Octopus Overlords

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02, 2023 3:47 pm just got laid off yesterday:

https://www.satellitetoday.com/business ... -business/

ICK! As others noted, hope you get a good severance package and something new (hopefully better) quick!

Sorry, hba. At least it was before the holidays rather than just after.

That sucks. Hope it turns out to be a speed bump en route to something better.

four weeks severance, one month COBRA continuation credit, three months out-placement service with some third party agency.

this was the first layoff i've experienced where they just 'lights out'ed me and i was terminated immediately - while they had me on the HR call, ALL my network services, as well as Slack and email, were shut down and i had no ability to say good bye to my coworkers. i managed to email my manager from my own email account and we set up a Google call (had to be an internet call, as he's based in London) - he had no idea this was happening and was shocked at the suddenness and severity of it.

Today is my 33 year anniversary in the Postal Service, and 270 days until I am not.

There is some fear about the transition, but, I need to go.

Default wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 10:22 pm Today is my 33 year anniversary in the Postal Service, and 270 days until I am not.

There is some fear about the transition, but, I need to go.

Congratudolences.

Default wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 10:22 pm Today is my 33 year anniversary in the Postal Service, and 270 days until I am not.

There is some fear about the transition, but, I need to go.

Congrats, man! What are you transitioning to?

Carpet_pissr wrote:I'd love an AAR on this one! Sounds juicy.

Sadly, the candidate immediately copped to the lying on the resume during the interview. So no opportunity to squeeze.

Interview didn’t go great though, and the candidate ended up withdrawing his application.

Sorry to hear HBA. That sucks.

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2023 10:27 am

Default wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 10:22 pm Today is my 33 year anniversary in the Postal Service, and 270 days until I am not.

There is some fear about the transition, but, I need to go.

Congrats, man! What are you transitioning to?

Lazy bastard.

Default wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2023 11:30 am

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2023 10:27 am

Default wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 10:22 pm Today is my 33 year anniversary in the Postal Service, and 270 days until I am not.

There is some fear about the transition, but, I need to go.

Congrats, man! What are you transitioning to?

Lazy bastard.

LOL! Well, if your work was anywhere near what I did during my very brief stint at USPS, you deserve it!

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:00 pm four weeks severance, one month COBRA continuation credit, three months out-placement service with some third party agency.

this was the first layoff i've experienced where they just 'lights out'ed me and i was terminated immediately - while they had me on the HR call, ALL my network services, as well as Slack and email, were shut down and i had no ability to say good bye to my coworkers. i managed to email my manager from my own email account and we set up a Google call (had to be an internet call, as he's based in London) - he had no idea this was happening and was shocked at the suddenness and severity of it.

That's tough, sorry to hear it.

Hope this turns out for thr better for you.

My already paltry hours of 17.5 per week has been reduced down to 5 hours per week, over the last two months of the year. I was told "maybe things will pick up by January", but I'm looking for green pastures.

Guess that leaves me a LOT of time staying home doing self-enrichment projects.

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 7:57 am Guess that leaves me a LOT of time staying home doing self-enrichment projects.

You win the award for ‘best euphemism for ‘watching porn’!

I can't believe I'm on the cusp of starting my fifth company. Not that I've ever had yoyodyne or Hudsucker levels of success, mind you. Faaaaaar from it. But finding employment in your fifties is more challenging than the idea of forging off on my own yet again.

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 10:51 pm

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 7:57 am Guess that leaves me a LOT of time staying home doing self-enrichment projects.

You win the award for ‘best euphemism for ‘watching porn’!

And buying random items from Temu.

My company just laid the bombshell that they were outsourcing most of IT. 200+ people, maybe closer to 300, who will lose their jobs mid-2024 once the outsourcing transition is complete.

I got called in at the last minute and was told I'm not one of them, and would receive a retention bonus if I stay through the transition. I don't know what that means for me *after* the transition.

It really sucks as I've seen the company I once knew and loved and totally wanted to retire from get bought out by an employer that really doesn't give a shit about its employees. At all.

