Employees shocked after being fired for participating in ‘Day Without Immigrants’

Across the United States, employees skipped work to participate in a protest that was supposed to signify what the country would be like without immigrants. Hoping to have a big impact on the economy and illustrate the importance of immigrants to the U.S., several employees simply didn’t show up to work. They didn’t give notice to their employers, or even bother to call out sick. For one group of employees, they were even told ahead of time that if they chose to skip work they would be let go and could find employment elsewhere. They did not heed the warning. For one company, up to 20 employees were laid off because they all skipped work to participate in the protest.

The fact that protesters lost their jobs shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. I’m a firm believer that politics do not belong in a business or any place of employment. Furthermore, I see no reason why there needs to be a protest in solidarity with immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. If illegal immigrants are employed in the U.S., clearly they are not in compliance with the law. In any case, I can imagine that employees missing work to protest what they feel is unfair treatment towards immigrants is a huge slap in the face to employers who have taken it upon themselves to hire them. By accepting employment with an organization or company and then protesting by taking business away from them is absolutely ridiculous.