She fears firing was over Web namesake

DEAR AMY: I am an older woman who was fired from a part-time job two years ago. At the time of my termination, no reason was given and I could think of none. I was told only that the decision was from the "home office." At the time I was not computer literate, but recently I went onto the Internet and did a search on my name and to my horror found that someone else with the same name had a disgusting website. Her face was hidden in the photo. No hometown was named. It could have been anybody! If someone in the home office who doesn't know me at all thought I was this person, I could see why I would have been fired. My job was an "at will" position, so they don't have to give a reason for my dismissal. This is so embarrassing! I want my job back! How do I approach my old employer to find out if that is what happened? Wouldn't the home office have to investigate further before firing someone for this reason?Rankled UnemployeeDEAR RANKLED: You have nothing to lose, and so you might as well contact the human resources representative at your former place of employment to report this unhappy coincidence and see if it had any impact on your termination.

I very much doubt that your former employer would give you any reason, or admit to this Web presence as being a reason for your firing, but your effort might illuminate your situation and give you a strategy for dealing with it in the future.

You will not get your job back after such a long lapse, but -- hey, you never know -- if you make a favorable impression you may be considered for another position.

From here on out, you might consider using a middle initial on your resumé. Do a search on this version of your name to make sure anything that comes up is innocuous.