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My boss is replacing all his employees with Jehovah's Witnesses

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
I'm shocked and appalled by the fact that multiple people are actually suggesting that Alceste convert to JW.
Though I'm not going back to read each comment to see, I highly doubt anyone who is familiar with Alceste would say that in anything but a joking tone. Personally, I cannot imagine Alceste converting to JW. There are some things that dignity does not allow for.
 

murtaad

Member
I thought employers are allowed to hire whoever they want for the job. If this is the case, those Kosher restaraunts in LA and NY should be forced to hire non-Jewish cooks or something.
Actually this would be different because non-Jewish cooks might not have as much training as a Jewish cook. And it could affect the outcome of the product they are selling. And in the case of a Kosher restaurant they have should freedom of association.

I don't think this really compares to not firing a person for not being a member of the right religion, especially if it's for an office job and when the owner is a xtian. This is a pure and simple case of discrimination.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
Good for you. Its better that you don't. There is no reason to submit yourself to a costly legal battle if you don't have to. Especially, if the end result may not be anything other than him paying your court costs, giving you an apology, and paying the state a fine.

Litigation is not the answer to everything. The best thing you can do in this case, is tell him he's a dick, then move on to something better in life. Remove yourself from the situation.

We represented ourselves at the other case and won. It wasn't that tough, but that lady was so crazy she got kicked out of the courtroom. She had an actual lawyer though, so I did feel kind of pleased with myself.

Anyway, with or without a lawsuit, getting out is my main plan but I'm not going to do it in a way that impacts my bottom line.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
That's wise. Tailor your apps for your target business. Leave out millions of things. Only specify what is relevant to their business and why they should choose you over everyone else. It also helps to put the app on odd size paper or coloured. Don't use scented paper, lol. I know I always spent time looking over "different" resumes. Over-qualified people with resources up the wazoo, generally got pitched in the garbage. I'm just sayin'.

That would be prudent, but I wouldn't put that much effort into it unless you hadn't had any nibbles in a month or so.

I will make a killer 1 page resume customized for office manager and admin jobs tomorrow (well, one each). When I was hiring I was put off by the over-qualified ones too, as I recall, but the placement agency that was sending me CVs only ever sent me two or three to choose from so I interviewed them all and picked the one who looked the smartest.

I did go for one job I really want (apprentice electrician) I spent days on my application, researching the company, getting the requested documentation together and deconstructing the job posting to craft "the perfect resume". There are only 8 posts in the whole province though, so unless there's some kind of affirmative action thing going on there I think my chances are slim.

If I got it, it would triple my income, give me FT employment for at least 4 years, an electrician's ticket AND get me out of the mess I'm in. I'd probably buy my boss a cake for making me rethink my whole approach to job hunting.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
I'm shocked and appalled by the fact that multiple people are actually suggesting that Alceste convert to JW.

Even if you somehow managed to justify a belief in JW (a form of Christianity) morally and intellectually, her becoming a JW wouldn't stop the boss' practice from being illegal.

(Of course, I think most of the suggestions saying to become a JW were jokes, but at least one appeared serious.)

Not gonna happen. :) To be honest, it might all be in my imagination. The sudden appearance of JW's and disappearance of experienced non-JW colleagues is suspicious, as are the whispered backroom conversations between two of them that stop whenever I walk into the room, but there's no clear evidence my own job is at risk. It's confusing for me - normally I quickly make myself indispensable pretty quickly in any job, but I think this boss is too flaky or stupid to realize I have made myself indispensable. I don't know if I'm going to have a job to go to on Monday or not.
 

Onkara

Well-Known Member
My boss is a JW. A little while back he let go a long time employee and hired a JW to replace her. Then he hired another person who I met today. Turns out she is also a JW. Meanwhile he is making all kinds of noises to the two of us who are not JW that he needs to cut back on our hours "to save a few bucks", but I can't help but notice every shift we get shaved off our schedules is going to these JWs, who get paid the same as we do (I know, because I do the books).

Should I sue him or just quit? If I quit, should I do it in a fit of rage and cussing or should I properly train the JW who he has apparently pegged to replace me first?
Wait for dismissle or a better job, i.e. don't quit.
I have met companies who only employ Muslims, for example.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
Wait for dismissle or a better job, i.e. don't quit.
I have met companies who only employ Muslims, for example.

OK. I won't quit, but I won't train the JW girl to replace me either. Also, I won't work too hard, since there is nothing to gain by it.
 

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
There are a few things to remember/ think about....

We all go to work for our own benefit.
Bosses buy our time and skills.
they have no other hold over us.
Always find a new job before giving notice to an old one.
Your interests come first.
Loyalty is one way.

Suing previous employers is rarely a good idea. following employers don't care to risk hiring you.

I doubt your job description includes training your successor, and making your self redundant.

It is clear you want out.

what would it cost to set up in competition?
Is it a realistic option?
Could the locality support two operations?
Do you have all the skills necessary?
Would you need a partner?
Is there a suitable alternative premises?
Could you raise the necessary front money?
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
OK. I won't quit, but I won't train the JW girl to replace me either. Also, I won't work too hard, since there is nothing to gain by it.
That's a fair way to address it. Another could be to do a great job, & make it clear to the boss man that you'll leave on good terms.
It might lead to a good job reference.
Warning:
This advice is only for your consideration....to use or discard as you see fit.
But it's worth all of what you paid for it.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I thought employers are allowed to hire whoever they want for the job. If this is the case, those Kosher restaraunts in LA and NY should be forced to hire non-Jewish cooks or something.
This isn't the case in Canada. It's illegal to discriminate on the basis of religion in employment... and this starts even before a person is hired. If you use a discriminatory process to decide which applicants to interview, you can be in trouble.

