Can you fire anyone?????????????

In February, I terminated a prep cook for stealing. We had been concerned about his actions for several weeks. He carried a bag that normally contained his cigarettes, a hat, his phone, and sometimes a newspaper.

On Valentine's Day, I was at the cash register when he walked by, headed for the front door. It just looked wrong. I told him, "Let me see what's in that bag." I could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. I looked inside and found three uncooked baking potatoes and a container filled with country style steak. We went to the back where he offered an explanation for his actions. I told him to go home and that I would talk to him the next day he was scheduled. That would give me time to calm down and act rationally.

Two days later, I terminated him when he arrived for work. A few days after that, I received the paperwork where he had filed for unemployment. I filled them out. I explained that he had been caught stealing and had been terminated.

On Sunday, I received the results. He has been ruled eligible for unemployment. The ruling was that he has "misappropriated his employee meal". According to the Employment Security Commission, this is not misconduct. I was stunned. Within 5 minutes, I filed an appeal with the ESC.

The ESC wants to give people unemployment compensation so badly that have no concept of wrongdoing. You can probably kill your coworker, but apparently you will still be eligible for unemployment. The State of North Carolina is borrowing money daily from the federal government to pay unemployment to thieves and drug dealers. The federal government is borrowing this money from China to loan to the states. Let's just ship the scum to China to work there and cut out the middleman!!

My most conservative friend suggested that I write my congressman and the newspaper and tell them the story. I haven't decided who to contact first, but when the sun rises in the morning, I'm on the warpath. If I lose this one, it won't be without my best effort. I would spew a little more venom, but I have to go put together my e-mail list for tomorrow.