Can my employer do this?!?!

I work 3rd shift. This past Tuesday I missed work due to WAY too many things going wrong. First, my car broke down. My husband had it pulled/towed to his brothers house around 3pm so he could try and fix it (brother has a garage). While he was gone my 1 year old got very, very sick - so bad that the on call doctor asked me to bring him to the after hours/emergency clinic. While I was gone I began calling co-workers to see if someone could cover my shift. My boss has this big thing about "you have to try and find your own coverage before you call me." Then, while I was trying - my cell ran out of minutes....FML!! I did not have any cash on me - just barely enough change to make one call on a pay phone, so I called the person who does the schedules (boss also gets those messages) - no answer, so I left a message. That night a girl from 2nd shift stopped by - I told her waht happened, she could clearly see my car was shit and not running. She told me "I'll let them know what happened". I also emailed my boss twice that night, and the next morning a few times too.

I get Wed. and Thurs. nights off, due back tonight, and my boss calls me. I expected a lecture - after all, not his fault if I dont have a phone right? But it was way worse - he informed me that he is mailing me a "job abandonment" letter - basically said I didn't try to contact him at all. That's bull! I have the emails - the call logs showing who I tried to call to cover me that night, etc. He told me I should have gone and found a phone, I should have tried harder - found a ride, whatever. I started to get mad and said, "So, you wanted me to leave my sick baby, and my older two boys, home alone (hubby was still gone - he didn't get home until much later - midnight or so), and go WALKING around in the dark looking for a phone?" He didn't really answer me, but that's more or less what was implied. He also said, "_____ who stopped by would have given you a ride in I'm sure." I replied, "Yes I"m sure she would have, she's very nice, but what would I have done with my children?"....... I understand its not his fault I had that much go wrong in one day - but so say I "abandoned" my job just plain hurts to be honest. I've worked there, 3rd shift, for awhile now. Hate 3rd, but stuck with it because I cared about my job - and about the people I cared for in the job. Before this I had NEVER missed a day of work - no warnings, no other issues, nada. My previous performance reviews got high marks. How can it go from that, to this in one incident? I guess I'm just shocked - upset, idk. Fire me, fine, if that's what you really want, but him saying I didn't try when I did is pissing me off.

I know there's probably nothing I can do huh? I just dont like how that is going to make me look. I know it's bad I couldn't make it in that night, but it wasn't like I planned it or did it on purpose. I printed the emails I sent him and the phone logs too.

Ironically, yesterday I got a phone call from a company I've been trying to get into for over a year now - they did a phone interview with me and I have a regular/in person interview Tuesday. I'm just really pissed and upset right now.

Last Edited by amywood71605 on 12/14/2012 12:49 PM