New York, New Jersey, Connecticut News: fired

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Saturday, 22 September 2012

Doctor to determine if fired Wantagh janitor can return

Eyewitness NewsWANTAGH, N.Y. (WABC) -- A hearing for a janitor who was fired following an outburst has determined he is now suspended with pay.

"I feel great they gave me a second chance and I promise not to do it again," said Turner.

Mel turner is on cloud nine, and tons of people are happy for him.

"I understand they need to take their time and have them evaluated but I have no doubt that Mel will be approved to be safe," said Elizabeth Stacy.

A few weeks ago Turner had an autistic outburst.

He said a group of kids had been bullying him and he yelled that he was going to blow up the school.

The audio tape eventually made its way into the hands of administrators.

They fired turner, who had been working as a janitor in the Wantagh school district for the past five years.

He's been beloved in the community for decades.

"The school is standing by and they're going to do a good bullying program. this graduating class will be the class that made the difference in the community," said Patrick Ryder, a Turner advocate.

Turner will remain suspended, and was ordered to go see a doctor who will then determine if he is able to work.

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Thursday, 13 September 2012

Beloved Wantagh janitor fired after outburst

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsWANTAGH, N.Y. (WABC) -- A community is rallying behind an autistic janitor who was fired on Long Island.

Hundreds poured into a school board meeting demanding he be rehired.

The janitor was let go over an outburst.

He was apparently the subject of ongoing bullying and students say he simply lost it.

Mel Turner lost his job and with that he lost his connection with the community because he would not be allowed to attend any school related events, like the big homecoming game.

But, he didn't lose the love and support of the Wantagh community.

45-year-old Mel Turner remembers everyone's birthday, he just needs to hear it one time.

His autism gave him that talent, it's also meant he's been bullied his whole life.

In July, A group of kids cursed and teased him.

When he walked home that day, he saw a different group of kids and allegedly threatened to blow up the school.

Those kids recorded his outburst and turned the recording over to school officials who suspended and then fired him.

Hundreds crowded Thursday's school board meeting to stick up for Turner.

"He had a meltdown. He said horrific things. He said he's sorry. He just wants a second chance," said Patrick Ryder, Turner's friend and neighbor.

Mel is thankful for the love and support his neighbors gave him.

He really just wants his job back.

"I didn't mean what I said. I feel bad," Turner said, "I promise I will never say it again, and I need a second chance at my job."

The school district explained their hands were tied because there are clear rules about making threats and the safety of students.

Late Thursday night, the school board lifted the restriction on attending school events and said they would reconsider allowing Mel Turner to return to his job.

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Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Woman claims she was fired for being 'too hot'

new york city, sex discrimination, lawsuit, labor law, layoff, legal, labor dispute, job, style, new york news, kemberly richardson NEW YORK (WABC) -- In a bizarre and bitter lawsuit, a woman who worked at a business in midtown Manhattan is suing her bosses. She claims she was fired for being "too hot" at work.

"When my supervisor asked me to tape down my breasts, I asked my supervisor, are you kidding?" former employee Lauren Odes said.

The 29-year-old Odes said it wasn't a joke, and she was appalled by the suggestion and what happened at the 5th Avenue headquarters of Native Intimate's, a wholesale lingerie business. According to Odes' attorney, Gloria Allred, "The treatment was discriminatory, profoundly humiliating and unlawful."

The allegations of gender and religious discrimination were spelled out in the complaint currently filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The voluptuous blond was hired April 24 to coordinate shipments of sample to customers and maintained that her supervisors repeatedly complained about her physical appearance and attire, even though she insists there was no dress code, co-workers wore tank tops, and were casually dressed.

She wore a short sleeve purple dress on day two of her job and was allegedly told that the company's Orthodox Jewish Owners felt the piece was drawing too much attention and should not be worn for her "own safety."

The following Monday, she tried a hooded top, but the outfit was still criticized. On the fifth day, she wore a knee-length black dress with a shawl over it hoping to please her bosses, instead they told to wear a red bathrobe, which she took a picture of her wearing it in the ladies room.

"I felt ridiculous and extremely embarrassed, others in the office were laughing and asking why I was wearing it and I told them what I was told," Odes said.

Odes took off the robe and went to buy yet another outfit that she thought would be appropriate, but instead got a phone call saying she was fired, she feels because of the size of her breast and shape of her body.

"I do not feel an employer has the right to impose their religious beliefs on me when I'm working in a business that's not a synagogue, but sells things with hearts on the female genitals and boy shorts for women that say hot in the buttocks area," she said.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE NEWS CONFERENCE

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Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Woman fired for living in sin?

A Colorado woman claims she was unfairly fired from her job at a private, Christian liberal arts university after administrators asked if she was "living in sin" with her boyfriend.

Ashlie Simpson, 31, was a student service advisor at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colo., from September 2009 until January 2012 when she was terminated.

"I was shocked to learn that CCU was concerned about my personal life, and even more distressed when they chose to fire me because of it," Simpson told ABC news. "When they refused to discuss it further, I felt I had no choice but to take legal action."

Simpson's attorney, Elwyn Schaefer, said a coffee break may have sparked offensive questions about his client and her lifestyle by university staff.

"We believe she was penalized for her lifestyle, mainly living with her boyfriend," Schaefer said. "We had attempted to approach [the university] prior to filing a lawsuit and were told the usual, that our case had no merit and they would defend it vigorously of course."

