I was laid off last year from a Social Media and Marketing role at a company where I had worked for almost five years, primarily remote for four years and then hybrid for six months. Initially, my boss provided me with a severance package and a glowing thank you letter, encouraging me to apply for unemployment compensation (UC). However, just a few days later, she rescinded the severance and accused me of fraudulently stealing time, claiming discrepancies between my clocked hours and my computer's activity. This led to a review by my state's UC department, where her appeal was denied, likely because she had faced similar claims from other former employees. It seems she was trying to avoid an increase in her UC taxes. Now, I'm concerned that if potential employers contact her for a reference, she may sabotage my chances of getting back into my career. Currently, I'm stuck in a retail job and have been job searching for ten months. Fortunately, I have two former coworkers who are willing to act as references and were upset about my dismissal. I'm looking for advice on how to navigate this situation and ensure my former boss doesn't hinder my job search.