28-year-old employee gets fired, but her boss claims she resigned—all after she left work early upon being lectured for 2 hours about her request to be treated with respect: 'I received an email that he interpreted it as resigning and I could not return'

Workplace politics. Yeah, that's a heck of a subject.

The complex personal motivations of your coworkers, bosses, and subordinates. The feelings and desires of other stakeholders. The organization's own political interworkings. Well, they all present unique challenges that you're probably not equipped to handle. 

Knowing how to navigate workplace social settings is a precise skill that requires finesse, intention, and a lot of experience. 

Meanwhile, if you're like me, and I'm sure there are a great many like me, you'd rather not have anything to do with all of that nonsense. But, unfortunately, choosing not to partake in a social dynamic is inherently itself a choice that makes you a part of that dynamic. And you're going to be involved through that choice, or by others, whether you want to be or not. 

Unless you're going to just go live in a cabin in the woods somewhere, removed from all social interaction, social interaction is going to find you.

I think, especially early on in our careers, we also have a tendency to overestimate the fact that because we do a good job and contribute on a high level. Probably higher than our pay grade. That our thoughts and feelings will also be respected and accepted on that level too. 

But, be as productive or as profitable or as high performing as you like, this is not going to be the case. Tact and bowing your head to your superiors will be even more important for you in these cases, because there is a good chance that someone feels threatened by your success and will use any chance to get rid of a young upstart.

This 28-year-old worker shared her account of alleged events with this career-focued online community. This one tends to be a little bit more traditional than most in its interpretation and application of organizational culture and workplace decorum

Undoubtedly, some mistakes and overestimation of bargaining position and mutual respect were made here. But a lot of the responses in the employee's story bordered on the line of “you did this to yourself. Which I don't necessarily know if I agree with in this case. I think, more likely, the boss's reasoning of ”job abandonment" just serves as a convenient excuse for “protecting my ego.”

I was just fired but my boss is calling it a resignation

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I’m in an at-will state. 

I asked my former boss if it was possible for him to be more clear when he has a request of me, that it’s difficult to interpret when he makes side comments and not direct critiques, and makes it hard to do my job.

We’d had a conversation a month ago where I asked for a defined scope of work and clear expectations and from my perspective this was a continuation of that conversation and one about business respect. 

I have a printed copy of a document I created and gave to him outlining this. This weeks conversation escalated to the point I said I’m going home after 2 hours of being admonished. 

I emailed same day requesting a meeting when I returned so that we could be on the same page. Late in the evening I received an email that he interpreted it as resigning and I could not return, that he interpreted this week’s conversation as my expecting to have my opinion held equal to his as the employer. 

I emailed back that at no point did I resign, very politely, but that I understood it as a termination and my misrepresented frustration was a desire to be treated respectfully.

I’ve got 2 items 

1. I think employment law in my blue state is clear that this is an involuntary dismissal but I want to hear your thoughts. 
2. How do I discuss this in interviews? 

Last week, he was sharing that clients said I was the “perfect blend of professional and personality” and that I’m the “best assistant he’s ever had”… it’s all just really disappointing