I got laid off :(

[Mighty Favog]

"I got called into a suprise meeting with my boss and the VP over our dept thursday where they informed me that yesterday was my last day of work."

That is just p!ss poor management there. They knew well before you did this was going to come to fruition. To lay you off on the day they announced it is an indicator of a very poor organization. You are better off not being there. We give our folks a std month notice and the longer they are with us the longer the notice the employees get. Getting tanked in one day should merit a pretty kickin severance package. Very sorry to hear this.

On the other hand management may just be trying to prevent any theft or sabatage the person being laid off might do. A lot of places wont even let you get your personal things out of your desk. That all has to be gone over and decided if it's your or not. Not saying it's right and certainly not nice, but that's they way mgt. can see it.

[Marvel]

Bottom notch...

That just made me laugh out loud.

It sorta makes me wonder if I want to work there...

One of my benefits was free tuition for my kids. The youngest graduated from Valparaiso U. today (the tuition program worked at a whole lot of schools). So, in one sense, I don't need to be THERE. But right now I NEED to be there to help out the family.

Don't worry Josh... I have your phone number if I still need to ask questions. [:$]

[CECAA850]

One door closes and another one opens. Good luck on your search.

Carl

[Invidiosulus]

They are giving me a week before they disable my account and before I need to turn in my keys.

I listened to Fred Jones Pt. 2 while I cleaned out my desk.

I think I forgot my Jolt Cola in the fridge though.

Lots of good advice in here.

I may already have something lined up, I just have to polish up the ol resume.

Bruce,

You guys can call anytime you require my knowledge.

Maybe I could keep a running tab and send the college a consulting fee [6]

[J.4knee]

"I got called into a suprise meeting with my boss and the VP over our dept thursday where they informed me that yesterday was my last day of work."

 

That is just p!ss poor management there. They knew well before you did this was going to come to fruition. To lay you off on the day they announced it is an indicator of a very poor organization. You are better off not being there. We give our folks a std month notice and the longer they are with us the longer the notice the employees get. Getting tanked in one day should merit a pretty kickin severance package. Very sorry to hear this.

On the other hand management may just be trying to prevent any theft or sabatage the person being laid off might do. A lot of places wont even let you get your personal things out of your desk. That all has to be gone over and decided if it's your or not. Not saying it's right and certainly not nice, but that's they way mgt. can see it.

That would make sense if you terminate for cause. A lay off is another issue entirely. Handling a lay off in this manner is simply showing no respect for employees. I work in management layoffs should be handled with concern for both employee and company terminations should be handled with concern for the company. In a layoff situation you want the employee to want to come back if the business forecast improves. Not so with a termination.

[J.4knee]

DP

[colterphoto1]

Yeah, it's pretty degrading. One day you're doing a fine job, the next morning the building superintendent is standing by as security while you empty your personal items into a copy paper box.

[kaiser SET say]

Been there, done that gentlemen but stay positive because new doors do open when you are really thinking of what you really want to do now[] My first corporate job cost me my marriage and strain on my relationship with my oldest but corporate tried it once again 2 months before my second one was born and this time I was ready, took a lot less money but far better benefits like 15 1/2 hours vacation per month and for me less money more time with my family was the new door that opened.

Like Mark says best to both of you, someone's really going to get some good people[]

[Amy]

I'm sorry to hear about your trouble. Sometimes it works out for the best, and I hope this will be the case for you.

Good luck to you

[Tom Adams]

Yeah, it's pretty degrading. One day you're doing a fine job, the next morning the building superintendent is standing by as security while you empty your personal items into a copy paper box.

Yeah, some companies seem to make it a point that it should be degrading. When I worked for one of the large PC companies, we had a huge layoff and they hired the Brinks company to bring in a dozen guards. They covered every entrance and exit. The layoffs started one by one at 9:00 o'clock. A guy would be called from his cube by a security guard, taken to personnel, given his paperwork, taken back to his desk with an official carton, pack his crap and be walked to his car by the security guard. Mostly 40 and 50 year old professional guys and it looked like a perp walk. This went on for about 6 hours, during which everyone was supposed to sweat out if they were next. It was the most insane layoff process I ever witnessed.

