well, that's that then....

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I just walked out of my "job." All my boss could think to say to me today as I was packing up was "You know we could ship that for you." No mention of severence, unpaid vacation time, etc. So I said fuck it.

Do you think this is too harsh a goodbye letter:

Joe,

My blackberry and ID are on my desk. I am not staying here any longer. As of today, my last day, I have yet to be contacted by anyone in Personnel regarding severance, unemployment, unpaid vacation time, 401(k) turnover, stock options, COBRA or any other matter regarding my dismissal. Seeing as this is my last day, my leaving cannot be construed as quitting. I already have it in writing from you that today is my last day.

Given the context of the past year, in which I moved to New York at the Bank's request only to be laid off, I am not surprised of the complete failure to even exit me from the Bank in accordance with the Bank's own procedures. I know of no other group in the Bank that treats its associates so shabbily. What makes this all the more depressing is that while our "leaders" such as Ed Brown and Steele Alphin talk of "developing associates," it's remarkably clear to me that during my 2+ year stint with Bank of America, there is no real development plan not just for associates on the line, but for associates in support groups such as LOE. It's also extremely disturbing to me that the group whose mission is "Learning"
is so overly obsessed with budget numbers (as if LOE's budget is even
remotely comparable to training budgets at our industry peers - even ones in greater financial peril than BAS) as opposed to actual learning. But I suppose that's what we deserve if we have a leader who tells her associates in meetings to "not ask any stupid questions."

To those of you whom I've worked with over these past 2 years, I've enjoyed it. No hard feelings, and I hope that everything goes your way in the future. To the rest of you, well good riddance.

BTW - I'm not trolling for sympathy with this thread. If anyone has any legal advice, I'd welcome it. Well, at least I still have the laptop (heh).

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

All power to you, Mr Stencil. A brave and good act. I hope you can squeeze out of them what they owe you.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you think this is too harsh a goodbye letter:

Not at all. Sounds like you called it as you saw it (and so long as you can readily back up the part about nobody contacting you from Personnel, as I'm sure you can, then that's all for the good).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I understand why you would wanna write that, but it ain't the smartest thing to do...

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Probably not Yanc3, but I had nothing left to lose.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i know. i'd be tempted to do the same in yr shoes.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey,

BurmaKitty says don't remind them of the laptop. Everyone she knows in SF that has been pink slipped has a laptop from their job, which was never asked to be returned.

― Roman (Roman), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

no the laptop thing was to ILXors. Not in the email.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Who is Joe?

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Contact personnel yourself. Don't wait until they come to you. They will not come to you.

― Roman (Roman), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

i understand the urge to write the letter, but im with yancey, its not worth doing. emotions and work should never mix

― barry hawkeye, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

what a big frustrating mess. hugs to you.

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Seconded. Very brave. Many beers will be conveyed. Contacting the HR or payroll department would be a good first step (they might have a file with instructions on how to deal with this that your immediate superiors might not even be fully aware of). Only after that would I get legal advice. It's sometimes best to avoid bringing lawyers into things - it can make things worse. Don't let it go too long. If they know today's your last day, call today. Don't let them put you off. You should have your dough by the end of next week I would think.

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

emotions and work shouldn't mix, I agree. But I wasn't working anymore anyway, today was my last day.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

any letter that you write, depending who you write it to, should mention the severance, unemployment, and cobra, but in a completely dispassionate manner, and in a way that asks questions that can elicit a response. a letter like the one above will only sound like sour grapes and won't affect the zombies that you work for, nor will it help you to get any of the things that you need from them

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

See I agree on all these points but the thing that's maybe missing from the context is that there's no process, no procedure there at all. At least if there is, no one knows what it is (and I worked in Personnel). I will write another letter to send to a separate Personnel person outside of my group, but that letter was sent to the whole group I worked for because I think they deserved to read it. The few people left there I care about need to know how they'll eventually get screwed (if they don't already from the 7 previous people who left in the past 6 months in NYC), and the people who did the screwing need to know how I feel - whether I care or not. It has very little to do with actually resolving any of these open issues as much as me finally being able, on my last day, to break through the climate of fear that I worked through and just say what I feel. If someone has a problem with that, then I shouldn't have been working there anyway.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)

whoops, that should read "...the people who did the screwing need to know how I feel - whether they care or not."

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

right on.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

that's really horrid---the situation, i mean, not the letter. the letter itself is pretty good. if circumstances were different, i'd agree that it's probably not the best idea to let such an emotional response pour forth into your workplace. however, given your circumstances, i think it's completely understandable. i hope you get everything that you should out of those bastards, and good luck in general.

― janni (janni), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:21 (twenty-two years ago)

You didn't actually send that yet, did you? I have some suggestions on how to work in Thoreau.