While I'm happy to still have a job, my morale is now zero and any modicum of trust I ever had in leadership is completely shot.

YellowKing wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 5:50 pm My company just laid the bombshell that they were outsourcing most of IT. 200+ people, maybe closer to 300, who will lose their jobs mid-2024 once the outsourcing transition is complete.

I got called in at the last minute and was told I'm not one of them, and would receive a retention bonus if I stay through the transition. I don't know what that means for me *after* the transition.

It really sucks as I've seen the company I once knew and loved and totally wanted to retire from get bought out by an employer that really doesn't give a shit about its employees. At all.

While I'm happy to still have a job, my morale is now zero and any modicum of trust I ever had in leadership is completely shot.

The way you make it sound, you get a bonus for training people and acclimating them before you will be let go. I hope I'm just misreading what "retention bonus through the transition" means. Also, so sorry to hear about the shakeup and mass loss of jobs. I always hate to read about such things.

YellowKing wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 5:50 pm My company just laid the bombshell that they were outsourcing most of IT. 200+ people, maybe closer to 300, who will lose their jobs mid-2024 once the outsourcing transition is complete.

I got called in at the last minute and was told I'm not one of them, and would receive a retention bonus if I stay through the transition. I don't know what that means for me *after* the transition.

It really sucks as I've seen the company I once knew and loved and totally wanted to retire from get bought out by an employer that really doesn't give a shit about its employees. At all.

While I'm happy to still have a job, my morale is now zero and any modicum of trust I ever had in leadership is completely shot.

Sorry to hear that and get out at the first opportunity that presents itself. You should feel no more loyalty towards them. I stayed with my previous employer longer than I should of after an ownership change. No regrets after I left.

LordMortis wrote:I hope I'm just misreading what "retention bonus through the transition" means.

Oh totally. I'm currently working under the assumption I'll be gone post-transition, and planning finances accordingly.

My small (~45 people) company was acquired at the end of 2019, and I would absolutely love to be laid off and get some severance. As it is, I'm the last of 4 remaining original people (the other guy being the first original developer to work on our software, plus 2 sales guys). The company that acquired us is owned by a private equity firm who specialize in throwing money at acquisitions. So they've been on an absolute acquisition bender for the last 8+ years, across the globe, and as a result are the most god-awful mismanaged mess I've ever had the misfortune to work for.

Today I got an email with the subject "Someone sent you an Holiday card". I figured it wasn't legit but the link in the email was pointing to a domain that checked out in webparanoid.com. I got curious, looked at the email headers, and saw it came from one of our AWS datacenter IPs, and the sender passed both DKIM and SPF verification. I ended up plugging it into a sandbox on my home computer, and it redirected to a page that was basically "This was a phishing test from <my company>". Which would be okay except have I mentioned that my team has no functional antivirus on our laptops because our company didn't pay for license renewal? I escalated it twice, had at least 2 managers tell me that they will follow up, and...crickets. But sure, let's do phishing tests, because security is so important, amirite?

Last month I went on vacation for 2 weeks for the first time since COVID. I set up multiple guardrails on various systems that I keep running (most of it is held together by virtual duct tape at this point since everyone who built and maintained these systems has either been laid off or quit since the acquisition). I also trained 3 different people on what to do if the most likely issues were to happen - it was a Teams call that they recorded for reference. A week in, the system crashed with the exact scenario that I trained them on. They watched the video recording, proceeded to reboot the wrong server and when the issue wasn't resolved (duh!) they spent another 2 days bitching at each other in the Teams group chat. Then eventually threw their hands up in the air and decided to wait for me to come back from vacation. I read that group chat...the level of incompetence was off the charts.

I really need to look for another job.

Boy that sounds a lot like what I left. So glad I'm gone. My old boss calls me regularly to let me know what my replacement isn't doing to prepare for inevitable disaster mitigation. The people I leaned on to keep my sanity and to watch the castle in my absence, all either we became burnt bridges with the new guy or left the company after I did. (I guess I was the first of unknown later exodus. I have no idea how much was related masses of shit being spread to other farms after I left.)

