Want to know what employers are using as a basis to fire workers these days?

There might not be a better way to peek inside the HR departments of employers everywhere than to find out what fired employees are asking in their Google searches. It’s a fascinating look into current workplace terminations.

I use keyword tools to help me understand what employers are doing and what’s trending in today’s workplace.  I used a keyword tool today to find the top 500 search terms that begin with the words “Can I be fired for…” or something similar, like “Can I be fired when…”   There are some repeats, in part because there were slight variations in the first words used to ask the question.

If you have a question for me about whether a specific ground on this list would violate your rights, feel free to email me at Jim@Mattoxlaw.com.  I’d be glad to give you a quick answer free of charge. (If your question is whether you can be fired for any of the last three results, however, please DON”T email me. Lol.)

The top 500 most frequent searches appear below. They are actual searches and I have not corrected them for spelling or grammar.  They all began with the phrase, “Can I be fired for……” or something nearly identical.  The higher they appear in the list, the more frequently that question was being typed into Google and, presumably, the more likely it a frequent ground for termination by employers.  A huge number relate in one way or another to injuries and illnesses.

So as of June 9, 2017, employees are asking Google if they could be properly fired:

….for being sick

….for being gay

….for medical reasons

….for no reason

…. for dui

…. for verbal abuse

….for being pregnant

….for being sick

…. for insubordination

… after 12 weeks of fmla

… after 3 months

… after fmla runs out

… after i resign

… as an independent contractor

… before 90 day probation

… by email

… even with a doctor’s note

… for a disability

… for a facebook post

… for a family emergency

… for a garnishment

… for a medical condition

… for a medical emergency

… for a misdemeanor

… for a wage garnishment

… for a work related injury

… for addiction

… for alcoholism

… for an injury outside of work

… for anxiety

… for any reason

… for applying for another job

… for asking for a demotion

… for asking for a raise

… for attending a funeral

… for attending court

… for bad credit

… for becoming disabled

… for being a smoker

… for being arrested

… for being bipolar

… for being depressed

… for being diabetic

… for being disabled

… for being gay

… for being hurt on the job

… for being in jail

… for being in the hospital

… for being injured

… for being late once

… for being late to work

… for being off sick

… for being off sick with depression

… for being on disability

… for being on medical leave

… for being on methadone

… for being on workmans comp

… for being out on disability

… for being out sick

… for being overweight

… for being pregnant

… for being pregnant uk

… for being prescribed suboxone

… for being sick

… for being sick in ontario

… for being sick in texas

… for being sick ontario

… for being sick too much

… for being sick uk

… for being sick with a doctor’s note

… for being suicidal

… for being transgender

… for calling hr

… for calling in sick

… for calling in sick canada

… for calling in sick once

… for calling in sick to work

… for calling in sick uk

… for calling off

… for calling osha

… for calling out sick

… for changing my availability

… for complaining

… for complaining about my boss

… for conflict of interest

… for dating a coworker

… for dating another employee

… for dating my boss

… for depression

… for disability

… for disagreeing with my boss

… for discussing pay

… for discussing salary

… for discussing wages

… for drink driving

… for drinking on the job

… for dui

… for dying my hair

… for entering rehab

… for epilepsy

… for excessive absenteeism

… for facebook comments

… for failing a drug test

… for failing a polygraph

… for false accusations

… for filing a complaint

… for filing a workers’ compensation claim

… for filing an eeoc complaint

… for filing bankruptcy

… for getting a dui

… for getting a tattoo

… for getting arrested

… for getting cancer

… for getting hurt at work

… for getting hurt on the job

… for getting pregnant

… for giving 2 weeks notice

… for giving two weeks notice

… for going on an interview

… for going on disability

… for going on strike

… for going to a funeral

… for going to a job interview

… for going to alcohol rehab

… for going to basic training

… for going to boot camp

… for going to court

… for going to hr

… for going to jail

… for going to jury duty

… for going to rehab

… for going to school

… for going to the bathroom

… for going to the doctor

… for going to the hospital

… for gossip

… for having a beard

… for having a disability

… for having a second job

… for having a seizure at work

… for having adhd

… for having an affair with a coworker

… for having another job

… for having anxiety disorder

… for having cancer

… for having diabetes

… for having epilepsy

… for having hep c

… for having hepatitis b

… for having hepatitis c

… for having lupus

… for having ms

… for having my wages garnished

… for having narcolepsy

… for having panic attacks

… for having ptsd

… for having seizures

… for having surgery

… for having the flu

… for health reasons

… for hearing loss

… for hearsay

… for hipaa violation

… for illness

… for insubordination

… for interviewing for another job

… for interviewing for another job uk

… for interviewing with another company

… for job abandonment

… for job hunting

… for joining a class action lawsuit

… for joining a union