I too am sorry to hear about your lay-off Josh & Gary. I've been fortunate in only being laid off once and it did indeed turn out to be for the best. So I'll say a prayer for you guys.

And I agree with many of the comments here about the manner in which the employee is "treated". One of the the first lay-off's I went through here was close to what Mark said with the exception of using Brinks. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. No productivity.....folks just sitting at their desks or making whisper small talk all the while waiting for the grim reaper to show up to escort you to the Director's office. The person would return with a Company security guard and their supervisor in tow as they watched the employee clean out their desk into a copy paper box. It was gut wrenching to watch. The laid-off person would look at you as if they were being led away to the lions. Nobody was making eye contact. It was BAD. And the laid-off guy didn't even get the opportunity to say good-bye to folks they worked with - and some of those folks had worked here for 20+ years!

Last Thursday was almost as bad. Again, folks just sitting in their cubie waitng for the axe to fall. Fortunately we only had one person let go. Our "participation" (as they called it) in the RIF was achieved mostly through cancelled open positions. The guy that was let go worked right across from me. They did allow him to pack his stuff un-supervised and there was some level of dignity in that he got to talk to folks and they said to report back to the manager's off when he was done packing. It was weird when, at around 3:30pm, we get this email from our senior manager informing us that "our participation in the RIF has concluded".

Contrast this with the voluntary separation program (VSP) that precluded the RIF. Those folks had a month to walk around in lame duck session giving every one grief about how they were on their way out (many were retiring) or wishing folks well or thanking folks, or whatever. Completely different vibe.

Tom

[garymd]

I was given until July 31st although my group was the first in the Accounting/Finance Division to be let go. They also were kind enough to keep our bank's severance policy so I will/should have plenty of time to find other employment. I expect I'll be taking a significant pay cut when I do find another job. I'll probably have to work a lot harder too. I certainly don't mind working hard but at this point in my career and at my age (49), having to prove myself all over again is not something I thought I would be doing. Also, I will most likely be jumping to a different industry. It's not a great time to be a banker!!

It's a very strange feeling to lose a job you've held for almost half of your life. My daughter graduated from college Saturday and she was born a year after I started!

I'm looking forward to some time off although it would be much more relaxing if I knew I had something lined up, maybe around October??? I'll just call it a mid-life vacation. I'd like to relax at the beach house and play a lot of golf. My wife thinks I should paint the house. Go figure.

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. Sorry to partially hijack the thread Josh. I'm glad you have something lined up already. It sounds like you're in good shape.

[toddvj]

Yeah, it's pretty degrading. One day you're doing a fine job, the next morning the building superintendent is standing by as security while you empty your personal items into a copy paper box.

On the bright side, though, it's better than being led out in handcuffs.

[Mighty Favog]

Yeah, it's pretty degrading. One day you're doing a fine job, the next morning the building superintendent is standing by as security while you empty your personal items into a copy paper box.

On the bright side, though, it's better than being led out in handcuffs.

Like the movie Wall Street?

[Speedball]

we get this email from our senior manager informing us that "our participation in the RIF has concluded".

Hi Tom-

Dontcha just love the language they invent? I got it this way once: "We're having an involuntary separation from employment and you and Joe have been selected."

RIF ? .........that is exactly what came to mind as I read his post. Brrrrrr, cold.

[skonopa]

Yeah, it's pretty degrading. One day you're doing a fine job, the next morning the building superintendent is standing by as security while you empty your personal items into a copy paper box.

On the bright side, though, it's better than being led out in handcuffs.

Seen that happen before. Seemed one of the employees at my old job was, shall we say, helping himself to some laptops. Bad move - especially on a government military (Navy) base. I say my "old" job - I actually left on my own recognizance - not laid off (after working there for nearly 14 1/2 years). Just a better oppurtunity presented itself and I took it. Glad I did though. Much more interesting work, much better pay, and I don't have to commute as far.

