Can i get my job back or more for being falsely accused for stealing based on the color of my skin?

I worked for a certain company that needs their employees to walk out of the warehouse(floor) through metal detectors on their way out. I was walking on the way to the metal detectors and i was like 100ft away when i noticed a phone on the ground. I stopped and picked it up and looked at it to see what i have found. the first thing i did was walk up to the first person ahead of me and asked if this was their phone and they replied with a no. and than he pointed ahead of us and said "i think it belongs to someone up there". so i started to run to catch up with people but their was no people. basically he was assuming the same thing i was. that who's ever phone it was, was ahead of me and could have possibly have already gone through the metal detectors. this whole time i'm trying to turn the phone on because it was off the entire time so i'm trying to turn it on to identify who's phone it is to return it.(also to mention this whole time not once did i put the phone in my pocket to conceal it) so i put the phone down with my keys on the table to go through the detectors..and the security requires you to show that your phone is on to make sure your not stealing anything within the phone. so i go through and grab the phone and my keys..show security the phone and at the same time i'm trying to turn it on, but it's not turning on like i said. i'm trying to hurry through security to try and catch up with who ever it is who lost their phone. and i told security that i'm trying to find out who's phone it is while pointing to the direction out the building. than she said that she's just going to put it in lost and found and i said okay. i 90% agreed with the idea..due to the fact that i was trying to find the person immediately. but i let her take the phone without any resistance. i leave to lunch without any second thoughts on what had just occurred. i return 55 mins later and enter the building and onto the floor where i started to be followed by two security workers...i didn't think much of it but did notice they were behind me. i go to my working station and begin working as usual...than im notified by my supervisor that i need to go to my staffing agency who works within the building. so i walk down there and go through security and enter the staffing. and only one male was present and i asked if i was asked to be seen and he replied with a yes...and the next thing he asked was about the phone. and thats when i told him the story im mentioning now. and he told me that i have been reported by security and had a report written on me. all within the span of 50mins. the assumptions and accusations are overwhelming. i told him more than once i was not trying to steal a phone, but to return it to the owner. but it seemed that right when he had seen me...he had already made up his mind. (im of hispanic ethnicity) he says i have to leave out of work that same day and to miss work the next day and they would call me the 3rd day to tell me whats going to happen. i understood the circumstances and said okay. without any power of saying otherwise. than on the way down with my belongings he said that "they are not going to punish me for 2 days for something they have no knowledge of" and said i can return to work these 2 days and they will notify me the 3rd day. i go back up and start working...and than the guy himself comes up personally and tells me i have to leave after what he had just said. i grab my things and he escorts me to clock out. i trying explaining again and again that i was not trying to take the phone and to review surveillance. and he said that they would. and i asked if i could be present when they review the cameras and he said he would ask. so as im walking out of the building to my car i was followed by yet another male security guard. i'm guessing to make sure i leave the premises. i felt extremely uncomfortable. especially for trying to do a good thing and than being treated as a criminal. i was not notified the 3rd day so i went down to my job the 4th day to find out whats going on. and thats when i was notified that i was fired. and i tried explaining to the lady who fired me whats happening and she said she reviewed surveillance and said that i was trying to steal it. i try again and again to prove my innocence but she had already made up her mind. and this all lead me to where i'm at now...asking for help. i honest to God was not trying to steal a phone...i'm a very spiritual person and would never do such a thing. i was fired for trying to do the right thing. my nerves were high and i was upset and could not sleep for two days thinking that my job could be in Jeopardy. i have been thinking that they are judging me on my outside cover instead of my inside nature. that i have told them the Truth 100% and it does not register with them and that leads me to believe its because of what i look on the outside, and they can't believe a person of Hispanic Ethnicity was trying to return a phone that he had just found. They were quick to judge and to jump to conclusions, assumptions, and accusations. can someone please help me?? i don't need this mishap to stop me from unemployment benefits, or getting another good job period. HELP!!

0 answers  |  asked Feb 8, 2011 2:55 PM [EST]  |  applies to Tennessee

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