Lost my dream job, made a fool of myself?
 

As some of you guys know I have a software degree.

I took a great job a GNC. I was doing really well. I hadn't drank in months. I was picking up and becoming one of the top persons to fill orders in the warehouse.

I went out last night. I had been sober two months, absolutely no alcohol. None.

Someone mentioned when I started my shift at 10:00AM I smelled like beer from the night before. I was a temp. My boss decided this should be the day he puts me in front of all HR crew and has me drug tested. I DO NO DRUGS.I am on epillptic meds. I drank the night before.

Some girl on my team who isn't as high up in hours in GNC called me out for drinkng the night before. She called me a drunk. She said I smell like alcohol. I drank the night before but honestly (and this is EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD HR( I dont know how much.

I was stripped of all my badges. I was kicked out. I was fired. I was told i needed a ride. My mom had to drive an hour down there. I was told never come back. The drug test will come back in three days. My job is gone. GNC is a horrible company. I wasn't even drunk. Do I have any rights? I am a single mom. They all said they smelled alcohol on me and fired me on the spot. Help? Thanks.

Did they give you a breathalyzer?

Sorry you lost your job BBE.
I'm not American but I suspect there's very little legal comeback as a temp.

I'm curious - what made you go out and drink last night, especially after two months?

D

Sorry BBE--

Job loss is not a good feeling. I am not in any way trying to sound mean or catty but you would be amazed at what we smell like even 24 hours later. I've gone 3 days being sober and had people tell me that I still reeked of liquor even after showering and brushing my teeth. I know you are passed the point of embarassment and probably would not go back even if they offered the job. The feeling of persecution is HORRIBLE. I'm sure being "made and example of" was bad too. You were blessed with the degree and the job, you will be blessed with another. Whatever you do, don't pick up.

Hugs,
Jazz

Don't sweat it, if they want to play like that they are not a company that deserves you. Forget it and move on. They actually may have done you a favor and save you bigger heartache down the road if you became more vested in staying with them. If they will pull this garbage with you so soon, who knows what they will throw at you in the future. Best not to lie with snakes, stay out of the high grass.

Because you were a temp I doubt you will have much recourse. Will they be sending you a copy of the drug test?

I have a copy of the drug test. I guess I am allowed to get the results. It was a cheek test. The kind you hold in your mouth and I am hearing those don't even detect alcohol? I haven't been out for a long time. I went out with a friend. I loved that job. I sat in the cemetery and cried for hours. They called me in to fill out paperwork to become an employee full time. I am beating myself up at 4am and can't sleep.

They didnt have to be so mean about it. They ripped my badge off of me and took everything I had. I was nice and handed over my belongings. I was crying and instead of saying anything reassuring they just said get out. Then I collapsed in tears outside at my moms car and they watched. Like come on. You're watching someone get their career ruined and the one girl just said "take care". They didnt even give me a warning. Nothing. Just get out. I am sick and disgusted. I want my level back because I wasn't drunk.

Let it go and move on.

I've lost two jobs due to my addiction...it smarts but you have to pick up the pieces and learn from it.

Regarding smelling like alcohol...I used to get in my truck after being out side for a while and wonder why the H the inside of my truck reeked of liquor!! Duh!

Hi behindblueeyes,

2 years ago this coming February I lost a $70K a year job in a top notch position due to alcohol. They fired me abruptly on the day of my 6 year anniversary. I never lost a day's work due to alcohol and never had an HR incident. They had to fight with me to take my vacation time. I took them from 4 clients to over 60 and worked many 80 hour weeks maintaining those clients and keeping them happy. I was personal friends with the president and vice president of the company and was able to speak my mind freely with them. One night, after having worked a long day once again, I started drinking and sent an email to them that should have never been sent. I went to the VP, who was my closest friend, in tears, and apologized. I told him that I fully expected that we would be meeting with HR. His exact words were "I think you're being a lot harder on yourself then we'll be. At the same time there was a guy who had been after the VP for a job. Not sure what happened between "I think you're being a lot harder......." and the day that they fired me but they replaced me with him. I have high regard in my industry and clients were flabbergasted, calling me directly on my cell, some offering positions but they were out of state and I didn't want to move. On top of that I had a 6 month non compete so they essentially took away my right to work in the industry I'm in because many of the local companies in the industry use their software.

