February 19-25 1989 MICHIGAN CITIZE
Dear
ric: I ju
got fired
Dear Eri to it However, you have no con-
I just fired. My bo s 15 it's crete evidence that your boss is
bee I I more th n -' a bigot. You have only a vague
e n tim dId mi ed sense. Without specific ex-
day • I know that I have amples of bias yo may be bias
been te, but I think real I for your accusations. The best
re on my b s fired me be-' explaination of why you were
cau e he doe n't like BI ck fired is your chronic lateness, a
people. Hi bu ines partner is fact which you acknowledge.
BI so my bo c like 's Presumably you were given
ery t er nt, but undern th I several warnings over a period
e he' bi ot. Its all very of time regarding. your lateness ..
difficult 0 explain to anyone. That was the time that .you
o that m leavi nd I should have addressed the ISSue
With your boss. Now that you
h ve n?lhi to lose, I would have been fired, the' time for
really h� to tell him 00'. I n:aI- reconcilation or discussion is
Iy ant him to know what kind over. Your boss won't be im­
of o-faeed trasb I think he is. pressed by your candor or guts
I am just. no sure of the best and, contrary to your statement,
y to do It. you do have a lot to lose. For ex-
H.s., ample your boss may very well
Riverside, Calif. know your next employer. He
I could also give you a bad recom-
Dear H.S., men dation. _Think before you
best way to do this is not act!
to do it all. Yes, quite often there Sincerely,
is job discrimination against Erik Washington
Blacks. You mention that his
business partner is Black. If D ar Erik,
there were any racial problems I got into a horrible fight on my
on the job site, SlJfely his partner job. My co-worker and I have al­
would have to address himself
CYCLONE
yshadadifficulttimegetting boss may find a tactful but
along. Th other day, were honest discription of your leave­
shouting at each other and taking so as not to jeopardize fu­
saying awful things. Perhaps it. . ture exployment prospects. Al-
an ccldent, as she later most everyone gets fired at least
said, but she pushed me and I once, if they hang around long
slapped her. Other co-workers I enough. "Forgive yourself, let go
had to sep rate us. Later that of the anger and move on.
day were both flred, I am so Always,
ashamed of at has happen Erik Washington.
and I kn that lot of it is my
fault. N ,I am concern about
getting another job. Do you
think it would be alright for m
to lie on my next job applica­
tio ? I j t don't nt other
people to know bout it
T.B.,
Q as,
Dear N.C.,
One of the faste t ways to
make enemies, is to un to your
managers with tales f what the
other workers are d ing or not
doing. If they are as ad as you
say they are, then yo will sure­
ly shine when doing our work
share. In working h d, you can
also h lp to stimulat the slower
workers. Your effo ts will be
notic¥ by the boss . Perhaps
then you can share ith them,
the changes you have mind for
a better office.
Sincerely,
Er . Washington
y
Dear Erik,
I havejuststarted n job. It'
a very good one and I like being
there, because I am learning so
much. I have seen lot of
employees goof-off and do-slop­
py w rk. Some of them ddn't
reall care about the work tbat
they to tum in, at the end
of the day. There is 0 oman,
who hid out in tb restroom
to keep from doing too much
work. people h ve been know to
go to sleep or even read a book.
I hav seen ways th t office
could improve and I nt to
m ke some ch nges. Am I
wrong? Should I wait berore I
go to the bos es with the
prob
.C.,
Got a problem? Need an
answer? Or do you j t want to
talk? Then write to Erik
Washington, in ca of The
Michigan Citizen, 12 1 Second
Avenue, High lan Park,
Michigan 48203 or 0: 'Dear
Erik', Miracle Mile St tion, P.O.
Box 36Af4, Los Ang les, Calif.
90036
DearT.B.,
No. I don't think that you
should tell a lie. You would be
found out soooner or later.
Then you will have a reputation
as a liar as well, expecially if the
industry in which you worked is
small; and when it comes to this
kind of information, all busi­
nesses are small If you remain
calm and dignified at your ter­
mination, possibly you and your
,f(/�"(ING. w,II'T po vo o AllY (;000.'
r 'LL �'N/) 'Iou.' AN/) W#(N I "NP ---
. Yo", i ru: XllL tD�'
ow to cope w·
HyDr.
Dear Mr.J.:
The first thing that you
ould do i realize that your
feelings are normal and that
pr ctically everyooe 0 loses a
loved one experience similar
distress. In time, (perhaps
several wee or months) you
will be b ck to normal
Here are other things that
you can do to peed your
emotinal recovery:
1) Find a good counselor
who is experienced in bereave­
ment, if you suffer prolonged
aying spells, sudden an? fre­
quent changes of temperament,
constant nightmares, the loss of
your appetite, the desire to be
'constantly alone, thoughts of
taking your own life, prolonged
and unexplained exhaustion,
unexplained physical ills or
prolonged depression.
2) Take back control of your
own life by countering every
. negative thing that you are
doing. Life is for the living and
you must live your life, fully.
(Thi i probably what she
would have wanted you 0 do).
Do not change the positive
routine that you had before the
death of your wife. Go to work,
go to a movie (if you like
movies), be with people who e
upbeat nd who make you
happy. Talk about the good
times that you had with your
wife-when you are with good
friends. Accept condolences
and quickly change the subject.
3) Obtain the recent column
•••
I
•
I
o
(.�
, ,
e
the death
that 1 wrote which showed you
how to get rid of stress and how
to relax. (I have mailed that
ahaterial to you).
ow you trea d your wife
while e was alive if you were
not nnaturally busive but
tried 0 display yo love to her,
you, vedb e as ueb as most
e.iiP e. No one is perfect.
Everyone ma es istake in
their ria' onships with others.
So, try I to do better in future
relatio hips and be thankful
you ere able to spend 12
beautiful years with the woman .
you 1ofed.
Sat.
7:30 a.m.
I .