Among Friends

[BunSnoop]

As always, I can depend on you to bring up things I never would of thought of.  Thank you all for the great suggestions and comments.

@Othereeeen, you really got me thinking when you said - how much notice would they give me???  Gosh our company had probably about 1,000 employees about 20 years ago (I've been with the company 26 years).  And they have let sooooo many go - to cut the budget, and I would say there may be now about 400 employees left.

I was actually one of them that they were to let go and I got "saved" a couple of days before they were to let me go.  I think I had about a 1 month notice.  However, since then so many employees were given no notice - they told them, usually on a Friday, that was their last day - no notice at all!

One girl actually worked in our department.  She was there for part of the day, then she was gone.  We were told on Monday, they had to let her go.  Often they would let go of 30-40 employees at a time - no notices!!!

[SeaMaiden]

I left my job of almost 30 years after I had double knee replacement.  My knee replacement was in June...I told them about my surgery four months prior(in February).... and asked for June, July and August off....Summer is a slower time  of the year there, so that worked out great. I had NEVER taken any extra time off in 30 years other than a week twice a year. 

After I had the surgery, I realized I never wanted to return....so one month after my surgery....I told them I was not coming back to work.  

I felt it was not leaving them short as they had hired a person when I left...

best thing I ever did as the working environment was TOXIC...and I was really unhappy there.

[QVCkitty1]

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@BunSnoop wrote:

Not this June, but next June I'll be 65 and hope to retire then once eligible for Medicare.  How much notice do I give my employer?

Currently there are 3 of us in our dept.  One has been doing the same job as me for over 40 years, the other is just beginning to learn.  I would estimate it takes about 1 year to train someone that has no prior experience.  If they hire someone from the outside that has done similar work, I would estimate about 3 months for them to get comfortable with our procedures, etc.  

The employee that has been with the company for 40 years, gets paid approximately $14,000 a year more than me, but has LESS responsibilities than myself.  (She was a supervisor and when they eliminated the position she kept her supervisor salary). 

When I  leave they will still have "her", and the person that this year has just started learning. 

My supervisor is nice, but I'm not a real happy camper that the other employee gets paid more than me, and anything that is more difficult, he assigns to me.  I don't know how to put it, but she was at one time super intelligent, but the last 3 years - definitely not so much! I believe she is on warning due to errors/production issues.

I was thinking of giving 3-4 months notice. What do you think - too much, not enough, etc?

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@BunSnoop , I gave a months notice, and my weasel of a boss talked me into staying until they hired my  replacement.  I agreed because I liked my co- workers and in our situation being one person down makes it really hard for those left behind. If he were my only consideration I'd have given 2 weeks and never looked back. As it turned out I worked per diem for 4 more years, my choice.

[cindyNC]

I worked for an international company.  It took my company MONTHS to hire replacement people and the applicants had to go through 1-3 interviews depending on if they were considered for the position.  All of the computer programs were proprietary and there was a learning curve for that also. They didn't even start advertising until after the emplyee had left the company. 

As I was retiring with nary a thought of ever being employed again,  I gave my supervisor 1 week notice.   As I don't believe in burning bridges, I sent my supervisor a  very nice letter thanking her for everything etc...... Coworkers in other US branches were permanently assigned to cover work in other US branches when a coworker left/vacation/medical leave etc. so coverage for the work wasn't an issue. 

[millieshops]

As long as there is no company policy, you have to protect yourself.   

I understand the concept of loyalty, but don't be so loyal that the company and your co-workers won't return that loyalty.

I know 2 men who worked highly responsible positions in their companies, but each returned from lunch one day only to have been locked out of their own offices.   One of them had watched so many be let go from his department that when they were down to 5 he made the error of assuming he was safe.

[Chessa35]

Now a days , the thinking is ; out with the old and in with the new ! Sad , but true .

 They know you are around retirement age , so it won’t be a shock . (You may be helping them out .) Sad ,but true !

 Give them two or three weeks .

[Catty2]

I gave my employer a month's notice.  I typed a letter with the information and my last work date and took it to my manager.  Such a great feeling after working for so many years.  

[hckynutjohn]

@BunSnoop 

My employer of 33 years was offering buyouts, and I could not wait to hit the road. I turned in ak the pertinent paperwork, signed my my immediate boss. Did not hear a thing for close to 3 weeks.

At the time I was working day hours of 8am-4pm. My boss came over to me at 3:00pm and told me I got the buyout and I had to turn in my ID and not to come back after my 4 o'clock shift ended. I said "what the beep", and I am suppose to get all my own tools and equipment of 33 years, grounded up and out the door in 1 hour.

Fortunately this boss was a fellow I car pooled with back in the 1960's, when he was a flunky hourly worker like myself. He was able to finagle another day for me to go into 2 different large factory plants to round up my personal equipment. 

In essence I was given 1 hour notice to vacate after 33 years of service.That is how I was treated, but for my friend, who just happened to be my boss at the time. Bosses rotated every 3 months, and had it been the other guy?

Even worse. There were those who came into start their night shift at 4pm! They were told they got their buyout and to turn in their ID and "out the door", never to return. Many of these workers had over 25 years with this company.

Not what you were asking, but this is what AT&T thought of its long term employees. Just a number to them.  😡

hckynut  🇺🇸

[BExplorer]

As an employer, I appreciate when people give me plenty of notice to hire and train their replacement. I have had two employees retire: one management, and one not. Both gave me two years' notice!  I realize that is very unusual and I certainly don't expect anyone to do that. No, they were not walked to the door when they gave me notice. I utilized their skills and experience up until their last day 🙂. 

[Enufstuff]

@hckynutjohn  That is so outragious, to be treated that way, after

working for a company for so many years.

        For several years now, I have been hearing about people being let go for "downsizing" or "restructuring" or "going in a new direction".

        Companies expect employee loyalty, but that doesn't seem to work in the other direction. There is no consideration, empathy, or even appreciation of employees who have given their all to a company.

         People are locked out of their computers and escorted out

by security as if they are criminals. You are right, so many employees are only a number.

         Fortunately, I worked for the city for 32 years in a civil service position. I had to work out pension and health insurance along with Social Security and Medicare three months before retirement.

        I did not inform my immediate boss, but he heard about it

and asked me about it , the month before I left. I had not told him before, since he was not very nice to me and my co- worker.  He had his favorites and we were not it.

        Only a couple of people knew that I was leaving. I wanted to avoid a retirement party. Well, on my last day, they did have a cake for me and another lady who was retiring the same day.

A collection had been taken and we were given flowers and a cash gift. ( It was not the bosses doing, but other co-workers).

          That was February 2019, just before everything was shut down from Covid. I don't miss it at all. It was a very stressful job and an unpleasant boss made it worse. He was the 5th boss

in our department. The first three were very nice to work for.

          I think that people in management over the past 15 or 20

years are trained to be cold and unfriendly to employees. They are just dispensible bodies .