What you're allowed to do is set requirements that could generally exclude people of one faith or another, but they have to be directly related to the job.

For instance, in the case of your Kosher restaurant, you could have as a requirement "must be knowledgeable in kashrut food handling practices and must be experienced in Yiddish cooking". Even though very few (if any) non-Jewish applicants would meet those qualifications, you can't make "must be Jewish" a job requirement.

As another example, even the Catholic schools here have requirements like "must have a good working knowledge of the Catechism of the Catholic Church", but they can't say that they won't hire non-Catholics.

AFAIK, the only job in Canada where you can make religion a requirement (legally, anyhow) is clergy.
 

Alceste

Vagabond
That's a fair way to address it. Another could be to do a great job, & make it clear to the boss man that you'll leave on good terms.
It might lead to a good job reference.
Warning:
This advice is only for your consideration....to use or discard as you see fit.
But it's worth all of what you paid for it.

I would never give this guy as a reference. As I said, he can't have a normal conversation - he's an unpredictable, random and aggravating waffler with customers, employees, creditors and suppliers - there's no telling what he would say if someone called for a reference. I also can't do a great job - I did at the start, but whenever I did anything proactive he demanded I put things back the way they were and there is no way for anybody to talk him out of it.

I've got great references from all my jobs before I moved here as well as my other part time job, so I don't need to blow any smoke up his arse.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I thought employers are allowed to hire whoever they want for the job. If this is the case, those Kosher restaraunts in LA and NY should be forced to hire non-Jewish cooks or something.

As long as they don't do so BECAUSE of religion, gender, race etc.

Most states in the US are "at will" employment; there is no "right to work" law. It means any employer can hire or fire with or without reason or notice as long as there is no overt discrimination or violation of anti-discrimination laws.

Any jabroni making comments about hiring and firing because of race, gender, belief and in most states sexual orientation is looking for his butt to be hauled into court. Discriminating on the sly, however, is extremely hard to prove. Been there, done that.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Most states in the US are "at will" employment; there is no "right to work" law. It means any employer can hire or fire with or without reason or notice as long as there is no overt discrimination or violation of anti-discrimination laws.
"Most states in the US" are not in Canada. ;)
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
:facepalm:

Recovery from major gaffe in progress. Please stand by...

Canada isn't the northern US? Oh, so they pulled that same silliness the southern US states did, trying to secede, eh?

:run:
 

Alceste

Vagabond
There are a few things to remember/ think about....

We all go to work for our own benefit.
Bosses buy our time and skills.
they have no other hold over us.
Always find a new job before giving notice to an old one.
Your interests come first.
Loyalty is one way.

Suing previous employers is rarely a good idea. following employers don't care to risk hiring you.

I doubt your job description includes training your successor, and making your self redundant.

It is clear you want out.

what would it cost to set up in competition?
Is it a realistic option?
Could the locality support two operations?
Do you have all the skills necessary?
Would you need a partner?
Is there a suitable alternative premises?
Could you raise the necessary front money?

The start-up cost would be a bit of a problem unless we can get our families to invest or my other business (indie games) does well when we launch. (I don't do debt.)

The locality can only support one such store but I'm confident ours would win out within the first couple of years. This store has a terrible reputation among the musicians in the community because of my boss - they avoid going there when they can. About half the students in the school are mine or the other non-JW employee's - most of them would move with us. Music students are loyal creatures. :)

The main concern is that he is barely keeping his head above water, which is a bit of a worry. OTOH, I've learned a lot about why he's struggling from my other retail job, which is printing money.
 

T-Dawg

Self-appointed Lunatic
:facepalm:

Recovery from major gaffe in progress. Please stand by...

Canada isn't the northern US? Oh, so they pulled that same silliness the southern US states did, trying to secede, eh?

:run:

No, Canada was never a part of the United States. Both were part of the British Empire when the US seceded from Britain, and Canada itself seceded a while after that. The only time Canada and the US were united under one state was during British colonial rule.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
:facepalm:

Recovery from major gaffe in progress. Please stand by...

Canada isn't the northern US? Oh, so they pulled that same silliness the southern US states did, trying to secede, eh?

:run:
Well, we are America's Hat, but the hat is not part of the head. :D

No, Canada was never a part of the United States. Both were part of the British Empire when the US seceded from Britain, and Canada itself seceded a while after that. The only time Canada and the US were united under one state was during British colonial rule.
... despite the best efforts of the sneaky Yanks and Fenians. ;)
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
But... but... but... their telephone and postal systems are the same as ours! Upstarts! :mad:
They are? :confused:

You can call the US from Canada, but I'm not sure that makes our systems "the same".

And our postal systems are different in a few important ways:

- you have zip codes with five numbers (or 5 plus 4... though I haven't figured out that weirdness yet), we have postal codes with six digits, alternating numbers and letters.

- we haven't had a postal killing since 1934.
 
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