My partner has just been given one months notice. Christmas eve? Big companys suck.

Not a lot more I can add really other than what can you expect when you work for a multinational multi billion pound profit corperation.

Christmas as they say....

Is cancelled.

originally posted by: nonspecific
Not a lot more I can add really other than what can you expect when you work for a multinational multi billion pound profit corperation.

Christmas as they say....

Is cancelled.

I quit my job at a big bank once I saw them getting ready to ship jobs overseas. I have never been happier than when I started working for myself. Good luck to you and your partner.

Thank you, I commend your decision.

The (not)funny thing is she was due to be let go in June of next year for exactly the same reason but they decided to make it a chistmas present instead. Everything was factored on the June deadline.

a reply to: Metallicus

My brother worked for a company that didn't bother to give a notice. He showed up Tuesday morning and was met by two police officers at the front door. 100 people were locked out with all their personal items inside. And just like you it was late November.

It does suck. And the corporations are probably not "good guys" regardless. But laying off employees falls under what is legally known as "fiduciary responsibility". If you do not take it seriously, you will find yourself sitting in court being sued by your investors.

The corporation is nothing but the people that run it. And those people sure don't want to take a bullet for anyone. No one would. So they lay folks off whether it sucks or not.

I hate to hear about that, OP. It does suck. Im not trying to do anything other than point your angst in the direction it should be: investors and tort reform.

I agree wholeheartedly. I would be a little more understanding if the timing was different, business is business after all and decisions need to be made to streamline any company.

It is a re enforcement of my belief in humanity. Right now there are dozens of real people within the company frantically trying to find a way out and feeling bad about what is happening but somewhere up there she is just a number and Christmas is just another day.

With any luck somebody will be visited by three ghosts on the day she is let go and next year things will be different.

I remember an episode of MASH where they kept a guy alive on christmas day even though they knew he was going to die so his kids would not have loose christmas.

Not quite the same I know but faith in humanity and all.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

a reply to: nonspecific

Well, she was looking for a job when she got that one. Another, hopefully better one will come her way with luck.

Pretty decent of them to at least give her notice so she can begin the job hunt in Ernest. Not many companies do that.

She at least get a severance package?

originally posted by: nonspecific
Not a lot more I can add really other than what can you expect when you work for a multinational multi billion pound profit corperation.

Christmas as they say....

Is cancelled.

My condolences...

Now that Union representation has been all but destroyed; the working man is SOL.

I feel fortunate that we entertainment workers are still represented by SAG/AFTRA and IATSE.

The American Labor Movement has consistently demonstrated its devotion to the public interest. It is, and has been, good for all America.
-- John F. Kennedy

since banks are protected by the government now they no longer have to rely on maintaining a good reputation in order to attract customers and stay in business.
40 years ago no company that valued their reputation would ever even think about laying workers off on Christmas eve, but now they don`t think twice about doing it because they have a government guarantee that no matter what they do they will always stay in business and make profits.

No severance, 4 weeks is pretty standard here. do you not usually get any notice of termination where you live if it is not due to negligence or dismissal?

a reply to: olaru12

Thats the sad thing about it on a bigger scale, as smaller companys get pushed out the human touch disapears.

No small company would ever do that to a member of staff unless it was absolutley unavoidable because they would know the person and more than likely there friends and family too.

I know a guy that turned down several million pounds in a buy out when he was near to retirement because the big company looking to buy would have cut jobs, people he had known for years and thought of as friends.


a reply to: Tardacus

a reply to: nonspecific

I'm sorry to hear this.

But look on the not so bright side-you partner won't be the only one fired during the holiday season. Employers are adept at giving the worst news at what should be the best time at the year-It's a sad day when you see Ebenezer Scrooge come to life.

In situations like this people would like to call upon Karma, but sadly it doesn't work that way.

Yes there are others that will loose there jobs on christmas eve but that just makes me sad for them too.

The big worry is that we can not survive without her income and january is a very bad time to find a new job when everyone reels in to get over the expense of the holiday season. There is a good chance this could break us finacially and there may be very little we can do about it.

We don't have credit or expensive possesions to dispose of to see us through.

On the upside we live in a world where there is help and there are possibly billions in worse situations.

It's still a pretty nasty thing to do though.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

a reply to: nonspecific

Strike while the iron is hot. Employers know that recruiting is going to be a tough time in this season. Everyone hunkers down for the holidays. Even as a landlord, getting an empty house rented just doesn't happen in November and December.

Go find a job now. Maybe you will lose out on a severance by doing it...but long term security > short term gain.

Good luck!!!

ETA: don't be afraid to leverage old skills in new ways. I spent 10 years in call centers. When my site was closed, we all went. I had worked my way up to the site directors chair, though, and had developed some skills along the way. Now i sit in a similar type of position in another industry. Sure, it was a stress to learn all new business models and statistical math. But the industry I am in now is far more robust than outsourced call centers (even though I am far better at running a call center than this), so long term it was a good thing. Even though it sucked and caused some depression for a few months.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but as the furry Texan said this is the time to job hunt.

Currently retail is still recruiting for Christmas staff (I know it's not ideal but it's something), I know because I have just been offered some hours with a national retailer even though I wasn't even looking.

Even if it is only Christmas temp work, usually they keep a percentage on as permenant staff if they work hard enough, of course it is a huge risk, as it would mean finding a job like this within the next week, sticking two fingers up at the people letting her go and cutting your losses but still being paid something at the end of December.

It's a big risk, but it is a possibility, granted the oly reson for taking this option would be for the scope of being kept on past temping season, but it might just work.

Sorry I don't have any better advice, I think it's terrible what this company has done, hopefully a brighter more prosperous future awaits you guys in the new year!

a reply to: nonspecific

If she doesn't have a criminal record you might tell her that an easy field to get into around tax season is as a bookkeeper/tax return specialist. Just learn Quickbooks and take the Enrolled Agent exams and take a certification exam and most cities have positions. One company that doesn't pay well but is easy to get hired for is HR Block, if she stays there for awhile she could then move on to work as an Enrolled Agent which pays around 40k. Again, the main thing is to learn Quickbooks and become certified as EA.

Good luck.

We are in the UK so things are a little different here.

We will survive, always have done it's just a bit of a blow at a time of year that is near impossible to find new work.

Thanks for the positive comments.

a reply to: OrphanApology

a reply to: nonspecific

Sorry, your font is hard to read. See West England now.

a reply to: nonspecific

I know it's tough when you're given that kind of news, but a lot of people pick themselves up, brush themselves off and find out it was a blessing in disguise. I hope he can stay focused and find greener pastures. Give him support and encouragement, we all need that when we're down.

Blame the guys at the avitar creation threads, it was very clear before they got involved!

a reply to: OrphanApology