Man loses job for ripping pages from the Koran...IN NY!

I did a search and didn't find this posted anywhere.

The protester who burned pages from the Koran outside a planned mosque near Ground Zero has been fired from NJTransit, sources and authorities said Tuesday.

www.nydailynews.com...


I dont understand how it is ok to burn our flag but yet we cant burn their book. This has got to be a violation of his freedom of speech. I would say that the NYTS is going to have a hefty lawsuit on its hands after this.

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


That man should still have his job.

This rubbish about the Qran should end - we don't even know if it is true!

There has been some mass jackassery lately in the US, people protesting against a Mosque, Kid gets banned from the US for writing a letter to Obama, There was an oil spill in the gulf, it just doesn't end.

Yeah, it blows my mind that he lost his job. He had worked there for 11 years and apparently was a good employee. NYTS claimed he violated their code of Ethics but wouldnt our Constitution override ANY US companies CoE?

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


The article says he participated in the protest during time off. He was photographed. The first thought that comes to my mind is that he called in sick to attend this protest, and got caught!

He should be able to do what he wants to on his time off, but the employer isn't giving any specifics.

If he called in sick to go, he should be fired. It would be like attending a baseball game while using a sick day, and getting nabbed for it by catching a ball in the stands while on camera.

Originally posted by Blanca Rose
reply to post by DerbyCityLights

 

The article says he participated in the protest during time off. He was photographed. The first thought that comes to my mind is that he called in sick to attend this protest, and got caught!

He should be able to do what he wants to on his time off, but the employer isn't giving any specifics.

If he called in sick to go, he should be fired. It would be like attending a baseball game while using a sick day, and getting nabbed for it by catching a ball in the stands while on camera.

I'd be interested in knowing the NYTS time off policy. If its anything like where I work, they still couldnt do that. We have PTO instead of sick days. Personal Time Off can be used when ever you want to use it. You just have to call in 30 minutes before the start of your shift. If NYTS is using a PTO system which many companies use now, they still dont have a leg to stand on for firing him.

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


Makes ya sick doesn't it. If you haven't noticed yet, in America (the new nation of Islam) it is wrong to speak out or take any action for that matter against Islam. I can go stand in the middle of Time Square and burn a page from the Bible if I like, would tick a few people off maybe I'd get called some names. If I where to do that with a page from the Koran I'd probably would be killed on the spot. Strange isn't it? More terrifying if you ask me. Thought people had freedoms here, but as you can see in the (new nation of Islam) we don't.

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


Okay, I found something that might be of interest.

www.mta.info...

It's a letter from the President of the company, and is basically what a person gets in any employee handbook, but, it does not state that these rules of discrimination, harassment....etc., only apply while on the job. It says that these sorts of things are not tolerated. Give it a read.

I was looking for a benefits explanation that might explain what the time off policy is, but haven't found it yet.


Here ya go. Page 24 talks about time off policies. It appears they have paid, and unpaid sick leave.

www.mta.info...

I think if he wasnt working, and wasnt in uniform, then they cant fire him. we have the right to protest, whatever it may be that you are protesting. This is the end of personal, political actions. BS!!!!!

well, unfortuneately he doesn't have a professional extortion group to sue for him, but he could still shop it around. I guess equality in this country now means everyone but Americans. What a damn joke. Not betting that the american communist lovers union is gonna step in......however, reverse the roles...hell Obama would probably make a comment on how the muzzie was free to express himself.

Originally posted by Blanca Rose
reply to post by DerbyCityLights

 

Okay, I found something that might be of interest.

www.mta.info...

It's a letter from the President of the company, and is basically what a person gets in any employee handbook, but, it does not state that these rules of discrimination, harassment....etc., only apply while on the job. It says that these sorts of things are not tolerated. Give it a read.

I was looking for a benefits explanation that might explain what the time off policy is, but haven't found it yet.


Here ya go. Page 24 talks about time off policies. It appears they have paid, and unpaid sick leave.

www.mta.info...

edit on 15-9-2010 by Blanca Rose because: edit to add link

Good find!

