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HELP: Minor C&F Issue -- Should I address with addendum or positive LOR?

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:27 pm
by Anonymous User
Hey all, I could use some advice on the following circumstances.

Long story short: I was fired from my job at a political action campaign for inhaling a hit of marijuana on my lunch break. The following is a letter of recommendation from my employer detailing the circumstances in full, truthful, and accurate detail:

"To Whom It May Concern:
I write this letter to clarify circumstances surrounding the termination of [employee 1, me] from the Fund For Equality, and to advocate on his behalf.
Through confidential channels, it came to my attention that an employee of mine, [employee 2], had repeatedly smoked marijuana during his on-the-clock lunch breaks. When I confronted [employee 2] about this, he implicated [employee 1] as well, and I was forced to terminate both of them. However, circumstances bear much clarification, and [employee 1]'s exceptional work for our campaign and his exemplary behavior demand a clarification of the exact circumstances. My understanding is as follows:
During a lunch break in early June of 2017, [employee 1] stepped outside and bumped into his fellow employee, [employee 2], smoking marijuana next to the door. [Employee 2] shoved the paraphernalia in [employee 1]'s face and encouraged him, along with several other non-manager co-workers, to inhale a hit. [Employee 1] apparently gave into the peer pressure and took a hit. Immediately, he realized that what he had done was incredibly irresponsible, and he ended the interaction, walking away before anything else could take place. It’s my understanding from [employee 1] and several other employees that over the coming weeks, [employee 1] refused all subsequent offers from [employee 2]. However, when I learned about [employee 2]'s behavior, he implicated [employee 1] in an attempt to minimize his own misbehavior by association. When I called [employee 1] into my office to discuss the matter with him, he forthrightly and honestly admitted that he had made a mistake; he apologized for making it, and he respectfully agreed to accept whatever administrative consequences might be necessary. Unfortunately, my hands were tied, and on June 27th, 2017, I was forced to terminate him.
This being the case, I still must say that [employee 1] is one of the most exemplary staff I’ve ever seen in my role. He was reliably polite, deferential, humble, and just in his actions both before and after promotion - setting a firm, positive example to the staff he supervised. [Employee 1] was markedly passionate about the issues we work on, and that passion bore itself out in his work. Regularly, [employee 1] put in the extra work that our office needed to get the job done, himself regularly putting in 12-hour days and participating in all levels of the job with zeal. I can confidently say that our office would not have met its campaign goals if [employee 1] hadn’t made himself an exemplary leader early on in our summer. [Employee 1} made a mistake, and it was a mistake for which I was forced to fire him, but from our conversation that day and several conversations since it is clear to me that he learned from the experience, and has if anything used it as an opportunity to make himself an even more professional, even more exemplary individual. The incident over which I was forced to fire him does not in any way constitute a pattern of misconduct, nor does it in the least bit reflect his performance as an exemplary manager.
It is my personal and professional opinion that [employee 1] remains one of the best employees one could ask for, and that this incident should not adversely affect his future employment prospects in any way. Again, if anything, I know [employee 1] well enough to know that this incident has simply molded him into an even more professional employee, having learned a valuable lesson the hard way. As C.S. Lewis wrote, 'Experience is the most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God you learn.'
I fully recommend him for your organization with nothing but the highest praise for his work, demeanor, and dedication. Should any questions arise, please do not hesitate to contact me."

For obvious reasons, I want to use this letter, because I think it speaks more loudly than I could articulate myself in an addendum, and because it speaks from a more objective point of view. My biggest question is this: am I allowed to attach letters of recommendation as addenda? If not, would it be an incredibly stupid idea to use this letter as an actual submitted letter of recommendation? Thanks so much for your input, guys.

Re: HELP: Minor C&F Issue -- Should I address with addendum or positive LOR?

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:09 am
by gecko18
I think that this is a great submission from your employer to help mitigate the circumstances surrounding this termination; I think it should be a LOR. Addenda often have length limits, and I think they're looking for a more personal explanation of your situation than someone else's perspective. You definitely should use this in explaining, but as long as you have other LORs that speak on more positive traits, I think this could be an okay addition.

Re: HELP: Minor C&F Issue -- Should I address with addendum or positive LOR?

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:12 am
by cavalier1138
gecko18 wrote:I think that this is a great submission from your employer to help mitigate the circumstances surrounding this termination; I think it should be a LOR. Addenda often have length limits, and I think they're looking for a more personal explanation of your situation than someone else's perspective. You definitely should use this in explaining, but as long as you have other LORs that speak on more positive traits, I think this could be an okay addition.
I'm not sold on the OP needing this at all (see the other thread on this subject), but it certainly should not be one of the OP's main LORs. The LOR is meant to show off your best qualities, not highlight your problem areas.

Re: HELP: Minor C&F Issue -- Should I address with addendum or positive LOR?

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:17 am
by A. Nony Mouse
I think your other thread is already addressing this question, and can address it further if you raise these questions there.