Updated OP: I just lost my job for going above and beyond.

[PenguinPower]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

Different religion, and I could be classified as disabled but I never disclosed that information to my employer.

Was your employer aware of the religious differences, and did they ever make any comments as to the fact, or any comments to disparage your religion?

[Acanthus]

Originally Posted by PenguinPower

Was your employer aware of the religious differences, and did they ever make any comments as to the fact, or any comments to disparage your religion?

No.

[sixone]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

You are splitting hairs to an insane degree.

ROFL. Your answer for why you didn't ask for permission is that IT isn't allowed in your department, and that the only person who can authorize access hasn't been hired yet.

Then you claim that you didn't know any of that until after they'd fired you, so you didn't know you needed permission.

You should be careful what you do at work, more so when you're trying to convince someone to give you a promotion. That's basic common sense.

I don't think you should have been fired, but you sure should have lost any chance at that promotion. You just don't have the judgment, yet.

[PenguinPower]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

No.

You're most likely out of luck in the legal department.

[Remobz]

Originally Posted by Mandres

For fuck's sake guys, this kid did not get fired for "snooping" with the company computers. That might be the reason listed in his HR file, but it damn sure was not the reason they got rid of him.

OP, you know as well as I do that they simply didn't like you. For some reason or another you got on the bad side of someone with authority and they sent you packing as soon as they had a plausible reason.

You weren't a good fit there, so suing to get your job back is not very wise. Go file for unemployment immediately and start looking for something else.

And be smarter next time about pissing off the higher-ups...

Well, every company has different policies and varies from Country to Country. Our policies here differ than the USA for example.

Obviously, there might be some truth to what you are saying. More than meets the eye for sure.

Oh well

[senttoschool]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

I'm very close to my CCENT.

The problem is all jobs available in networking want a 4 year degree.

Do you use LinkedIn? If not, you need to sign up for an account. Start adding recruiters as connections on LinkedIn.

When you find a job that you want to apply for, look up an HR person that company on LinkedIn and add him/her as a connection. Once you add them, send them a personal message about your interest along with your resume.

Start hustling. I think most companies just want someone that can get the job done - 4 year degree or not. Just demonstrate that you know what you are doing.

[Acanthus]

Originally Posted by senttoschool

Do you use LinkedIn? If not, you need to sign up for an account. Start adding recruiters as connections on LinkedIn.

When you find a job that you want to apply for, look up an HR person that company on LinkedIn and add him/her as a connection. Once you add them, send them a personal message about your interest along with your resume.

Start hustling. I think most companies just want someone that can get the job done - 4 year degree or not. Just demonstrate that you know what you are doing.

Thanks for the encouragement

I do have a linkedin account, but it's incomplete. I'll work on that.

[senttoschool]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

Thanks for the encouragement

I do have a linkedin account, but it's incomplete. I'll work on that.

Yea, definitely use LinkedIn. I know people here hate social media for some reason but LinkedIn has gotten me internships and jobs. It's a social media worth investing your time in for sure.

Build out your complete profile. Write about yourself, what you want to do. Join networking groups. Apply for jobs using your LinkedIn profile(this works well!).

Message me if you want some more LinkedIn advice. I can send you my profile as an example.

[SagaLore]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

It literally says "tampering with surveillance cameras or equipment can be grounds for immediate termination"

tampering is not defined, what is or isnt equipment is not defined, there is literally no IT policy whatsoever in the handbook.

Actually, and unfortunately, that IS the IT policy.

Definition of tamper:

1
: to carry on underhand or improper negotiations (as by bribery)

2
a : to interfere so as to weaken or change for the worse —used with with <did not want to tamper with tradition>
b : to try foolish or dangerous experiments —used with with
c : to render something harmful or dangerous by altering its structure or composition <was charged with tampering with consumer products>


You literally got caught tampering with surveillance equipment and were immediately terminated.

I'm sorry. What you did, in their perspective, was 100% wrong, and what they did, based on the handbook, is 100% legal and correct.

[Acanthus]

Originally Posted by SagaLore

Actually, and unfortunately, that IS the IT policy.

Definition of tamper:

1
: to carry on underhand or improper negotiations (as by bribery)

2
a : to interfere so as to weaken or change for the worse —used with with <did not want to tamper with tradition>
b : to try foolish or dangerous experiments —used with with
c : to render something harmful or dangerous by altering its structure or composition <was charged with tampering with consumer products>


You literally got caught tampering with surveillance equipment and were immediately terminated.

I'm sorry. What you did, in their perspective, was 100% wrong, and what they did, based on the handbook, is 100% legal and correct.

In what way is doing diagnostic commands foolish or dangerous?

[Ns1]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

In what way is doing diagnostic commands foolish or dangerous?

+50

[SagaLore]

Originally Posted by senttoschool

Yea, definitely use LinkedIn. I know people here hate social media for some reason but LinkedIn has gotten me internships and jobs. It's a social media worth investing your time in for sure.

Build out your complete profile. Write about yourself, what you want to do. Join networking groups. Apply for jobs using your LinkedIn profile(this works well!).

Message me if you want some more LinkedIn advice. I can send you my profile as an example.

This. LinkedIn had ridden on the coattails of Facebook and become a very mature work related social network. Recruiters have been using that as a source of resumes.

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

It literally says "tampering with surveillance cameras or equipment can be grounds for immediate termination"

tampering is not defined, what is or isnt equipment is not defined, there is literally no IT policy whatsoever in the handbook.

Not a lawyer, but "equipment" is pretty general and doesn't need explanation. "Tampering" connotes malicious intent for personal benefit. If you want to sue, talk to a lawyer, or just make some calls if you can't just let this go.

