How would you feel?

[catbirdseat]

I come into work my scheduled Friday evening shift. I turn into the parking garage and find my key card won't open the gate. The attendent tells me to take a ticket- there's another car waiting to come in behind me.

 

I walk to the door to the reception area and key in my four digit pass code. The code doesn't work. I try it again, and again. I check the slip of paper in my wallet. Yes, you remembered it correctly.

 

I pound on the door and someone lets me in. I look around and see a familiar manager (not my manager) standing near the receptionist. You ask him, "what's up? My key code doesn't work. Have I been laid off?"

 

He answers, "not that I know of."

 

I checked to make sure I was scheduled. I was. I check to see which days I'm scheduled for next week. My name doesn't even appear on the list. I try to call my supervisor but he's not in. I call his manager, but she's not in.

 

Finally, I go to clock in. The machine lets me clock in! The first affirmation of employment yet! There's hope.

 

I walk up to my department and find that I am not on the schedule there, but I am are welcomed anyway.

 

Two hour into my shift, the manager with whom I'd spoken earlier calls and tells me to meet him behind Customer Service. There he explains that I was laid off. There's not enough work.

 

"Why was I not told?", I asked. "You have my email address, mailing address, and two phone numbers, why didn't you try to contact me?"

 

I was told that, basically, they forgot to tell me. I tried to call the supervisor and his manager for three days. One actually tried once to call on the cell one evening but it wasn't turned on. She left a cheerful sounding message.

 

All I want is an explanation about why this happened and an apology. Does that sound reasonable? How would you feel if this happened to you?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I come into work your scheduled Friday evening shift. I turn into the parking garage and find my key card won't open the gate. The attendent tells me to take a ticket- there's another car waiting to come in behind me.

 

I walk to the door to the reception area and key in my four digit pass code. The code doesn't work. I try it again, and again. I check the slip of paper in my wallet. Yes, you remembered it correctly.

 

I pound on the door and someone lets me in. I look around and see a familiar manager (not my manager) standing near the receptionist. You ask him, "what's up? My key code doesn't work. Have I been laid off?"

 

He answers, "not that I know of."

 

You check to make sure you're scheduled. You are. You check to see which days you are scheduled for next week. Your name doesn't even appear on the list. You try to call your supervisor but he's not in. You call his manager, but she's not in.

 

Finally, you go to clock in. The machine lets you clock in! The first affirmation of employment yet! There's hope.

 

You walk up to your department and find that you are not on the schedule there, but you are welcomed anyway.

 

Two hour into your shift, the manager who you spoke with earlier calls and tells you to meet him behind Customer Service. There he explains that you were laid off. There's not enough work.

 

"Why was I not told?", I asked. "You have my email address, mailing address, and two phone numbers, why didn't you try to contact me?"

 

I was told that, basically, they forgot to tell me. I tried to call the supervisor and his manager for three days. One actually tried once to call on the cell one evening but it wasn't turned on. She left a cheerful sounding message.

 

All I want is an explanation about why this happened and an apology. Does that sound reasonable? How would you feel if this happened to you?

 

this sounds like it's right out of Office Space. totally fucking ridiculous!

[catbirdseat]

For years at various jobs I've had, whenever the company reports some bad news we'd joke about showing up one morning and finding our key cards inactivated. All these years and it never actually happened- until now.

[pink_chalk]

That is awful - so sorry you had to find out that way. TOTAL BS!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

For years at various jobs I've had, whenever the company reports some bad news we'd joke about showing up one morning and finding our key cards inactivated. All these years and it never actually happened- until now.

 

and it was really important that they disable your key card and all that - after all you'd go ona rampage if they didn't.

 

so much for treating people like human beings

 

[pink]

fucking lame. ever see american beauty?

[Recycled]

From what I've heard, that's now considered good personnel management. At least, that's what my brother-in-law, a HR-type says. I believe that the corporate view is now that one individual can easily do so much damage or data theft with computers, that they have no alternative but to meet someone at the door with a shoebox of personal stuff from their desk.

