Dominos Pizza: Blain Petersen Is Owner. Fired because my mother died. Cedar Rapids Iowa

I used to order from there (that location) and they overdrafted my bank account (because I paid with my debit card). Anyways, I called to make a complaint and an employee picked up and I said "Ya. You guys owe me a 35.00 Overdraft fee for screwing up my order." and he said "Ok?" He then hung up. So to anyone who is saying "oh there must be more to this story", their manager is clearly a jerk, I can vouch to that. Needless to say I haven't eaten there for a while and I hope to hell they go out of business...it'll serve them right. I also called Corporate to complain and they wouldn't do anything about it because it was a "franchisee location". If I EVER become the President of America, I'm going to propose a bill that will hold Corporations responsible for franchisees who use their Corporate name. Anyways, I feel for you. However, you DO have a case man. That was an unlawful employment termination. I'd be willing to testify if you were to take legal action.

"FMLA could have applied, if he had applied for it ahead of time."

Wrong. What is the basis of your claim? How do you know I didn't "file" ahead of time (whatever that means?) What does that even have to do with my issue? Why are you implying I was lax or didn't do something right?

"In order to use FMLA you would have had to fill out paperwork"

I am perfectly aware that I have to fill out paperwork. Let's throw assuming him to be a moron on top of nitpicking.

"and have a doctor sign off that you would be taking care of your mother intermittently."

Did you even read my post? I wasn't requesting time off from my schedule. I informed him that I needed to leave at my scheduled time. And I also made it abundantly clear that I need to go NOT BECAUSE I WAS TAKING CARE OF MY MOTHER INTERMITTENTLY but because I had an appointment with her doctor to discuss taking her off life support because she was in a coma.

A doctor's note carries no legal weight. A doctor's note does not legally bind an employer to excuse the employee from work. That is Federal and State Law.

"In absense of that, then yes you are correct, it was legal"

No nitpicking or intentional misrepresentation to make me look dumb there. That is just plain misinformation. I have clearly stated that in Iowa one may be fired without reason sans a contract.


And you even have to nitpick the word injustice. Just where did I give even the remotest indication that government should intervene and tell a business who to retain? What relevance does your so called point have? And why would you give me information (albeit incorrect) to help me get the government to intervene under an act that does precisely what you do not want govenrment to do which is telling a business who to retain?

No FMLA does not apply and there is no need to claim that I didn't apply fast enough. I'll take the word of three lawyers over somebody who is nitpicking an individual, giving uncited, unsourced and factually incorrect information, and one who seems to be reading way too much into what I say. You have misread so much of what I wrote I can only assume you did so intentionally so you could nitpick or make someone look dumb and you look smart.

Under FMLA. the business has to employ at least fifty people within 75 miles vicinity. I will take the word of three lawyers and the text of the law over you for obvious reasons.

I did not work there for more than 12 months.

Oh and in case some are thinking: Oh he's just an inbred, uneducated minimum wage "Pizza BOI" who is so stupid he needs to have his hand held, I have a four year degree, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and made the National Dean's List but sadly there are no jobs for my profession in my area and my mother's illness and subsequent death has kinda made it difficult to relocate. The internet is a bit notorious for education s****.> If you are here to help, fine. If you have something relevant, thought provoking, honest and factual in nature, you are most welcome. If you are here to nitpick, intentionally misread stupidity into a post, ignore relevant and clearly stated material in said post, and make a legitimate gripe and the "griper" look stupid, go entertain yourself elsewhere. Go advance your agenda somewhere else.

FMLA could have applied, if he had applied for it ahead of time. Domino's meets the over 50 employees, I'm not sure if you met the year of employment or not.

In order to use FMLA you would have had to fill out paperwork and have a doctor sign off that you would be taking care of your mother intermittently. In absense of that, then yes you are correct, it was legal. I would not call this an injustice though, it is a private business and government does not need to be telling business owners whom they have to retain as employees.

Just protest/boycott/picket them.


There may be no LEGAL recourse for the termination, but you can make them regret firing you.

FMLA applies only to busineses that employ over 50 people and for employees that have worked longer than 12 months.

I talked to three lawyers and all told me there is nothing I can do. One was even noticably annoyed that I even bothered him, giving me a response of "what makes you think I can do anything about it? Try getting a real job."

