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Report: #374268

Complaint Review: Rent A Center - Erie Pennsylvania

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: Corporate Town Texas
  • Author Confirmed What's this?
  • Why?
  • Rent A Center 115 West 18th Street Erie, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

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I had been working at Rent A Center for about 14 months when I found out I was pregnant. I had no concern about loosing my job, because I read into the maternity policy, saw the maternity leave program, thought I was set.
Well, when I came back from my doctor with a lifting restriction that all went down the drain. I was unable to lift over 25lbs. which apparently is the end of the line with RAC.
My store manager recieved the notice the day after my appointment and he passed it off to our market manager. I heard nothing back so assumed all was well and continued working as normally. I was a credit manager so very little lifting was involved, and there were two other male managers in the store, so I thought it wouldn't be that big of a deal. How wrong was I!
Three days later I was called into the store managers office to be put on speaker phone with him, and the market manager. I was told I was "not allowed to work" due to my lifting restriction. They could let me get away with working until Friday, then they would have to put me on medical leave. If I was to have the restriction lifted though, I could stay. The market manager told me several times I could have my job back after I had the baby, he kept making it sound like everything was fine, and this wasn't a problem.
Well, it wasn't a problem... until I realized some minor details he forgot to mention in the conference call.
1. FMLA is unpaid
2. Hardship from the 401K program- unavailable to those who are pregnant
3. RAC has a moonlighting policy saying that while on leave, you may not work anywhere else, or they have the right to not hire you back.
So not only have I been fired, but they try to tell me I can't work anywhere else! How am I, a single mother, supposed to live on nothing?!?!?!
I was beyond upset to say the least. I couldn't stop crying. I just couldn't believe that a company I had given so much to could just let me go that easily.
I looked through every HR article on leave, read the entire employee handbook, read the Family Medical Leave Act website. RAC has a loophole of everything. There is no way around what they did to me.
I filed for unemployment, not that it will do any good, because I'm sure they will deny it. But I did. Even though I have already found another job that pays just as much, and I don't have to give my life for.
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to do next, or if I should just cut my losses and move on.

Pissedoff
Corporate Town, Texas
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/18/2008 10:34 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/rent-a-center/erie-pennsylvania/rent-a-center-fired-me-because-i-was-pregnant-erie-pennsylvania-374268. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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#4 UPDATE EX-employee responds

WOW I can't believe it

AUTHOR: Mrs.Jackson - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, April 03, 2009

Same thing happen to me! I was forced out at 14wks pregnant! Gave all the information they asked for after my son was born! Still I heard nothing from the store manager or district manager! The store manager try to play dumb like he doesn't know whats going on stating that it was up to the district manager if I could come back or not like I had been terminated and was begging for my job back or something! I am still jobless and my son is getting ready to be five months old!

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#3 UPDATE EX-employee responds

it happened to me too

AUTHOR: Jaeswife316 - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, December 11, 2008

Hi I was fired at 7 months. And was told by Sue davis, head of the leave of absence that I was lucky I got to stay till that far along. I'm currently in a lawsuit with Rent a Center. I was pushed out on maternity leave then fired within 30 days. You should seek a lawyer. My lawyer won't charge me until I win, and I'm not the only case currently pending. You can email me if you want.

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#2 UPDATE EX-employee responds

You have rights!- Please read the comments.

AUTHOR: Former Employee - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, November 26, 2008

I am aware that R-A-C has loop holes for everything. But, termination for being pregnant is not one of them. You can do many other things than just lift 25lbs. comfortably. That is one of the things they require that you do while being employed for the company. You can work around that issue.

But, what's done is done. I suggest you sue for wrongful termination. It sounds like you have found something better than what you had at R-A-C. My opinion is that you cut your losses now rather than later. You will be much happier for it.

I do suggest you call this number for legal advise.

It is the Legal Aid Society:

1-877-LEGAL AID

(1-877-534-2524)

They are located in San Diego, CA. But if you call, they can give you the number for the Legal Aid Society in your area. Or you can just Google "Legal Aid Society" and just look for your region or area.

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#1 Consumer Comment

RAC

AUTHOR: Atlanta Guy - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, September 20, 2008

Indeed. Just move on. Don't waste your time with RAC. As you stated, they have too many loop holes, and can get away with doing anything they want. You have a new job...Congratulations. I know you'll be much happier there than working for RAC. Focus on it, and forget RAC. You'll be much better off.

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