Heh, when Impressions Games/Sierra started circling the drain, I was in the first tranche of layoffs and got a very generous severance package -- several months' salary, and I kept getting quarterly royalty checks for a year. Each round of layoffs after that got less generous, until those who were the last to go (presumably the most valuable people) got bupkis, or close to it. When the handwriting is on the wall, it's good to get out early.

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:15 pm Heh, when Impressions Games/Sierra started circling the drain, I was in the first tranche of layoffs and got a very generous severance package -- several months' salary, and I kept getting quarterly royalty checks for a year. Each round of layoffs after that got less generous, until those who were the last to go (presumably the most valuable people) got bupkis, or close to it. When the handwriting is on the wall, it's good to get out early.

I've never been laid off but watching others go, it was like that. Not that the company was ever in danger but it went through three contraction periods in the 25+ years I was there. The first was very generous, like three months severance including medical, the year's bonus and 401k match, and paid personal day cashout. (though still not the level of a buyout like the truly generous in the industry do) The second was presumably the standard level of generosity, a few weeks. The last was "sorry we have to let you go."

I've seen it in the tech industry as well. I heard stories of folks racing to the bank to be among the first to cash severance checks, concerned that later people may not actually receive cash after accounts had been drained dry.

I've also experienced not getting full payout of accumulated vacation hours (at least initially -- eventually it was made right).

It's well-understood that when a company is faltering and multiple-rounds of layoffs are inevitable, you congratulate the first-round of leavers and commiserate with folks in the final group.

I was part of a huge layoff at Lehman Brothers. I think it was 400+. I don't remember specifics, but I did get some severance. I suspect that the when the crash hit, and they closed up shop, the rest of the folks did not get a severance package. I was actually happy to be laid off. My commute was well over an hour each way; while the pay was good, the quality of life was not.

They had a meeting yesterday in which they really glossed over the layoffs and strongly implied that every person that got laid off would just be hired by the company they outsourced to (which we all know is complete BS). Assuming some do get hired, at what cost? They're certainly going to take a drastic pay cut considering the whole reason for the outsourcing was to reduce costs.

They've been super shady, canceling meetings and sweeping everything under the rug, as if not mentioning it will make everyone just forget about it.

Looks like there is no avoiding it any longer, and I'll be going back to work in a new industry this February. Last I heard I had until midway of the second quarter and was planning a trip to Thailand. C'est la vie. On the plus side I need to get my lifetime earnings up so I at least get over $1000 a month from social security if it still exists when I'm ready to draw on it so I qualify for a few more of the retirement overseas opportunities. On the minus side I wouldn't mind just retiring right now, and I'm not sure I'm going to like being a high paid escort. No not that kind, the kind who follows oversize loads across the country tempting the fate of being run over by dozens of idiots on the road with no respect for anyone else.

Maybe wish me luck, or not. Guess they found enough US steel that the Inflation Reduction Act required sooner than they expected to.

So I've been working for an insurance agency for about a year, had my licenses for about four years. Last year I finally had it with working for other people, so for the first time in my life I'm striking out on my own and starting my own business. It's terrifying, but also kind of cool. We'll see how it goes.

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:14 pm So I've been working for an insurance agency for about a year, had my licenses for about four years. Last year I finally had it with working for other people, so for the first time in my life I'm striking out on my own and starting my own business. It's terrifying, but also kind of cool. We'll see how it goes.

Best of luck! My favorite work in life was when I was self employed. My other experience in life says "don't get a business partner". Especially a business partner who doesn't have the same views on money and borrowing as yourself. Definitely don't be a junior partner with absolutely no say in anything.

It's gonna be me running the show and my wife doing the service. We've talked about what each of our roles are, and I'm the talker and front guy who loves meeting new people. She's the one who loves solving problems and having a clearly defined job. I think we'll be able to pull it off, but Jesus Christ am I nervous.

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:05 pm It's gonna be me running the show and my wife doing the service. We've talked about what each of our roles are, and I'm the talker and front guy who loves meeting new people. She's the one who loves solving problems and having a clearly defined job. I think we'll be able to pull it off, but Jesus Christ am I nervous.