The best I can do is inform and get the story out there. I accepted long ago that our society utters a collective yawn at injustice unless it is an elite member of society. That's just the way it is.

Mongoose,

It is correct that you may be terminated, in most circumstances and in every state, without cause. It's called "at-will employment," meaning that you are employed at the will of the employer, who is free to terminate your employment at any time.

However, I'm wondering if your situation may fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which case you may have something along the lines of a wrongful termination claim.

I would expect a rebuttal stating that the FMLA does not apply to caring for one's sick mother because, in general, it does not. But I do believe that it can apply when one is caring for a disabled parent. Could be wrong though.

Even if I am right, and even if the attorneys you spoke with were armed with such knowledge, they would still be likely to give you the response you received because, harsh though it may seem, there isn't a whole lot of value to a Domino's gig and thus there would be little point to suing for the loss of a Domino's gig.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Best regards.

Mongoose,

It is correct that you may be terminated, in most circumstances and in every state, without cause. It's called "at-will employment," meaning that you are employed at the will of the employer, who is free to terminate your employment at any time.

However, I'm wondering if your situation may fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which case you may have something along the lines of a wrongful termination claim.

I would expect a rebuttal stating that the FMLA does not apply to caring for one's sick mother because, in general, it does not. But I do believe that it can apply when one is caring for a disabled parent. Could be wrong though.

Even if I am right, and even if the attorneys you spoke with were armed with such knowledge, they would still be likely to give you the response you received because, harsh though it may seem, there isn't a whole lot of value to a Domino's gig and thus there would be little point to suing for the loss of a Domino's gig.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Best regards.

Mongoose,

It is correct that you may be terminated, in most circumstances and in every state, without cause. It's called "at-will employment," meaning that you are employed at the will of the employer, who is free to terminate your employment at any time.

However, I'm wondering if your situation may fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which case you may have something along the lines of a wrongful termination claim.

I would expect a rebuttal stating that the FMLA does not apply to caring for one's sick mother because, in general, it does not. But I do believe that it can apply when one is caring for a disabled parent. Could be wrong though.

Even if I am right, and even if the attorneys you spoke with were armed with such knowledge, they would still be likely to give you the response you received because, harsh though it may seem, there isn't a whole lot of value to a Domino's gig and thus there would be little point to suing for the loss of a Domino's gig.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Best regards.

Mongoose,

It is correct that you may be terminated, in most circumstances and in every state, without cause. It's called "at-will employment," meaning that you are employed at the will of the employer, who is free to terminate your employment at any time.

However, I'm wondering if your situation may fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which case you may have something along the lines of a wrongful termination claim.

I would expect a rebuttal stating that the FMLA does not apply to caring for one's sick mother because, in general, it does not. But I do believe that it can apply when one is caring for a disabled parent. Could be wrong though.

Even if I am right, and even if the attorneys you spoke with were armed with such knowledge, they would still be likely to give you the response you received because, harsh though it may seem, there isn't a whole lot of value to a Domino's gig and thus there would be little point to suing for the loss of a Domino's gig.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Best regards.

I don't know about in Canada, but here in teh US, you can be fired for any reason or for no reason. All state are at-will states. IF you come ot work one day wearing a blue shirt and the boss does not like blue, he can fire you. He would be stupid for doing so, but he has that right.

I have no legal recourse according to federal and state law, and three attorneys I have talked to. In Iowa, one may be fired without reason.

Oh and could it be possible the guy was just a jerk?

Sacrifce? Yes it was a sacrifice. Problem???? The point of the post is I was fired because I requested to be off at my scheduled time and I did so to be polite. My boss was your typical jerk that interpretted politeness as hypocritical and phony social behavior that needs to be squashed.

I'm CERTAIN there is another side to this story. I don't believe this post is complete.

'Three years I sacrificed to care for my disabled mother.'

I guess you are old enough to know that your choice of words is anathema. At least I hope so. One of my greatest fears is becoming a burden to my child. In some cultures it is an honor to care for your aged parent.

Maybe we will feel this way someday..in a more civilized time.

First off, sorry about your loss, but I have to ask, are you sure you have no legal recourse in this?

Who have you spoken to about the incident? I mean, here, you could at least have a civil suit for wrongful dismissal. What do your termination papers say in the "reason for termination" section?

It just doesn't seem kosher that you'd be let go like that, under those circumstances, and not have a leg to stand on.