Can I sue for slander? Got fired from job because of it.?

[leonie36]

I used to work at a Chili's in Pembroke Pines and even though I was new, I was consistantly the top seller and always got great reviews from happy customers. But one day, long story short, I got into a dispute with a very abrasive worker which ended up in her grabbing my arm and telling me "Not to tell [her] what to do" after I told her to package up a ToGo item for me. I brushed her arm off gently and told her to calm down, and apparently she told the manager behind my back that I hit her/pushed her. I have people vouching for me on this issue, and if you met me you would know that I would never do such a thing.
This happened a month ago and not only did it get me fired from the old Chili's, but it is the reason that I can't be hired at another Chili's that I live nearby. There was defamation of character as well as loss of wages and emotional pain (if that matters).
Can I take her to court? I am not even looking for much money, just enough to make up for a month of not being able to work or so.

[gustav]

yes of course you can take her to court its under the unfair dismissals act! google it!

[egan]

If you are an adult you can sue anyone for anything. You are not likely to win because the difference between "brushed her arm gently" and "pushed her" is not sufficiently definite. It is a matter of semantics and opinion and thus should not be the basis of slander.

[elton]

No, that kind of lie is not actionable, it is not slander or defamation in the legal sense of the term for someone to tell an untruth about something that occurred between them to their joint supervisor at work, even if it resulted in you being fired. She would have had to go to others, like the nearby Chili's, and say something to them, like "Don't hire him, he's violent"...then you might have a case, but to what end? And how much would you be willing to spend on attorney's fees, because it is not likely to be accepted on a contingency fee basis. So, no, just or unjust, you can't.

[calin]

Sure. All you have to do is PROVE that she said what you claim, and assert that it is not true. Then prove that this was the ONLY cause for being fired (which your company very well could deny), then prove damages (that part is easy)