Now we just have to find out if he called in sick or actually had the day off. Even if he called in sick I would think that a write up would have been in order rather than being fired, especially since he had 11 years of outstanding employment.

reply to post by adifferentbreed



Not necessarily. In the article I originally posted, even the ACLU said he shouldnt have lost his job. Maybe they can finally fight the good fight for once.

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


Not gonna hold my breath the aclu saying something and doing something are two different things.......I don't think this will fall in line with their aganda, so consequently he's sol.

From another article reporting this story:

In response to questions from NewsCore today, NJ Transit released a statement saying: "Derek Fenton was terminated on September 13, 2010 from his employment at NJ TRANSIT. An at-will employee

, Mr Fenton's public actions violated New Jersey Transit's code of ethics."

It continued: "NJ TRANSIT concluded that Mr Fenton violated his trust as a state employee and therefore was dismissed."Source

If the employer decides to let you go, that's the end of your job--and you have very limited legal rights to fight your termination.

If you are employed at will, your employer does not need good cause to fire you.

Employment At Will: What Does It Mean?

I can't say I agree with this but if he was an at-will employee as it alleges he was, then the employer seems to legally be able to use their best interest how ever they please.

What a Fed up place this is.

I found this on Lamebook.

Hilariousness!

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9384e572c3e3.png[/atsimg]

Who cares about all this book burning! I'm over it! Stop giving the burner power by giving a damn!

Besides. . . burning holy books is sooooo last week. Let's burn books that suck...like, "Pride and Prejudice." I can't say it enough, can I get a gathering of people to burn this? Who's with me?!

This guy did a cardinal sin. He brought attention to himself in a very negative way.

The sick leave will be the only reason why his employer would win. But even here, there will be an established procedure on how to handle the situation. A writeup to several day suspension would be in order if he had no past problems.

Now the rub. There will be any number of groups lining up to file a lawsuit against his employer. This will be played out as a free speech issue (which it is). His employer over reacted trying to show everyone how tolerant they are to everyone, and then having no tolerance to individual freedom. The person who made the decision made a very costly mistake in this dismissal.

This is not about harassment, this is not about intimidation; it is freedom of expression. It was done on his time and in his own clothing, not a company uniform. If he made no comments who his employer was, then questionable actions can be brought into play about why this was disclosed especially if it came from his employer. Then privacy laws come into play.

This guy should let the ACLU handle his response. They will jump all over this as it makes good headlines for donations. Expect to see this in national news if the guy has a decent employment record.

It will be a long couple to several months for this guy to have this resolved. He will get his job back, with back pay and an undisclosed amount for attorney's fees along with punishment for an illegal dismissal. He should also demand that the person who fired him be dismissed for abuse of his position or reduced in rank.

reply to post by DerbyCityLights


Actually, it technically isn't okay to burn the flag. That is an old urban legend that if it touches the ground you gotta burn it. In reality, you cannot do such a thing!!
--

And employers really can fire you for anything if you are not a union worker. So yeah, if the guy's image is not fitting for the company, he can and will get fired.

Yet another glaring example of the double standard. Do you think if he burned a Bible or ripped pages from a Bible he would have been fire? Of course not!

Originally posted by Three_moons

edit on 9/15/2010 by Three_moons because: attempting to fix whatever's wrong with formatting and tags

edit on 9/15/2010 by Three_moons because: What's wrong? What IS going on here?

edit on 9/15/2010 by Three_moons because: UGH!!! :

I give up

I have nothing to add to this conversation except that this was the funniest thing i read in a while.. Thanks Three_moons.. Quite funny indeed..

Well I do have to say something. PA Has at will employment and they can fire for sneezing if they really wanted to.. So I dont think that this guy will or can sue if his state is AT will employment which sucks but meh...

But this at will bs is because the workers like being cattle and taking it from all ends.. Its our own fault this happened and we cant do anything about it. so suck it up and deal with it..(for the record i do not agree on his firing just stating how it is..)