“....My situation, I am sure, is not unlike so many in this country today. My own story though, is that I have a chronically ill husband, who lost his job in February at the same firm. He, at the time, I think was let go because of his illness, although these heinous people tried to make it seem otherwise.
As if that was not enough for them, when we filed for unemployment, they tried to block us every step of the way, by contesting it. We won in the end. The managers at this firm are some of the coldest people I have ever encountered in my entire life of working....”
I was employed by a privately owned hospital in the late 80s. We had an exceptional staff, outstanding physicians and great morale. We were a small outfit, yet provided excellent care to the community.
Then it changed hands and the new owners sent in a 26 y/o whiz kid with an MBA. He slashed staffing to dangerous levels; one RN for 30 patients. He alienated the physicians, but met his corporate goals and got his bonus. Within a year, 85% of the experienced staff moved on.
I took two part time jobs to make up for a 60% cut in hours then was counseled for not being ‘loyal’ because I wasn’t available for work when they called on my days off.
No comparison to a news organization, but the corporate mentality she describes is real. I’ve been there.
Of course in a capitalist system, you can have crummy employers as well as crummy employees.
The best part is, you can leave when you want! And look for another job. Like you did, although it was not easy.
The woman writing this diary was warned layoffs were coming. Were I her I would have started looking for work immediately. Maybe she did, but she doesn’t mention it.
If she found a better or even equivalent job, she should have quit job number one. That’s one less person they have to ‘lay off.’
I have sympathy for anyone who gets fired, unless they really asked for it. But I think she needed to be more proactive, like you were.
I believe you, but it would seem to be a self-limiting problem. Idiots like you encountered may look good on paper for awhile, but good staff leaves and the "product" suffers. I would hope, then, that the business folds or the managers wise up. Do they? Or does everyone limp along just being morons?
I agree. My wife, a former data analyst, has run into it in a couple of jobs over the years.