My son in law had been at the Toyota Technical Center in Saline, Michigan for a year. He was happy with this job, and his supervisor gave him very positive reviews. In November he was offered an opportunity to travel to the Sudan to do some work for his church. He asked his supervisor at Toyota for three weeks off, unpaid, for the trip. The trip was approved by his direct supervisor. He purchased $6,000 worth of airline tickets and paid the fees, paid for the travel shots, passport, etc. Then, after the holidays, they told him it was no longer OK for him to travel in February. He told the department manager that he had already invested in his trip, but it was too late. They fired him on the spot. So he was given approval for the leave time, followed proper protocol and then was fired for explaining that he had already paid for the trip and it was not refundable. I don't know of ANY U.S. companies that would treat their employees that way. Buy a Ford, G.M., Chrysler or Honda if you must. Never Toyota.
Thinking of buying a Toyota? Read This..
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Pretty dysfunctional...... A Toyota was not in my future. But as defektes mentions they won't be the first or last to pull that.
I wonder if there is more to this than stated?
Fired for what?
Lawyer up.
Religion is verboten here.....but in a law case.....well he may not have proof of that.....but.....
Lawyer up.
Religion is verboten here.....but in a law case.....well he may not have proof of that.....but.....
I'd still pick Toyota over Ford or Chrysler or even GM any without thinking. It has nothing to do with the quality of their cars and service. I'm sure that U.S. dealerships have pulled stuff even harder than that. It depends only on the supervisor and has very little to do with the company.
As far as company practices - GM, Ford, Chrysler are far more guilty of bad handling of employees than Toyota or Honda. I don't think I've ever heard of Honda plant closing or mass layoffs in U.S.? Toyota closed a few factories last few years if i'm not mistaken.
As far as company practices - GM, Ford, Chrysler are far more guilty of bad handling of employees than Toyota or Honda. I don't think I've ever heard of Honda plant closing or mass layoffs in U.S.? Toyota closed a few factories last few years if i'm not mistaken.
This is an example of why unions/collective bargaining is needed. It's not about money but just having some protection against arbitrary, capricious or abusive treatment by your employer. Anyway, I think it is a good idea to do business with companies you would want to work for and to avoid those you would not. The Big 3 is a better employer to work for than the foreign ones. Foreign automakers treat their employees in their home countries better and come here and it's a different story, plus they caused more loss of domestic employment than gained. That's the hidden cost of doing business with foreigners.
Originally Posted By: unixguru
I'd still pick Toyota over Ford or Chrysler or even GM any without thinking. It has nothing to do with the quality of their cars and service. I'm sure that U.S. dealerships have pulled stuff even harder than that. It depends only on the supervisor and has very little to do with the company.
As far as company practices - GM, Ford, Chrysler are far more guilty of bad handling of employees than Toyota or Honda. I don't think I've ever heard of Honda plant closing or mass layoffs in U.S.? Toyota closed a few factories last few years if i'm not mistaken.
You got to be kidding. You can't blame the corporate company for what a privately owned dealership does with its employees. But GM did not rip off mechanics with low warranty labor times like some automakers. The Domestics laid off workers because they lost sales to imports, not because they were squeezing more out of the workers. Honda hires a lot of low paying temporary workers, with no benefits, and a very high workload on the employees. It's not even in the same ballpark to what the Big 3 employees got, the taxes they payed and how they supported the economy.
I'd still pick Toyota over Ford or Chrysler or even GM any without thinking. It has nothing to do with the quality of their cars and service. I'm sure that U.S. dealerships have pulled stuff even harder than that. It depends only on the supervisor and has very little to do with the company.
As far as company practices - GM, Ford, Chrysler are far more guilty of bad handling of employees than Toyota or Honda. I don't think I've ever heard of Honda plant closing or mass layoffs in U.S.? Toyota closed a few factories last few years if i'm not mistaken.
You got to be kidding. You can't blame the corporate company for what a privately owned dealership does with its employees. But GM did not rip off mechanics with low warranty labor times like some automakers. The Domestics laid off workers because they lost sales to imports, not because they were squeezing more out of the workers. Honda hires a lot of low paying temporary workers, with no benefits, and a very high workload on the employees. It's not even in the same ballpark to what the Big 3 employees got, the taxes they payed and how they supported the economy.
Find a lawyer this slime hates law problems especially small stuff. Get a newspaper involved. The Free Press if it still around might like this. In the big picture he is lucky to be out of there but that will take years to see. I would not buy a Toyota because the new ones are junk.
Originally Posted By: unixguru
I'd still pick Toyota over Ford or Chrysler or even GM any without thinking.
That pretty much speaks for itself.
And its been very common consumer practice for at least the past 20 years- buy what "everybody says is good" without thinking.
I'd still pick Toyota over Ford or Chrysler or even GM any without thinking.
That pretty much speaks for itself.
