Advice for my friend:
My friend was employed with a moving company and her manager gave her authorization to use a company vehicle without a contract. The manager told her that the truck needed repairs and was possibly going to be converted into a For Sale truck and all she needed was to take the truck tag and "Down" the truck in the computer system citing needed repairs. With direction via phone with the manager, my friend complied. When she asked about the rental contract, the manager told her there was no need because the policy was different for "For Sale" equipment.
My friend kept the truck for 5 days with approval from the manager. During this time, my friend happened to be living with the manager and needed the truck to move to a new place. During the move on the second day, there was dispute that prompted my friend to contact the police. The police responded, resolved the problem and informed my friend to come back to the residence the following day to remove all of her things once everyone cooled down.
She went back the following day, contacting the police upon her arrival as instructed. The police cleared the scene and my friend safely moved all of her belongings. Afterwards, when she was leaving, the manager told her she was fired. My friend asked why and the manager told her she did not have hours available and it was slow season.
Two days later when my friend was returning the truck, she received a text message from the manager's sister informing her that the manager reported the truck stolen and again fired her.
My friend contacted the marketing company and they confirmed the equipment was reported stolen because my friend had no contract and that yes she was fired. My friend explained the manager gave her permission to use the truck in addition to informing them that the manager also mentioned the truck was going to be listed as For Sale and the same policy did not apply to For Sale equipment.
Make a long story short, my friend returned the truck, turned herself in and was jailed for about 7 hours on a Felony 6 charge. After 2 court appearances, the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.
Now the company is saying my friend quit her job when she never did. They also told her when she called that she was not fired until the day the truck was returned although she told them that the manager fired her on the day she moved from her home which was two days earlier.
The manager had no credibility considering she was suspended for drug use on the same day she reported the truck stolen and subsequently fired?
Although my friend pointed out that she had the truck for 5 days before the manager reported it stolen although the police responded to the residence on two separate occasions during her move out of the residence. Had she really stolen the truck, the manager would have reported it while the police were there but she did not. She only reported it after she was evicted from her residence after the landlord found out about the police visit and because she assumed my friend informed the marketing company of her drug use.
Is there anything she can do that will allow her to collect unemployment? She realizes that she made an error in judgement but would have never done anything intentionally to jeopardize her job.
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