 

I've never worked under those conditions, so I have a hard time imagining what that would be like. That kind of basic lack of respect for people who work with/for you is difficult for me to understand.

 

I'd probably go postal, but only on the HR people who set that situation up.

 

[catbirdseat]

For years at various jobs I've had, whenever the company reports some bad news we'd joke about showing up one morning and finding our key cards inactivated. All these years and it never actually happened- until now.

 

and it was really important that they disable your key card and all that - after all you'd go ona rampage if they didn't.

 

so much for treating people like human beings

I can see how it might have happened. My supervisor has some ungodly number of people under him. It's something like 40?! In three months I never had a real conversation with him.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

For years at various jobs I've had, whenever the company reports some bad news we'd joke about showing up one morning and finding our key cards inactivated. All these years and it never actually happened- until now.

 

and it was really important that they disable your key card and all that - after all you'd go ona rampage if they didn't.

 

so much for treating people like human beings

I can see how it might have happened. My supervisor has some ungodly number of people under him. It's something like 40?! In three months I never had a real conversation with him.

 

this is standard operating procedures at companies now. the pretend that you are "one of the family" when they need you... friendly, "hey how's it going", especially the most evil people at any company - HR - then they treat you like a criminal for a layoff. hire security, haul you into a room for that "special informational meeting" complete with a security goon, disable your key card, your accounts, etc.

 

this is depressing. I'm gonna go work out.

 

 

[catbirdseat]

Go postal? Nah. It was just a part time job to earn a few extra bucks. Nothing's worth going postal over, really.

 

I just think all people should be treated with respect. That's all.

[pink]

get some dirt on your next boss. what you need is leverage.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Go postal? Nah. It was just a part time job to earn a few extra bucks. Nothing's worth going postal over, really.

 

I just think all people should be treated with respect. That's all.

 

going postal ... that's what they think you're going to do. all layoffs are like this now. lame.

 

[minx]

CBS--sorry to hear this. glad you got a new job offer. that blows!

[catbirdseat]

I've accepted the job offer in California. The pay is more than three times what I was making at this part time job. I'm not devastated over it. Just disappointed. Good people work there. It could happen to others.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I've accepted the job offer in California. The pay is more than three times what I was making at this part time job. I'm not devastated over it. Just disappointed. Good people work there. It could happen to others.

 

Good luck, CBS! I hope things work out for you.

 

Maybe I'll have an excuse to come do a technical route on Whitney now.

[Hugh Conway]

Good luck.

 

Weirdest layoff ever was where they fired us, then made us stick around for 3 weeks. At the same time they announced a "valued employee retention program"

 

WTF are we going to do? Help those assholes? And there stock is still at $18 6 years later

[catbirdseat]

When ICOS laid us off, we were given three months to stick around. It was darn depressing knowing that nothing you do matters for much.

[pink]

dbb1iIYsLaE

[Hugh Conway]

When ICOS laid us off, we were given three months to stick around. It was darn depressing knowing that nothing you do matters for much.

 

thats likely my endgame

[Sherri]

How would I feel? Like they had just reaffirmed my decision to embrace the future and take that new, plum job in Cali. Sounds like the universe is giving you a nudge, pal.

[builder206]

If there was ever a person who deserved things to go his way, it's catbirdseat.

 

Brian, many are going to be very sorry to see you go. Fair winds and a following sea to you.

[TREETOAD]

union yes

[fenderfour]

You should go back and crap on your boss's desk.

 

That's what I would do.

[lizard_brain]

I got called to the HR managers office of a company I worked for. I was told I was being laid off. I went back to my desk and told my co-workers about it. Then I said "Today is my birthday." One of my co-workers was hysterical. She was dying to tell the HR person. That HR person was so damn PC. I snuck by there to try to listen but she was already coming out of there. The HR chick was in there banging her head on the desk. I was laughing my arse off. She called me back later and said the made some sort of mistake, and gave me two extra day's pay.

[kevbone]

You should go back and crap on your boss's desk.

 

That's what I would do.

 

 

Agreed