The suit, filed on May 2 with the Denver County District Court, states that Simpson and a married, male enrollment counselor had gotten coffee and donuts in the same car in June 2010; that incident led the vice president of development to express concern to Simpson about her alleged relationship with that married coworker – one Simpson said never existed --- and subsequent questions about her personal life up until she was fired.

That same day, the vice president told Simpson that he had discussed the "alleged relationship" with three of his team members, who had witnessed Simpson and the counselor "laughing and joking together in the office," according to the filing.

The vice president stated that Simpson was a "distraction to [the counselor's] marriage" and the "perception of indiscretion and disregard for the sanctity of Christian marriage" would hinder her career progression at the university, the suit stated.

Steve Miller, university counsel, said, "these are just false allegations."

"As you know, anybody can sue anybody for anything," Miller told ABC News. "We have an ample record demonstrating that she was let go for purely business reasons because she wasn't doing her job and she has chosen to [file a lawsuit]. That's about all we can say at this point."

Later, health problems caused Simpson to miss work, the suit states, but the university did not allow her to have the appropriate leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which can provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

In February 2011, she was diagnosed with a herniated disc, severe muscle strain and degenerative disc disorder, the suit states, and inquired with the human resources department about her intent to file for leave under the FMLA.

The human resources director then asked Simpson questions "directly related to Simpson's private life including, but not limited to, whether Simpson was living with and having sexual relations with Simpson's boyfriend," the suit states, saying "this was potential grounds for termination."

Simpson said as a student service advisor for the university's College of Adult and Graduate Studies, she assisted continuing adult students, ages 23 and older, with questions about their degree plan and courses.

"She was basically an administrative person," Schaefer said. "She has a right to live her life outside the workplace as she wishes."

Simpson is suing for damages for her lost back pay, front pay, future benefits, personal humiliation, and mental anguish.

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Thursday, 22 December 2011

James Franco's grade did not get professor fired, NYU reps say

New York University representatives say Jose Angel Santana was not dismissed because of a grade he had given to James Franco, despite claims the former professor made in a lawsuit against the school.

Santana had last week sued NYU for wrongful termination, racial discrimination and harassment. He said that he was fired after he gave the actor a D for failing to attend 12 out of 14 directing classes he had taught in 2010. Franco earned a master's degree in film production from the university in May and taught a graduate class himself this past fall.

Santana said his supervisor, John Tintori, Chair of the Graduate Film Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, "immediately sided with Franco" and used the incident as an opportunity to "further isolate" him and treat him "disparately" based on his race and color. The former professor, who is of African and Cuban descent, said he was later relieved of his teaching duties.

"The most prominent allegation - that Jose Angel Santana was fired because of a grade he gave a student - is false," Tintori said in a statement on Thursday, December 22. "Professor Santana has not been fired; like other assistant arts professors, he had a three-year contract - which is still in force, and under which he is still being paid - and Tisch chose not to renew that contract."

"The non-renewal of his contract had nothing to do with any grade he assigned to any student, nor did it have anything to do with his ethnicity, which he also claims," Tintori added.

An NYU spokesperson also issued a statement about Santana's lawsuit, calling his claims "false and ridiculous."

Santana began working as an assistant visiting arts professor and as Head of Acting at NYU in September 2008. The New Jersey resident says in his lawsuit that he believes he was "the only full-time professor of color" in his department. He is suing for monetary, compensatory and punitive damages and other fees.

He says he was "afforded less favorable conditions of employment in relation to his predominantly Caucasian colleagues." Santana earned an annual salary of $70,000, which he said was lower than what his peers earned. He said he was later demoted, given a pay cut, barred from faculty meetings and eventually denied reappointment. (See more details about Jose Angel Santana's lawsuit against NYU, filed at Manhattan's Supreme Court on December 16.)

"After the routine contract review, we chose not to renew his contract," the NYU statement said. "It is not appropriate to go into the details of the review - they are private personnel matters - but it had nothing to do with any grade he gave to any student, nor did this decision have anything to do with the fact that he is a Latino, his other claim."

"We find it deeply unprofessional, regrettable, and disappointing that any faculty member - present or past - would publicly discuss any student's grades for the purpose of his or her lawsuit's publicity," the statement added.

Santana is an actor himself. He played a boutique owner in the 1985 film "Desperate Seeking Susan," which starred Madonna, and appeared in the 1986 movie "Jumpin' Jack Flash." Santana also had small parts on shows such as "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Miami Vice."

During his time as an NYU student, Franco developed a film called "The Broken Tower" as part of his graduate thesis. He also filmed the movie "Shadows & Lies," which featured Tintori and was directed and written by another one of his professors, Jay Anania.

Franco also holds an M.F.A. in writing from Columbia University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in English at Yale. He also became a college instructor. He began teaching a directing course at NYU this past fall. His 12 students were asked to create a film based on a poem by Pulitzer prize-winning poet, C.K. Williams.

"This class and film was an experiment," student Shruti Ganguly wrote in an article posted on Indiewire.com on December 20. "It was challenging as we were creating something in a way that had never been done before, especially within an academic system."

Meanwhile, Franco continues to act and is in talks to play Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in a cameo role in the new film "Lovelace," a movie about adult film actress Linda Lovelace, who starred in the famous movie "Deep Throat," according to Variety. Amanda Seyfried is set to portray the female star, while Sharon Stone will play her mother, Peter Sarsgaard will star as her husband and Hank Azaria will play a director.

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