… for joining the army reserve

… for joining the military

… for joining the national guard

… for jury duty

… for leaving work early

… for leaving work sick

… for long hair

… for long term illness

… for looking for a new job

… for lying

… for lying on an employment application

… for lying on application

… for making a mistake at work

… for making mistakes

… for maternity leave

… for medical condition

… for medical leave

… for medical reasons

… for mental health issues

… for mental health problems

… for mental illness

… for migraines

… for misconduct

… for missing a meeting

… for missing one day of work

… for missing too many days

… for missing work due to illness

… for my child being sick

… for my disability

… for my hair color

… for my personal life

… for my personality

… for my political views

… for needing surgery

… for no reason

… for no reason in a right to work state

… for not being a good fit

… for not crossing a picket line

… for not doing overtime

… for not having a car

… for not having a driver’s license

… for not having child care

… for not joining a union

… for not learning fast enough

… for not paying union dues

… for not providing a doctor’s note

… for not selling enough

… for not showing up to work

… for not signing a non compete

… for not signing a write up

… for not signing an arbitration agreement

… for not smiling enough

… for not turning up to work

… for not wearing uniform

… for not working on easter

… for not working on my day off

… for not working overtime

… for organizing a union

… for pending charges

… for personal reasons

… for political beliefs

… for political views

… for poor performance

… for posting my resume online

… for posting on facebook

… for posting something on facebook

… for postpartum depression

… for pregnancy

… for pregnancy complications

… for pregnancy sickness

… for protesting

… for ptsd

… for putting in a 2-week notice

… for quitting

… for raising a grievance

… for refusing a promotion

… for refusing flu shot

… for refusing flu vaccine

… for refusing overtime

… for refusing to do something

… for refusing to do something illegal

… for refusing to do something unsafe

… for refusing to relocate

… for refusing to sign a non compete

… for refusing to sign a write-up

… for refusing to travel

… for refusing to work on my day off

… for refusing to work overtime

… for refusing to work weekends

… for religious reasons

… for reporting discrimination

… for reporting my boss

… for resigning

… for retaliation

… for rumors

… for saying i hate my job

… for seeking alcohol treatment

… for seeking other employment

… for sending an email

… for sending personal emails

… for sharing my salary

… for short term disability

… for side effects of medication

… for sleeping with a coworker

… for sleeping with my boss

… for smelling like alcohol

… for smoking cigarettes

… for smoking weed

… for something i did off the clock

… for something i said on facebook

… for something outside of work

… for something that happened 3 years ago

… for speaking my mind

… for starting a union

… for staying home with a sick child

… for striking

… for suing my employer

… for taking adderall

… for taking antidepressants

… for taking fmla

… for taking maternity leave

… for taking medical leave

… for taking paid family leave

… for taking prescription medication

… for taking sick days

… for taking sick leave

… for taking stress leave

… for taking vacation

… for talking about another employee

… for talking about my boss

… for talking about my pay

… for talking about union

… for tattoos

… for theft without proof

… for too many doctor appointments

… for too many sick days

… for trying to form a union

… for trying to start a union

… for unionizing

… for using fmla

… for using internet at work

… for using my phone at work

… for using sick time

… for vertigo

… for voicing my opinion

… for voting

… for wage garnishment

… for what i post on facebook

… for whistleblowing

… for workers comp

… for working a second job

… for working off the clock

… for working overtime

… if i already quit

… if i quit

… on fmla

… on maternity leave

… on the spot

… over the phone

… verbally

… via email

… via text message

… while on disability

… while on fmla

… while on maternity leave

… while on medical leave

… while on vacation

… while pregnant

… without 2 weeks notice

… without warning

… for calling in sick

… for calling in sick once

… for calling in sick too often

… for calling in sick with a doctors note

… for calling out

… for fighting outside of work

… for kissing a co worker

… for kissing my boss

… for taking vacation

… for taking xanax

… for using steroids

… for voicing my opinion

…for being an alcoholic

…for being gay

…for being injured on the job

…for being kinky

…for being pregnant

…for being sick

…for being sick on probation

…for being sick too often

…for calling in sick

…for dating a coworker

…for depression

…for domestic violence

…for epilepsy

…for facebook posts

…for failing a drug test

…for fmla

…for going on strike

…for having cancer

…for hearsay

…for hipaa violation

…for insubordination

…for interviewing somewhere else

…for job hunting

…for joining a union

…for joining the military

…for joining the national guard

…for kissing a co worker

…for losing keys

…for medical reasons

…for mental illness

…for no reason

…for not signing a non-compete agreement

…for not working overtime

…for putting in two weeks notice

…for quitting

…for taking xanax

…for verbal abuse

…via email

…for facebook posting

…for faking sick

…for false accusations

…for family emergency

…for farting

…for quitting

…for vaping

Categories: Uncategorized