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Fired for refusing to give my equipment to my employer

Posted by: rickycowboy
Date: 7/10/2005 2:25:51 AM

In February, 2005, I decided to research jobs in my field in the Bowling Green and nearby areas so I could move my fiancé and her son closer to their family. I have been employed in the cemetery maintenance field for over 10 years and put my heart and soul into caring for the deceased. I wanted to stay in this line of work because it gives me great satisfaction.

I posted my resume on the internet and searched for jobs. I even called some local cemeteries in the Bowling Green area but had no luck.

In March, 2005, I received an e-mail from XXXXXXXXX stating they were looking for a maintenance manager in Bowling Green and Franklin, KY and asked if I would be interested in relocating. I responded to the e-mail stating I would love to be able to move to the Bowling Green area. After several e-mails and phone conversations, I set a date of April 2nd to meet with XXXXXXXX to interview for the maintenance manager position for both cemeteries. I flew from Baltimore to Nashville on 4/2/05, rented a car and drove to Franklin, KY where we met at XXXXX XXXXX Gardens. After looking at the cemetery, I followed her to XXXXXXXXXX Gardens in Bowling Green and looked at this cemetery. We went to dinner at Rafferty’s and discussed XXXXX’s future plans for 2 mausoleums, one at each park. We, also, discussed what my job would require and the equipment needed. At the end of the night, XXXXX offered me $10.00 per hour to take the job, but I was unable to survive on this amount of income.

The following morning, she called me at my fiancé’s mother’s house, where I was staying, and asked me to meet her again before I left for the airport.

We met and she had lunch at Steak ‘n Shake and talked some more. XXXX said she was up all night soul searching and could not let me leave without one more offer. The offer she gave me was $12.00 per hour salary. I agreed to the $12.00 per hour. She stated that I was a Godsend and that it was a blessing that we found each other at the perfect time.

I went back to Pennsylvania, put my house up for sale and gave 3 weeks notice to my employer. I sold my house in less than 3 days. I kept in constant contact with XXXXXX and prepared for the move.

Since my fiancé’s son was to graduate on June 3, 2005 and XXXXXX needed me here sooner, I packed most of my tools and came to Kentucky on April 23, 2005. On April 24, 2005, I met XXXXXX at XXXXXXXXX, where I put my tools in a pole barn. We went from Franklin to XXXX Land in Bowling Green, where XXXXXX has a booth rented to sale her services. I started working for XXXXXX on Monday, April 25th. She asked me to check for equipment and get prices. I was unable to do this because of several ongoing problems at XXXXXXXX that took priority. When I did get the chance to go look at equipment, I had to use my vehicle because the company’s trucks she told me about were not road-legal. Each time I needed equipment, gas, parts, or materials, I was expected to use my vehicle and money. This started to make me wonder about XXXXXX’s business ethics. After a few weeks at both XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXX, I had several people and other employees tell me that XXXXXX could not be trusted. I came to find out people were paying for services and merchandise to XXXXXX and not receiving it in the normal time it takes to order. This upset me very much and I started to keep notes and time I spent working for XXXXXX.

On May 20, 2005, XXXXXX called me and said she had purchased a Dixie Chopper from XXXXX Outdoor Power Equipment and I was to go pick it up. I went to XXXXX and the salesman (xxxx) asked me for my Social Security number. He stated that the loan for the mower was going into my name and the mower was going into the Cemeteries name, xxxxxxxxx Service. At this point, I felt XXXXXX was trying to take advantage of me, but rather than let the cemeteries go downhill, I told XXXXX to put the loan and mower in my name. XXXXXX called me and said she could not get the loan in the name because of her debt-to-income ratio and thanked me for putting the loan in my name until I told her the mower was also in my name. She got upset and stated that the mower was the property of XXXXXXX Services and wanted me to keep it at XXXXXXXX. I refused. On June 10th, XXXXXX and her new General Manager had a meeting with me. XXXXXX told me I had to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (see attached) or I was fired. I told her I would go to XXXXXXX and clear out the rest of my tools and be on my way. She then changed her mind and everything seemed OK until June 23, 2005 when XXXXX (the general manager) came to me and said XXXXXX told him to tell me either sign the Memorandum of Understanding or to turn in my keys at the end of the day. I told XXXXX I would put away all of XXXXXXXX’s equipment, lock up the pole barn and turn in my keys and cell phone. That’s what I did. As I was walking out of the office, XXXXX stated, “Ralph, I had nothing to do with this.”

After I was fired, I called several Government agencies including the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX. Some just plain out said nothing can be done, Others have put me off like the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX. I called XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX who works for the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX the day I was fired he seemed interested in helping me so I faxed him a statement of what happened to me and some of the other employees working for XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX. I also sent him some phone numbers of family members that purchased services and merchandise at both Cemeteries and were very unhappy. You see, they were being put off by XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX the same way I am being put off by government employees.

All I wanted to do was to move my fiancé and her son closer to there family and continue working and caring for the deceased. Now I spend countless hours wondering what I did wrong and how I will now support the ones I LOVE!

Ralph A. Bloom

270-796-3115

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