United Retail Group Inc
Avenue Lied about termination and refused severence after store closure in

I have applied for unemployment after being laid off due to store closure from Avenue. I recently have been informed that my previous employer has stated that I resigned of my own accord with no reason given. This is simply not true and I have proof both in text messages to my phone by my store manager (my supervisor) as well as a voicemail she left. I also have

Contradicting text messages from my district manager that say the opposite of what my supervisor told me. I answered to the store manager, she was the one who told me up until the end (August) that a previously approved missions trip to Africa (planned and approved in March) was still
approved and that it would not affect my Lay Off status when the store closed. My last day at Avenue was August 13 but because my trip was approved, I was supposed to be officially laid off when the store closed on August 23. I returned from Africa 2 days after the store closed so I had no idea what had transpired in the final weeks. I contacted my store manager after I got the notice from the Employment Office informing me what Avenues cooperate office had said about my termination. She then left me a voice-mail explaining that this was wrong and that she had sent in the proper paperwork and that she even had me down as re-hirable because my trip was approved and I was laid off due to store closure like everyone else. I then contacted the district manager and that is when he sent me the contradictory text messages stating that there never was any paperwork and that he never knew of my missions trip. Bottom line is that I was led to believe (not only by the store manager but also the liquidation rep from Hilco Liquidation) that even if I went on my approved trip, that it would not affect my unemployment opportunity, my promised severance package from Hilco, nor future job searches. I never quit, I was told it was ok for me to go to Africa because it had been approved so far in advance. I was laid off, I signed paperwork
(which I never received a copy of but my boss says in the voicemail that she mailed off) stating just that. I should have received my severance package by this time and I haven't. I have been unemployed since September and am running out of my savings account. I have not received any unemployment because of the conflict. I was in management and loved my job... But now I feel betrayed and I was shocked that the company is doing this to me. They can't get away with this and I can't be the only one that they have done this to.

Company: United Retail Group Inc
Country: USA
State: Washington
City: Burlington
Site: avenue.com

  <     >