On 9/1/04, I was told by Marcia Milton (the female business partner) that it was in her best interest for me not to work at First Priority Tours, Inc. (FPT) any longer because my boyfriend was a supervisor and I was a driver and our relationship would be detrimental to the company. At that time, I asked her was I fired and she said she did not handle employment of drivers. Therefore, I have not be officially fired.
Charlie Neal (the male business partner) stated to me that he had to respect her decision as his business partner. I have not been called to work since 8/1/04... Now from the beginning.
To give my work history with this company:
1999 Part-time Bus Driver
2203 Office Assistant (5/02-12/02; Full-Time, 1/03-2/03; Part-time
3/04 - 8/04 Part-time Bus Driver
This is how it all started; below is a timeline of the events.
4-sustained an injury @ Greyhound Lines preventing me from working on the job; Charlie Neal offered me a job at FPT as an Office Assistant and I accepted. I worked 4/02 - 12/02 full-time (40 hours a week).
1/03 - 2/03 business slow; cut back to part-time (2 days a week)
2/14 informed by Charlie Neal that business is real slow, furloughed until end of March or until he calls
4/03 - 3/04 never received a call; filed for unemployment, claim accepted, received unemployment benefits
3/04 able to return to driving but on a part-time basis (cleared by my docor); Charlie Neal asked if I wanted to return to work as a driver not as an office asssitant because Marcia Milton did not want me to work in the office because 1) she didn't like me and 2) because I filed unemployment and did not inform them ahead of time. My response to that was no one informed me ahead of time that I would not have a job at this company. I said okay to driving because that is what I have a passion for.
3/17 - 8/1/04 drove several long distance trips (Biloxi, MS; Williamsburg, VA; Orlando, FL; Las Vegas, NV)
5/04 My boyfriend resigned from his job and accepted a Supervisor position at FPT (My boyfriend and I started working part-time as drivers in 1999 for FPT and Marcia Milton and Charlie Neal was well aware of our relationship at that time, as well as many of the drivers at FPT.)
8/04 a driver was fired at FPT which was a "good friend" of Marica Milton not a good friend of Charlie Neal
8/10/04 spoke with Charlie Neal regarding upcoming work and he then states to me that Marcia Milton does not want me to work at FPT any longer because of personal feelings she has toward me. He also stated to me that since he fired her "good friend" she wanted to fire his "good friend" which was me. (I met Charlie Neal at Greyhound Lines in 1996.) Charlie Neal then suggests that I talk to her to get first-hand information as to why she does not want me to work in the office or as a driver.
Again, as I began this report, on 9/1/04 what was known as my true passion for earning a living, was taken away from me by these individuals at this company.
I truly believe that I should not have been "displaced" because my boyfriend received a promotion (driver to supervisor). Also, our relationship would not have hurt this company or its employees. No provisions or restrictions has ever been set forth and established regarding hiring those who have a personal relationship with a current employee.
As it turns out, my boyfriend does not directly or indirectly supervise drivers. He deals solely with the buses. His position is more of a fleet operations manager. The only people he supervise are the bus crew which is at least 3 people; no more than 7. He also still drives, as needed.
My displacement was solely based on Marcia Milton disliking me as a person.
I feel that I was treated unfairly by this company and their actions definityly were not warranted. FPT exhibited unfavorable labor practices.
For the time it took me to find another, I feel I should be compensated at least $5,000.
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