Getting Fired (and possibly divorced)

Had a bit of a miscommunication at work and I had thought they knew I would not be coming in. I was in counseling today and soon after my session ended I received a phone call from a very irate manager. She said she would have my direct supervisor contact me on Monday.

I don’t feel confident about getting this call. I’ve had some issues in arriving on time in the past…but most recently I have been coming in earlier. I feel like it’s probably curtains for me…which is a a mixed blessing.

On one hand my immediate supervisor is an acquaintance/client of my soon to be ex-wife. I just got my ARC issued and sponsored by them…but realistically have been in need of a better job for quite some time. Since I am being divorced, I had to do something about my JFRV being canceled. I picked up the replacement ARC…but still have not signed divorce papers.

If I am to be released, I would need to find a new job ASAP. I don’t know how long I would have…and since I have not signed divorce papers am curious if that means anything or not to NIA. I have been considering returning to the US since this last five years with her has really fucked me up. I am sure some of you may have seen or read something.

Anyway, I have a bad feeling about Monday…and this is when I had tentatively agreed to sign papers in exchange for a ticket home. Yes. She has leveraged this against me too. I don’t have the money to get home…and am in a bit of a pickle. Almost at the five year mark for my APRC…but with what has happened here I am not sure I care to stay.

My mind has been severely damaged from being here and tolerating her abuse. I have a few friends here and do at least have a job and a place to stay. In the US, I have only a room with my parents. At 40, I believe this will make my depression worse. But, I guess if I do not have a job come Monday and I am signing papers…I guess there isn’t much of a choice to make. If I’d be looking at a VISA run just to stay here…well, I feel like I might as well leave.

I don’t know what to do here.

Chill man. You can get a six month extension on the ARC to find a new job.

Good luck to you. Sorry you’re going through this. I’m not siding with your employer, but I will say habitual lateness is a pet-peeve of mine. And it’s pretty unprofessional in a workplace setting. You should probably try to fix that when you start your new job.

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You’ve got rid of your JFRV and signed papers just before your APRC is due. You’re not thinking straight. I think going home would be the best bet. I started again at 40, it’s easier than people think.

He hasn’t signed them yet.

OP, make sure she gives you the ticket (or the money for the ticket) before you sign.

Had a moment of clarity today, I will go back to immigration with the marriage certificate which is still valid as I have not signed anything. I will then have the ARC re-issued as a JFRV and stand my ground. I was in a moment of desperation…and I see that she is using anything she can as leverage to get me to sign.

This is a sign she cannot get a divorce without my consent. So, I have resolved that she can pound sand. I will get the ARC for JFRV and find a different job. If at some point I have everything back on track I will consider signing them. Until then, she can get bent.

I don’t trust her and I do not feel like she would honor any commitment she made to me to buy a ticket or the money for one.

Finally your talking sense.

Fingers crossed it’s not too late. Is it possible to give up a JFRV and then go back on one?

EDIT: Yeah, it should be. Just changing the ARC from work to family. Doesn’t the spouse have to agree to a JFRV?

Is the husband-wife interview no longer part of the process of getting an APRC?

As far as getting the ARC changed back to family, I don’t know if it will be a problem. The first time she had to be there, but for renewal she did not. However, now that I have gone to a work sponsored VISA, it may be viewed as a first time petitioner.

I also need a copy of the marriage certificate, as some things were misplaced during my move. I think the district office could just print out a new one, but I am not sure.

This whole situation has turned really sideways on me. I will need to talk to my supervisor tomorrow to see what action will be taken. I hate to be in such a rush to find a new job.

I really hope plan A works out for you. If not, then plan B is to get a work based ARC with a company your wife has no relationship with until you can get an APRC. Good luck, mate.

It never was part of the APRC process. I know they might ask for your spouse to come but you can just make up an excuse: she’s overseas, busy with work, pissed and not talking to me this week. The last one is what I went with; the officer seemed happy with the answer and we laughed about how difficult marriage can be sometimes.

Remember, an APRC is not granted “through marriage”; the prerequisite is a legal period of residency (at the moment for five years).

This isn’t the OP’s current issue. He’s moved from a marriage based ARC (JFRV) back to a work based ARC and is under threat of being fired before his 5 years are completed.

Anyway, I’ve thought back to when I got my JFRV and I’m pretty certain (but not 100%) that my wife’s agreement wasn’t necessary. The marriage certificate was enough. I’m not sure what they’re going to think about changing from JFRV to work based ARC back to JFRV again, the OP might get asked some questions.

I am aware it’s not the OP’s issue. I was answering Chris’s comment on APRCs in a general effort to reduce misconceptions. It wasn’t my intent to add confusion.
I would have quoted (him and you) if my phone had been more cooperative.

No worries - I saw who you were responding to and understood. Just wanted to add clarity as the OP is making a lot of mistakes. Which is thoroughly understandable in his current emotional state.

No, you can’t just make up an excuse! :oncoming_police_car: :no_no:

On the other hand, if your spouse is angry and not talking to you, then that’s the truth and therefore not something made up.


The six month ARC extension upon loss of employment makes the marriage issue somewhat irrelevant, provided that the extension is applied for soon enough (I forget whether anyone’s found a firm deadline for it).

However, if you want to stay on a marriage based ARC, then the question is whether or not they care about the state of the marital relationship (iirc @hsinhai78 said they would).

As for the buxiban, you need to miss three consecutive days or a certain number of days in a month (or engage in various other forms of bad behavior) in order to be (legitimately) fired without advance notice. See Art. 12 of the Labor Standards Act.

If in doubt, seek advice from the labor department or a lawyer.

You’re talking like what I suggested is illegal but it’s not.

In response to their entirely random and irrelevant request to speak to one’s spouse - a request that has absolutely NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with one’s legal period of residency in Taiwan - which again, is the entire basis of the APRC! - one can say whatever the hell one likes. The state of one’s marriage when applying for an APRC is none of the NIA’s business - and it won’t be until the law is changed.

It would be different if one were applying for citizenship based on marriage. The return to a marriage ARC might also be a different matter.

Irrelevant? Won’t the OP need a letter of termination from his employer - who is a friend of his soon to be ex-wife? And he’ll have to find an employer who can sponsor his ARC to get a job. As opposed to a JFRV which provides open work rights.

As you say, contacting the Ministry of Labour or taking legal advice is best. I’m interested to hear what happens on Monday when the OP requests to go back to a marriage based ARC.

I anticipate that it will not be possible to switch back to the marriage ARC. If I do lose my job, I am pretty sure I can find another one. My supervisor is only an acquaintance of my soon to be ex-wife - actually more of a customer. I don’t think she cares to get in the middle of this mess and believe she will get the letter of termination so I can apply for the extension.

I was a tad worried that I would have to leave immediately, but it seems everything is going to be OK. As far as signing her divorce papers…she can still pound sand. I don’t need her for anything, but if she wants a divorce she will need to compensate me. She had agreed to buy a plane ticket and was willing to help me if I “helped” her.

I’m not going to “help” her find a new husband…in fact, I might even hire someone to check on her from time to time to see if she is engaged in adulterous behavior. Then I can switch things up on her pretty quickly. The language she used when replying to my request a plane ticket is highly suggestive that she has someone else in mind.

I’m not going to “help” her any more than I already did throughout the course of our marriage. That is to say, I paid all of her bills for five years…if she wants to re-marry it is going to cost her.

A post was split to a new topic: When women get you down…