I just got fired by the worst newspaper in america.

Good thing we're not in the middle of a pandemic or anything.

This company told me I could work from home -- because I made a stink about their germ-filled working conditions -- and then fired me because my apartment is in a dead zone and cell service is spotty in it.

I signed up at this place to be public safety reporter. They told me I would be reassigned because of coronavirus; they had me cold calling people in the community to find out how the virus is affecting them.

Want to hear the dumbest social distancing policy of alltime?

This company has reporters working a half day in their work station and then shifting seats -- and germs -- to an empty desk when their desk neighbor arrives for their shift.

This newspaper is all wire copy. There's about three original stories in the paper every day. And it wins Florida press club awards for reasons I will never fully understand.

Last week we were told there will be a shrinking news hole and reporters working from home are required to call 10 people a day -- not for articles, mind you, because there is no space -- and send a list of who we talked to directly to our supervisor.

I resisted. Because I did not sign up for clerical work. I'm a journalist. But I did it. And today I was told I'm fired because I did not promptly pick up my cell phone when an executive editor called me.

Again: my apartment is in a dead zone.

I had to sit in the front seat of my Subaru to call people for this company. And did it.

Because that was better than working from their office.

Did I mention I don't have health insurance?

So now I've been fired for the first time in 20 plus years as a journalist.

I've been laid off three times previously.

That was always part of the business.

I didn't like it.

But I understood it.

What happens next??

I have no idea.

But I'd rather never work as a journalist again than work for these people.

So I guess they did me a favor.