My Ex-Boss is Suing ME

You read that right. The employer is filing a lawsuit against me. For what you might ask. I ask the same thing and the answer I get keeps changing.

I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact that (I think) she's a jealous, insecure person who is upset that I am opening my own salon about 60 miles away. That's my best guess because without a concrete answer, even from her attorney to mine I don't know.

The first response was something like she had no idea I had a problem with my back and I just up and left. (That is a lie because she borrowed her back support belt to me until I was prescribed one.) The most recent response, I believe, says that I caused her business to lose money because I planned to quit weeks in advance and she has evidence of that. Either way, they are all lies and quite frankly I could dig them out of the BS folder that I filed them in just to double check the exact lies but I don't feel like it.

What really happened? I was in a car accident in July that totaled my car on my way to work. After many appointments and an MRI I found out that I tore a disk in my back, which has caused me a great deal of pain and weakness in my leg. My doctor advised me to take two weeks off of work to heal and take the meds that I otherwise couldn't take, so that is what I did. The day after my first day of leave, I requested to get some of my things from work to give my children back-to-school haircuts. When I arrived at the salon some of my things were in a bag, including my cosmetology license, which was previously in a frame on the wall. There was a letter, not in an envelope, sitting on top of the bag from my ex-boss requesting thousands of dollars and accusing my back problem of being made up. I was confused because after two weeks I was going back to work. I had clients booked that I wanted to bid farewell to and thank. I went to my ex-boss's office to talk about the letter and she was in there with boxes in front of the door so I couldn't get in. Strange, right?

I do know that the dollar amount of the lawsuit has changed three different times in the last couple of months. I know that I worked hard for very little money and was treated poorly for a very long time to end up with a lawsuit?! What?! I also know that from what I've received so far in her paperwork are many lies. Gross, disgusting lies that I get to prove wrong in front of a judge. Good. I also know that she didn't pay me my last paycheck that I earned and that she kept my supplies that I paid for before I was ever an employee of hers. One quote I love is "Just tell the truth because its too hard remember all of your lies."

Good for me, I keep everything and I'm honest, sometimes brutally honest. I've been jokingly called a hoarder by my husband, who is an extremely neat person. I keep emails, paycheck stubs, voicemails, letters, receipts, the whole nine yards.

The day that I received the original form of paperwork from her stating "You need to pay me $x,xxx or I will contact my attorney." one of my then co-workers said "Don't you know, she sues everyone that quits?!" Well, not really or I wouldn't have accepted this job in the first place. I had been warned by many not to work for her and not to sign her legal papers, but I like to think for myself. I can admit that I read her completely wrong and trusted her when I probably shouldn't have. I didn't know it was necessary to do a background/court history check on a salon owner! Yeow!

Anyone that knows me, saw me working there or was a client of mine knows that I gave everything that I could and more to the extreme training, my work and my ex-boss. I really love what I do.

To be completely fair, I learned a great deal at the salon, I fell head-over-heels in love with Aveda and I met a lot of great people that I still connect with each week and who are supporting my new business. I can always find good in any situation. I didn't plan to blog about this because in my opinion it is a rather ridiculous matter, however, I am grateful that our country allows freedom of speech. I am also grateful that I can be heard, even if just through my own blog.

No one should be able to prevent anyone from doing something that they love. If I can save one person from this, then sharing my story has been worth it.

On a much happier note, I am more than thrilled about my new salon! Like us on Facebook for all of the fun details: www.facebook.com/SalonMSpa