BTW, sucks that you both got laid off Josh and Gary. I do remember you mentioning that you thought your days were pretty much numbered at your job, though, Gary. Seems like the axe finally fell.

I hope I don't ever have to go through this type of thing, and so far, I've been pretty lucky.

[Tom Adams]

I was given until July 31st although my group was the first in the Accounting/Finance Division to be let go. They also were kind enough to keep our bank's severance policy so I will/should have plenty of time to find other employment. I expect I'll be taking a significant pay cut when I do find another job. I'll probably have to work a lot harder too. I certainly don't mind working hard but at this point in my career and at my age (49), having to prove myself all over again is not something I thought I would be doing. Also, I will most likely be jumping to a different industry. It's not a great time to be a banker!!

It's a very strange feeling to lose a job you've held for almost half of your life. My daughter graduated from college Saturday and she was born a year after I started!

I'm looking forward to some time off although it would be much more relaxing if I knew I had something lined up, maybe around October??? I'll just call it a mid-life vacation. I'd like to relax at the beach house and play a lot of golf. My wife thinks I should paint the house. Go figure.

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. Sorry to partially hijack the thread Josh. I'm glad you have something lined up already. It sounds like you're in good shape.

I honestly feel I can say that I know how you feel Gary. As odd as it might sound, when our RIF was about to happen, there was a part of me that hoped I would be laid-off. And I think it was so I could maybe go & do something different. I kept thinking - I've done this engineering/aerospace gig for over 27 years now. If I were to take some night classes, get into another industry, and retire at 65, that would give me another 15 years in a second career. Of course, had I been laid-off, I would've had the security of 30+ weeks of severance pay. OTOH......the notion of having to compete with young whipper-snappers ain't so great.

BTW Gary - although quite a few things went with my last divorce, I still have a very nicely framed, pencil sketch portrait of Frank Sinatra (remember that Sinatra stuff I got from you?) hanging in my office room. I chuckle some times when I look at it and recall that story you told me of that guy getting a stuffed animal off Sinatra's grave.

And yes Mark - I have a geat appreciation for the wordsmiths and their ability to "spin" the fact that your employment is being terminated.

Tom

[BigStewMan]

far too many years ago, i worked at albertsons. when i got laid off i was told, "i'd rather get rid of so & so; but, he's been here longer."

as far a second careers, retiring from the coast guard and starting a new career was very humbling. i went from being the "go to" guy with over 20 years experience to the new guy that didn't know much about what was going on. losing seniority and being on the bottom of the food chain, thus getting the crappy little jobs (here, go make copies of this, etc...) was hard to adjust to. had to put my ego in check and realize that, depite being mid-forties and successfully completed one career, in the eyes of my employer, i wasn't much different than the young new guy that was on his first job.

[fini]

Bummer, but when you're a carpenter (or other tradesperson) you get used to being handed your paycheck with a roadmap printed on the back. Mostly, the job just ends. Severence? Yeah, right (just like paid vacation, sick leave, holidays...what's that?). Oh, you get hurt almost every day, too. Dang, why am I doing this???[]

[garymd]

Bummer, but when you're a carpenter (or other tradesperson) you get used to being handed your paycheck with a roadmap printed on the back. Mostly, the job just ends. Severence? Yeah, right (just like paid vacation, sick leave, holidays...what's that?). Oh, you get hurt almost every day, too. Dang, why am I doing this???

So who held a gun to your head and forced you to become a carpenter? Before I decided to become a banker, I researched various industies and determined that banks on average have the best severance packages so I suffered through 23 years of work I despised so my family would not starve if I eventually was laid off.[^o)]

[jacksonbart]

Gary

Sorry to hear about you impending freedom. I always thought you where a medical doctor. I have been working for a bank, although not in traditional banking part, but for a traditional bank for the past 8 plus years. I hope you land one soon and don't start until September. Good luck. You didn't work for National City did you?