Is it legal to fire someone over the phone?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it legal to fire someone over the phone?
I repeatedly informed my boss I was not able to work sundays due to transportation issues. One sunday I missed my bus. The next one didn’t come for two hours. I called work and the manager on duty said that everything was fine and that he would just mark it down as a call off. The next morning the head manager called me at home and fired me. I didn’t call off often and had never received any warnings or been disciplined in anyway previously.
Asked on June 22, 2009 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 15 years ago | Contributor
Unfortunately, it is legal. Pennsylvania is an "employment at will state"--employers may fire employees any time, for essetially any reason that is not discriminatory or against an employment contract. That means that if your boss wants to let you go, he can, regardless of your prior record. Firing you over the phone is generally considered inappropriate, but it, is legal.
(If you have an employment contract, ignore the above--what counts is what's in your contract.)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.