Congrats and good luck! What is the business?

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 9:43 am

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:05 pm It's gonna be me running the show and my wife doing the service. We've talked about what each of our roles are, and I'm the talker and front guy who loves meeting new people. She's the one who loves solving problems and having a clearly defined job. I think we'll be able to pull it off, but Jesus Christ am I nervous.

Congrats and good luck! What is the business?

Seemingly insurance?

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:14 pm So I've been working for an insurance agency for about a year, had my licenses for about four years. Last year I finally had it with working for other people, so for the first time in my life I'm striking out on my own and starting my own business. It's terrifying, but also kind of cool. We'll see how it goes.

Are you opening your own insurance agency and if so what company are you working with for coverage?

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02, 2023 3:47 pm just got laid off yesterday:

https://www.satellitetoday.com/business ... -business/

Sorry to hear it. Good luck with the job hunt my tea expert friend.

Today I started breaking in my steel toe boots for my February rendezvous with driving all over the west looking at the @ss of a semi. Basically had to get started since the sole on one of the boots that I've been wearing for the last six years is almost ready to drop off. Either I should have started softening these suckers up sooner, or I need to get some Kiwi Mink Oil. I'm too cheap to throw those old boots out and they're almost as comfortable as a pair of moccasins now so I'll have to use the last of my shoe goo and see if that works.

Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 11:27 am

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:14 pm So I've been working for an insurance agency for about a year, had my licenses for about four years. Last year I finally had it with working for other people, so for the first time in my life I'm striking out on my own and starting my own business. It's terrifying, but also kind of cool. We'll see how it goes.

Are you opening your own insurance agency and if so what company are you working with for coverage?

Also, please sell me great insurance cheap, because you owe us.

My dad was an exalted insurance salesman (property and casualty) who once won a b&w portable TV when that was a valuable prize. That TV became mine and outlasted Dad. He also won a trip to Hilton Head Island that doesn't count as great because he didn't take us kids. He was successful because (1) he was great at meeting strangers, and (2) he really believed that everyone needs more insurance. You can't sell a product that you don't believe in.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 2:36 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 11:27 am

Eel Snave wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:14 pm So I've been working for an insurance agency for about a year, had my licenses for about four years. Last year I finally had it with working for other people, so for the first time in my life I'm striking out on my own and starting my own business. It's terrifying, but also kind of cool. We'll see how it goes.

Are you opening your own insurance agency and if so what company are you working with for coverage?

Also, please sell me great insurance cheap, because you owe us.

My dad was an exalted insurance salesman (property and casualty) who once won a b&w portable TV when that was a valuable prize. That TV became mine and outlasted Dad. He also won a trip to Hilton Head Island that doesn't count as great because he didn't take us kids. He was successful because (1) he was great at meeting strangers, and (2) he really believed that everyone needs more insurance. You can't sell a product that you don't believe in.

Seriously if you can sell insurance in various states you might be able to pick up some business from the OO community. I'm currently looking for a new agent after mine retired at the end of the year.

Moliere wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:32 am

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 10:51 pm

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 7:57 am Guess that leaves me a LOT of time staying home doing self-enrichment projects.

You win the award for ‘best euphemism for ‘watching porn’!

And buying random items from Temu.

So I keep seeing interesting cheap ads for items on Temu. Is it legitimate? Does everything ship from China?

Getting outfitted for the new job, scored a hard hat for $1 and a pair of steel toe rubber boots for $10 today at the flea market.

em2nought wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 5:08 pm So I keep seeing interesting cheap ads for items on Temu. Is it legitimate? Does everything ship from China?

It's legit. Everything ships from China. You are getting what you pay for. Keep that in mind when you see the prices and set that for an expectation of what you'll be getting, irrespective of reviews.

Temu is full of garbage. They really just want your info so quality doesn't matter.

They sell a ton of counterfeit stuff too. They "disclose" that it's fake but it just re-enters the market via eBay.