Fired for something I didn't do when I was off the clock and off the property

[beyondbabylon]

I was clocked out and was pulling onto the boulevard from my workplace turning right, and another car quickly cut off traffic turning left pulling into my workplace but they nearly collided with my vehicle, missing by less that a foot. I rolled my window down to warn the driver that he was nearly hitting my vehicle, and he yelled back at me that he knew how to drive and that he had been driving longer than I have been alive. I rolled my window up and pulled forward as much as possible to allow him to enter the parking lot. As I was driving home, I received a call from my employer telling me that I was fired. Apparently the driver of the vehicle told my employer I had been rude and said things to him I never said.
I was OFF the clock and OFF the property!
is that legitimate reasoning for being fired?

 

[Patricia_Young]

Fair? Probably not. Illegal? No.

 

[mightymoose]

Depending on the nature of employment, you can probably appeal a level above that boss that fired you and salvage your job.
If you want the job, use the resources you have available to you and fight for it.
Otherwise move along... they can certainly fire you if they want, but if the circumstances are as you say I would bet you could convince them to spare your job. Doesn't hurt to try.