I had a string of freak traumatic events happen mid-last year and my boss suggested I take some months off work to process everything. We decided 6 months was a good amount of time, and I was set to start my leave in July 2023 and return to work January 2024. However, in October 2023, my boss messaged me and said the team at work no longer thought I was a good fit for the company, and he doesn’t think I’ll have a spot to return to when my leave was over. I begged him to help me work something out with the company, but to no avail. They wouldn’t let me return to work.
Fast forward to May 2024, my work sends me a backdated termination agreement letter they need me to sign, even though my contract is set to expire in April. The reason for termination says “Due to extended absence from work” (my lawyer is confused as to why they would send this when my contract is set to expire anyways)… But they were the ones who set me up with the leave of absence, and wouldn’t let me come back to work when it was supposed to be over…. They also didn’t mention until this week that I have to pay back health insurance money? I didn’t sign any kind of anything when my leave started. I don’t know enough about the labor laws here, but it all feels like total bs and I don’t know what to do, my visa expires on May 22 and i haven’t been able to find another job yet….
edit: regarding reasons for being let go, my boss said the CEO was unhappy with how he saw me at an event days after i had a traumatic incident (i wanted to see my coworkers and let everyone know i was okay), and then when i accepted a dj booking in Texas a couple months later (it was a free flight home, was pretty broke after paying final expenses for 2 people so it was a blessing) and he said these incidents contributed to the CEO not wanting me to work there anymore but i’m pretty sure they can’t legally fire me for this stuff so that’s why they’re going sketchy mode with everything??
I’m talking to a lawyer but even he’s confused, it’s all so confusing, does anyone have experience with this kind of situation?
edit 2: i’ve been applying for jobs since march but still nothing. genuinely been trying my best, not really just sitting around on purpose?
by Relative_Voice_6909