Any legal types out there?
The network manager at my previous place of work is telling his current employees that I was fired. I have never been fired from any job and left the job for a higher paid one with glowing references from two heads of departments. This network manager never worked there when I was there and has never met me. The first I heard of this rumour was when a person I worked with came to me to ask why I was fired so its obviously spreading around that I was fired despite nothing of the sort happening. Can I do anything about this?
( Peej, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 17:54, 15 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Tell Monty he's a Bowie fan?
Seriously though, that's a shitty thing to do. Can you speak to him, and set him straight?
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 17:59, Reply)

I'm not 'Keane' on that approach.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:01, Reply)

Oh damn
I've been Busted as a Keane fan.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:02, Reply)

Would the two heads of departments
tell him to back off?
( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 17:59, Reply)

Not really.
However if it hampers your getting another job and you can prove you didn't get it as a direct result of it, you can take them to the fucking cleaners.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:01, Reply)

Language!
Stop picking your nose!
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:03, Reply)

It's proving it that's hard
and you'd probably only be able to claim for demonstrable losses.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:29, Reply)

Gaz 'Swipe
She'll know, and I'm sure her rates are reasonable.

I'm not sure that there's really all that much you can do, though: the onus'd be on you to show malice, and that you've suffered (?materially?) as a result, and it's very difficult to show that. And even if you could, it might well not be worth the faff.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:28, Reply)

would she?
she's in property law isn't she?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:31, Reply)

I thought
she handled house type stuff more than anything else?
(Halfy By light alone, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:36, Reply)

property disputes...
but for what little it's worth, my opinion:

defamation is expensive and difficult to prove. proving a loss is even harder unless you can demonstrate it cost you a new job or similar. i'd be inclined to say do nothing on the grounds that it's tomorrow's fish and chip paper.

however, if you have proof, it might be worth a stroppy letter of claim enclosing your reference from there and threatening to sue.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 5 Feb 2010, 16:51, Reply)

Talk to the manager in a calm adult manner
explain that you were not fired and that you would appreciate it if she would stop spreading the rumour that you were.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:37, Reply)

Not worth it
Unless you can proove demonstrably that these rumours have affected your current earnings, or that they are sufficiently in the public domain to prejudice any future progression.

If you intended to look at legal advice you'd really be needing a libel/slander specialist and that's the sort of person that only John Terry or Andrew Marr can afford to employ - and John Terry didn't get a very good one.

Disclaimer - I'm NOT a legal expert but I'm fairly well versed in employment contract law.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 18:51, Reply)

Hang the bounder

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 3 Feb 2010, 23:56, Reply)

nothing like a spot of direct confrontation in the company of peers
walk in, ask to speak to the lying asshat, ensure someone else is present. and just go 'i was asked by such and such a person why i was fired, and when i asked who told them i was fired, your name came up, would you care to explain or comment on this? and if they refuse, make sure you make a point of explaining the way you left to them, calmly and rationally, in front of your other person, say thanks and leave.


then take a knobbly shit in a rugby sock, wait in the bushes outside, and when they come out, run at them screaming and use the turd in a sock like a medieval mace of fecal goodness.
(UppityDamnPrimate LET'S OPEN THIS F*CKING PIT UP, Thu 4 Feb 2010, 12:50, Reply)