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It's the holidays and many people are feeling cheerful, but if you're feeling Grinch-like instead this one's for you:
If you've been around for a while, the time will eventually come when a company you work for is in unfortunate shape and will need to "downsize." Having witnessed this at a client of mine this week, I've noticed a pattern and a few warning signs you may find useful...
Here are several warning signs you're about to be laid-off. If you've noticed more than perhaps one of these, your Spidey-Sense should be tingling—it's time to start polishing that resume/CV!
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I. Backups
"Have you backed-up all your work to XYZ?"
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II. Training
"Please train your co-worker on X, we need everyone up to speed on these components."
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III. Important Project or Person MIA
Just like the old Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, where the very existence of the main character is erased from history, a similar fate will happen to $BIG_PROJECT or important people.
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IV. Mandatory Meeting
Subject: Moving Forward in $YEAR+1Content-free meeting invitations or email focused on date periods, especially late-in the year (a nod to tax purposes). "Let's discuss our plan for 2016." **gulp**
That's my list for now, please chime in with any others you can think of.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 24 2015, @05:41AM
Hepatitis B isn't usually an occupational hazard for IT staff. If I were in your shoes, and it wasn't obvious how hepatitis could be a risk in that job, I would have asked. If you plan to have sex with lots of Asian people, it may be in your interest to get the rest of the shots—ask your doctor?
About your offer to return the equipment that was issued to you if the company pays the shipping cost: how about writing a letter to them, informing them of that offer? If you send such a letter by certified mail with a return receipt, that receipt could prove useful, should the company sue you over keeping the equipment. If you do give it back, it would be wise to get a receipt.
Regarding the agency, with the suspicion you have about them it would be best to find another agency or apply directly to employers. If you were working in Pleasanton, California and you signed a non-compete agreement, it's nothing to worry about because non-compete agreements are illegal in California. If your paychecks came from the agency, well, you're the employee of that agency, not of the company to which they farmed you out. The agency hasn't fired you, has it? So when speaking to future employers, you might be able to put a more appealing face on this. If this keeps you from getting other jobs, that will be very damaging.
This could easily have turned out worse, for instance if they hadn't paid you or if you moved and leased an apartment. Anyway, best wishes.