another day.

On that Friday morning a month ago, they told her she was fired - no reason given except for the fact the company was having a hard time making payroll. Business conditions weren't good.

She was asked to leave immediately. Mae wasn't allowed to go to her desk and get her personal stuff - some family pictures, a coffee mug, some paintings - just stuff she had in her little office cube. Her boss said they would get this to her the following week.

Now a month has gone by and none of her personal belongings have been returned to her.

She wants her stuff back. Isn't that Mae's right?

- Carol Walters

(Photo from www.myoops.org)

Comments

[Jim]

Your friend had the right to get her personal belongings right then and there. I would suggest she get an attorney.

[Chris]

This type of thing happened to me once. I was fired and had to leave immediately. I was told I could come back at a later date to pick up my things, they said they would call me with a time and date, and never did.

I had to get legal aid involved and I finally got my stuff back. Maybe your friend should do the same.

[jackula]

your pal got done dirty. she should have insisted right them and there to get her stuff.

[Gregory Flannery]

I hope Mae and her friends think about a long-term solution: Workers can organize unions and negotiate with their employers all the terms of their jobs — how much they get paid, what their duties are, what their rights are and what happens when the employer acts unfairly.

[Marilyn]

The personal stuff must be returned.

Has Mae contacted the former employee and inquired as to the whereabouts of her stuff? What was the answer?

Legal aid sounds like a nice place to start.