Now or days.... most companies will give you a kick on your [censored] no matter how many loyal years you gave them.
I am very anti union, but thats just me. In the 25 years I've been working I never saw a reason to join a union.
Remember the BITOG member that was fired by his job and when he applied at another business, when they called for a reference the place that fired him talked trash about him and he was immediately disqualified from all job openings. There is really nothing you can do about it.
I am very anti union, but thats just me. In the 25 years I've been working I never saw a reason to join a union.
Remember the BITOG member that was fired by his job and when he applied at another business, when they called for a reference the place that fired him talked trash about him and he was immediately disqualified from all job openings. There is really nothing you can do about it.
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Religion is verboten here.....but in a law case.....well he may not have proof of that.....but.....
I'm pretty sure it's only proselytizing and theological discussions that are verboten here. I don't have the slightest idea what you're trying to say, but if it doesn't fall into either of those categories, you should be able to say it without invoking the wrath of the mods. At the very least, I would defend you if they did step in...
Religion is verboten here.....but in a law case.....well he may not have proof of that.....but.....
I'm pretty sure it's only proselytizing and theological discussions that are verboten here. I don't have the slightest idea what you're trying to say, but if it doesn't fall into either of those categories, you should be able to say it without invoking the wrath of the mods. At the very least, I would defend you if they did step in...
What really hurts was that he was doing everything right. He volunteered to take Japanese language and culture classes on his own time. He started early and worked late each day and didn't miss any time. Good thing he's young and only had one year invested in that company. Hopefully, he can get a job with a company that has U.S. ownership that has a vested interest in the well being of the community.
Is your son in law still going on the trip to Sudan ?
Thanks man.
He was taking the time off "to do some work for his church"
A good lawyer is paid in spades. A good lawyer could set the table, eat and get a tip with that.....he may not even need to prove the employer knew the purpose of the trip.
I'm going with the perfect employee in this scenario.
He was taking the time off "to do some work for his church"
A good lawyer is paid in spades. A good lawyer could set the table, eat and get a tip with that.....he may not even need to prove the employer knew the purpose of the trip.
I'm going with the perfect employee in this scenario.
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Now or days.... most companies will give you a kick on your [censored] no matter how many loyal years you gave them.
I am very anti union, but thats just me. In the 25 years I've been working I never saw a reason to join a union.
Remember the BITOG member that was fired by his job and when he applied at another business, when they called for a reference the place that fired him talked trash about him and he was immediately disqualified from all job openings. There is really nothing you can do about it.
Sadly, I don't think he has any legal options because if your employment is not under union contract then you are at-will employed and can be fired, with a few exceptions, for any reason or no reason at all. And his missionary trip with the church probably isn't protected because it's probably not considered a requirement of the religion. Maybe if he could show someone else was given time off he could claim disparate treatmnet but I'm sure Toyota would hide the info.
Just about every job I've worked and every job anyone I know has worked could use collective bargaining protection. If a former employer is defaming you in job references, they can be held liable in a civil suit. Even if the person proves it I don't expect a court to make them whole though.
Now or days.... most companies will give you a kick on your [censored] no matter how many loyal years you gave them.
I am very anti union, but thats just me. In the 25 years I've been working I never saw a reason to join a union.
Remember the BITOG member that was fired by his job and when he applied at another business, when they called for a reference the place that fired him talked trash about him and he was immediately disqualified from all job openings. There is really nothing you can do about it.
Sadly, I don't think he has any legal options because if your employment is not under union contract then you are at-will employed and can be fired, with a few exceptions, for any reason or no reason at all. And his missionary trip with the church probably isn't protected because it's probably not considered a requirement of the religion. Maybe if he could show someone else was given time off he could claim disparate treatmnet but I'm sure Toyota would hide the info.
Just about every job I've worked and every job anyone I know has worked could use collective bargaining protection. If a former employer is defaming you in job references, they can be held liable in a civil suit. Even if the person proves it I don't expect a court to make them whole though.
It sucks; I have always thought that the Japanese employers treated their employees better. It sounds like OP's son was set up to provide an excuse to be fired.
I don't know if Michigan is an at will state. If so, unless there is a discrimination involved, he may not have any option against the employer. Even if there is discrimination, it usually means an out of court settlement for 2-3,000 dollars.
I don't know if Michigan is an at will state. If so, unless there is a discrimination involved, he may not have any option against the employer. Even if there is discrimination, it usually means an out of court settlement for 2-3,000 dollars.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
If a former employer is defaming you in job references, they can be held liable in a civil suit. Even if the person proves it I don't expect a court to make them whole though.
The HR have coded messages for answering the reference questions without doing anything illegal.
If a former employer is defaming you in job references, they can be held liable in a civil suit. Even if the person proves it I don't expect a court to make them whole though.
The HR have coded messages for answering the reference questions without doing anything illegal.
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