After reading all of the above you know that there was some unfairness in what occurred. Point blank, they screwed me.

You know what though? They would have never had the chance had I not drank and sent that email. The cause of me being fired was no one else but me and the hardest words I ever voiced were "I was fired because of alcohol". The circumstances don't really matter. It all comes down to that.

The best thing that you can do for yourself right now is to be honest with yourself and do what's necessary to correct the situation, move on, and to not repeat the mistake. It really sucks to lose a job because of drinking.

As far as any recourse you have most states are "employment at will" states. An employer can ask you to leave if you look at them the wrong way. I talked to lawyers and the only way back at them would be a wrongful termination lawsuit such as discrimination but it's on you to prove it. Even still what are you going to get out of it?

In finality, your efforts would be better focused on working on the issue and looking for another job.

I'm sorry that you lost your job but I hope that you see the experience for what it is and you're able to correct it and find another job soon. You will get past this as hard as that is to see it right now.

:hug:

I have also worked in warehouses. They have very strict rules about booze and drugs. They have to, and intoxicated employee is a danger to themselves and everyone else. There is usually a zero tolerance policy.

With others smelling booze on your breath, had they allowed you to keep your job, then what do they do when others start coming in with booze on their breath?

It's not safe for anyone to have inebriated coworkers around trucks, conveyers, fork lifts, and packing machinery.

Losing a job is hard. Being fired in front of coworkers is hard. Feeling humiliated is hard.
As for making you wait until you could be picked up...had they allowed you to leave, after smelling booze on your breath...had you gotten into an accident they would have been held liable.

I hope you choose to never ever experience this again.

Hope you use this as a wake up call.
Fix it.

I am sorry you lost your job. But the thing overlooked here, I think, is that you broke your sobriety. By the time we alcoholics are committed to recovery, we are well aware of the consequences of drinking. We have front rows seats to the chaos.

Sobriety is way to spare ourselves the ramifications of our affliction.

You drank. As unfair as your company's actions seem, you are suffering the consequences of your drinking.

BBE - This a community where we all support each other and to do so we also provide objective feedback that will instill accountability.

First, thank you for your candor in what happened with your job. Most folks wouldn't want to admit they lost their job because of drinking. So I tip my cap to you.

Something to think about here - It sounds like several people at your company picked up on you still perhaps being drunk or buzzed; at least smelling like alcohol. It sounds like they were glad to have you as a productive employee before this incident. While you feel that it's unfair (and you're probably right) that you didn't get sent home and told never to come in smelling like booze again, and fired instead. Remember the world we live in today and GNC is a big company that protects itself.

Use this as a reminder that you can never drink again. Stop blaming everyone there, never pick up another drink and conquer the world.

Good luck!

Sorry about your troubles.

Sorry about losing your job,if you continue to drink your life will get worse,that is guaranteed.

We are responsible for our actions,if we drink we have to take what goes with it.To smell of Alcohol the next morning and have people smelling it from you should tell you the seriousness of what you did.

Commit to staying sober a day at a time and your life will improve.No doubt there will be a better job waiting for you somewhere.

BBE-

I have been where you are and it is a terrible place. I lost not only my dream job but, any chance to ever work in my field of study again. I will not go into it, as it is a long story but, as much as it sucks....

The only thing that can make the situation any better is for you to stay sober and not use this as an excuse to get drunk again. I wish you all the best and I hope that is not too harsh.

Jess

No offense, but is working as a temp in a warehouse really a "dream job"?

If you have a degree you should be able to do better.

When one door closes another one opens - and usually what is behind that new door is better.

I worked as a teacher, then a librarian and moving to warehouse work WAS a dream job!

takes all kinds?

It's not the situation that causes us great emotional distress, it's how we react to it. Life is going to throw you all kind of curve balls, you have to learn to roll with the flow. Don't worry about anything unless it kills you and eats you. It's just another page in the history books, forget about it and move on.