Seriously, I hope you didn't send it to them, because it doesn't sound good. You are entitled to all of those things that you mentioned since you were laid off, not fired--harrass HR about it, not your supervisors, who probably have little to nothing to do with it anyway. OK, crosspost, I just read your reply. I don't think what you did was unreasonable, but definitely go straight to whomever is the HR person responsible, immediately. They should've had all of this worked out for you when they told you they were laying you off. It's generally part of the meeting. Call and badger and don't stop til you get an answer. If you don't have one within a week, then you should contact some legal counsel.

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Marian from Personnel sez "we'll get back to you sometime next week."

*cues "The Waiting" by Tom Petty*

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I've known some HR departments to make a sport of how long they can delay the exit interview, figuring that you'll have to keep showing up (or stay) until they present you with the paperwork. My wife just left a job (voluntarily) a few months ago and her exit interview was 5 PM on her last scheduled day or work.

― Jeff Wright, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree that sending that letter would be a terrible idea, although I'm sure writing it was cathartic. The best thing to do is compile all the paperwork--including print outs of any emails--regarding your termination as well as the bank's own HR policies on severance pay and so on, and present this to the HR department. If you actually want the benefits you mention above, it's good to start out by being diplomatic; if they remain obstinate then you can start invoking the law and so on.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

yep. I've been down that route, and I'm not doing it again.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll second and third things other people have said, I don't think you should turn in this letter. (maybe you already did). It's not too harsh but will do you no good other than the cathersis (which you've already gotten some of by writing) and could do harm in the future. Contact personnel yourself. And then go get drunk.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, so do I have to be the first one to suggest you go out and drink an assload of bourbon for lunch and come back and stand on top of your desk and piss all over the place while singing "SCHOOOOOOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!"?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Contact personnel yourself. And then go get drunk.

In that order!

― martin m. (mushrush), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm guess you should have the names removed from the copy you posted here but its your post.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes I would suggest that too, you never know what might happen.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 30 May 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd like to 95th everything that's been said on this thread, especially re: getting what's due - I got tossed / laid off w/out my former employers being obligated to do anything, but if there's documentation stating you're supposed to receive things, then go for it. Have a drink or 20 on me, H. (Well, not ON me - I haven't showered yet.)

Also, what the hell is your "blackberry"?

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 30 May 2003 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

the only names are the CEO (public knowledge), the head of Personnel for Bank of America (public knowledge) and the first name of my boss. I'm not really that concerned about it.

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Blackberry is like a wireless communications device, sort of like portable email.

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 30 May 2003 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

*pats on the back*
Good work, hstencil. Soon you won't have to think about this job at all any more! The nightmare is almost over.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Friday, 30 May 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Lots of good advice and whatnot, so I'll just say... cheers stencil. Sucks to the man.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 30 May 2003 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

stencil, fuck them and the horses they rode in on. miserable sons of bitches. you'll find new work -- don't fret too much over it. let me repeat: they can all suck a fat one.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 30 May 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Update!!!

"Joel this is Joe W*****. It's Friday afternoon. I understand that you have a laptop that belongs to the firm. If you could return that to us, we'd appreciate. Please send it to my address. Um. Oh and let me, leave me an email or voicemail to let me know you've done that. Thank you."

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Joe Wanksta?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Hstencil: "I have something else for the firm. Kindly bend over and I'll give it to you."

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

he borrowed a dick?

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, h.

get drunk.

and return the dick.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

repeatedly.

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I just sent him an email back saying "I'll look into it."

― hstencil, Friday, 30 May 2003 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Ohhhh, that is so tacky to ask for office equipment back. Sorry, H. If I lived there I would buy you a bottle of tequila and a sombrero.

― Carey (Carey), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Laptop PC =/ "office equipment"

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

hstencil, don't return the laptop! deny you even have it!

i'm sorry about the whole thing though, it sounds like an awful place. but fuck them over as much as you can, now that you don't have to work there anymore.

― sand.y, Friday, 30 May 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

1. open laptop
2. take shit on keyboard
3. close laptop
4. pack and ship.

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 30 May 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, well, they could come after you if you kept the laptop. And if you fuck with it it just means some poor soul in IT support will have to fix it.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 30 May 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Posting this letter on a publicly searchable board was probably a worse idea than writing it in the first place (followed closely by mentioning the laptop).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 30 May 2003 22:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I love that "I understand that you..." Sounds like a complete twat.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 30 May 2003 23:06 (twenty-two years ago)

He's just doing his job, no?

I don't like the tone of this thread.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 30 May 2003 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't bother battling it, it'll get you more enemies than friends, trust me. I learned the hard way!

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 30 May 2003 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

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