Would you take Legal Action for Slander?
First, I need to tell the entire story so that you may get a feel of what's going on.
About a month and a half ago I applied for an Assistant Managers position at one of the larger grocery stores in my city. I interviewed for the position and a few days later they called and made me a job offer, which I accepted. I put in a 3 week notice to my current employer & purchased all new clothes so that I would be able to abide by my new employers dress code.
About 2 weeks ago, I went to the bar after work with a group of co-workers; I would like to mention that I work for a newspaper and all arrests are published. Our group had made our way to another bar and we all continued to have a good time. As the night went on I, of course, needed to use the rest room. I had gone to the rest room and was on my way out. I put my hand up on the door with a light smack, open handed causing no damage. A gentleman outside the door, waiting to use the facilities tapped me on the shoulder, said, "Hey, watch this." and then punched a hole in the door. I brushed this off and went back to a table of people that I know. When I went to the bar to get another beer the bartender told me he would not serve me because I had punched a hole in the door. I was confused and asked him, "I did what?" He told me that someone had told him that I had punched the hole in the door. I told him that I didn't. He proceeded to tell me that my had was bloody and to leave. That is not the case, I had sores on my hand from warts. I attempted to tell him what happened but he kept cutting me off and telling me to leave. I didn't leave, I went to wait at a table in an attempt to try and find a time to explain the situation. While I was waiting the police showed up and asked me to speak to them outside. One officer, who knew me from giving me a DWI, said they were there because I put a hole in the door and wouldn't leave. I explained to the officer that I didn't put a hole in the door. I made this statement to him, "I work for the [newspaper name] and I am getting ready to move to an assistant manager at [grocery store name]. Why would I do that?" He understood that I was referring to breaking the law when I know my name would go into my paper once arrested and cripple my chances of keeping my new job. The police officer instructed me to to leave for the evening and he would go in and talk to the employees, so that's what happened.
After those incidents, I assumed that everything was taken care of. Some of my co-workers wanted to go back to that bar the next week. I expressed that I was uncomfortable going there and told them the story. They agreed that it was all obviously taken care of, so I went back with them. I went to the bar to get a beer and the bartenders told me that I wasn't welcome and to leave. Not wanting to cause trouble, I went back to where my group was to tell them that I had to leave. While I was doing this, 2 of the male bartenders came back and escorted me out. I felt this was embarrassing and it did anger me. I started to voice my story again trying to tell them what happened the week before. During this verbal dispute, the volume of my voice had gone up out of anger, partially due to the fact that one of the bartender stated that he had a witness, then a few minutes later he had 3 witnesses, and then all of the sudden he had 5 witnesses. I called him out on his ever rising number of witnesses and he then kept quiet. Then one of the other guys out there asked, "Why is this all coming out now?" I was very angry and trying to explain very loudly. Then a guy behind me asked why I was yelling to which I replied, "I'm not yelling at you, I'm just talking very loudly." They told me to call the owner the next day and asked me politely to leave for the night. I agreed to this, went down the street and called a cab.
Now this is where the "slander" comes in. Yesterday, 2 days before my I end my current job, the grocery store management called me up and asked me to come back in for a meeting, to which I obliged. When I got there they sat me down and asked me about my DWI incidents; i answered and pointed out that I informed them of that on my application. Then they asked me about the "hole in the door" incident at the bar. Apparently the manager of the store and the owner of the bar are good friends, store managers words. I told him about the first night, somewhat reluctantly. He then told me that there was more to the story and wanted to know about the night from the next week, I was past the reluctant stage, and told him what happened. He said that he heard a different story. He said he was told that I punched a hole in the door and then refused to leave. He also said he was told that I came back the next week and attempted to start a physical fight outside his bar. After all of that He told me that he didn't believe that this store and I would not be a fit and retracted the job offer.
This is my dilemma, I know what he was told by the bar owner was a lie. I also wonder why this manager was the only person he told; I believe it was because of my conversation with the police officer, when I told him I was going to this store. So, the story that the bar owner cost me a job. Also, I have already given my written notice to my current employer and completed all but a few days of it. I will not be able to keep this job. And, since I left my job and was not release, I do not believe I qualify for unemployment to keep me afloat until I do find a job.
I believe the bar owner willfully perpetuated a lie that he knew was possibly untrue with malicious intent by telling my soon to be employer.
What do you think?