Regardless, you got shafted. Sorry. Hope you get this taken care of or move on happily.

Sometimes you just get a c*nt boss and you learn to deal with it after getting fucked over - unfortunately, being effed over resulted in you being unemployed. I had to deal with the worst "supervisor" (not officially, but he was in charge) recently, and almost quit because of it. Guy has not been cooperative, and blames shit, before there even is shit, on me. Just learned to be very careful with him. He's all smiles and nice on the outside though...

[SagaLore]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

In what way is doing diagnostic commands foolish or dangerous?

You did them. That was the foolish part. You were experimenting. By very definition, you tampered with the machine by using it to collect privileged information about the network. Also, you could have accidentally issued a non-diagnostic option of those tools, and that was dangerous. You could have been performing recon that wasn't curiosity and prep for an interview, but for something mischievous. The manager and HR are all about the "could of". You admit they don't know anything about this stuff, so all they have to go on is their paranoia about hacking. So legally they are 100% in the right.

[Dumac]

Asking to run ipconfig is like having to ask to open My Documents.

What the hell are you people talking about? Are you that technologically ignorant?

ipconfig = hackings? better not go to http://www.whatismyip.com/.

The supervisor just wanted the job and shafted OP like a ruthless asshole because he could. OP's supervisor is what is wrong with the world. I can't believe anybody is defending the actions of OP's employer.

[Acanthus]

Originally Posted by SagaLore

You did them. That was the foolish part. You were experimenting. By very definition, you tampered with the machine by using it to collect privileged information about the network. Also, you could have accidentally issued a non-diagnostic option of those tools, and that was dangerous. You could have been performing recon that wasn't curiosity and prep for an interview, but for something mischievous. The manager and HR are all about the "could of". You admit they don't know anything about this stuff, so all they have to go on is their paranoia about hacking. So legally they are 100% in the right.

So wait, i was foolish because i did something that was foolish because i did something that was foolish be...

Do you see the problem with your thinking here?

[mshan]

Job market for you might be stronger than you think (8% headline unemployment nationally):

e. g. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2273008

Obviously, things might vary depending on region of country and specific company, but if you have proven skills and are perceived to be team player (try and find amicable separation with company when talking with VP, like you said, you don't want to work there anymore, but don't want black eye on your resume because supervisor wanted to eliminate competition for open job position), but tidbits I've read on internet say companies are starting to ramp up on the job training because they can't find the qualified skilled workers they need.

e. g. unemployment rate for college grads has been 4% for quite some time, and unemployment rate for associates degree or some college (didn't complete for official degree, though) was also decreasing (I infer this to mean than employers can't be as picky and as rigid as they would be if 8% unemployment were homogenous across all demographics and education level attained in this country)


Good Luck!

[Jodell88]

Well shit, the OP got fired for doing something I had to do for my data communications class for my degree. I guess I 'hacked' 25 universities from all over the world by their logic.

I better go hide from the feds. I'm an international criminal.

[SKORPI0]

Move on, it's not a nice place to work for anyway. It's your word against theirs. Too bad you were caught by the very person who also wants the job you applied for (eliminate the competition- you). Good luck on finding a better job.

[coloumb]

Sounds like this was just the ammo your boss needed to let you go. My guess it was in the planning stages all along.

[OnePingOnly]

Originally Posted by coloumb

Sounds like this was just the ammo your boss needed to let you go. My guess it was in the planning stages all along.

Sounds likely that this was in the cards. They may have had it out for you and this was an opportunity for them to take you out.

[IndyColtsFan]

Originally Posted by Acanthus

I'm very close to my CCENT.

The problem is all jobs available in networking want a 4 year degree.

I thought you were working on an econ degree. I must have confused you for someone else.

Originally Posted by OnePingOnly

Sounds likely that this was in the cards. They may have had it out for you and this was an opportunity for them to take you out.

This.

[Corporate Thug]

Originally Posted by PenguinPower

You're most likely out of luck in the legal department.

Unless he can show that the termination was pretextual...in other words, show a pattern that people from other races were disciplined less severely for more severe violations...it's a stretch though to be honest.

[Vdubchaos]

One more advice for OP

Remember, looking for a job IS a full time job!

[sze5003]

I work in a retail investment company in the software department. All developers have access to cmd and anything else code related. What we dont have access to is blocked. Certain websites for social media, games, other things. Our pc's are monitored daily.

I use command prompt all the time and never got in any troubles. But all people I work with are familiar with it. If I had been around others who did not know I'm sure I would be in the same position.

People I work with have been canned for sending emails to their personal mail, or even friends from work email. They take stuff like this seriously and HR is mindless when it comes to this stuff.

I say you should just move on and look elsewhere. Deff use linked in and monster. I get calls still even though my resume is 2 years old.

If you wanted to play safe you could have talked to IT and asked if this was alright to do. I've done that plenty of times because even though IT may understand, they won't put themselves in your role when it comes to someone else saying you did this and that. What got you fired was what that guy told them. Word vs word unless someone in that company has a brain and used a type of guardian software that monitors computers and logs to prove the commands were harmless to the boss who is not versed in that subject.

Sorry to hear that man, I feel bad for you but stick to what you know and like and you will end up somewhere useful not some place where people shouldn't know too much.

I used to work for a company that knew nothing about coding or IT and I was the one to do it all for them, rather than worry about being hacked, you should be trusted, doesn't seem like your the type to go screw someone over with knowledge and authority. If the company won't trust you, what good is working for them?

Suing will take a long time and I bet you can find something much more worthwhile than sitting around collecting unemployment. He'll unemployment would not even pay all my student loans and other bills let alone leave me anything for food.