Worker Who Was Laid-Off After Completing A Major Project Uses His Final Days To Get Pay Back Against Company

Your Tango ^ | Mar 22, 2023 | Megan Quinn

[Blue Collar Christian]

This might be a “feel good” story for some here, but that was criminal destruction of property the company paid him to improve. Bet he didn’t give back the wages the company paid for the work he did and then destroyed.

If an ex-employee did that to my company, he would be made to regret it woefully.

[chrisser]

"Which is usually not true, but management often forgets the payroll cost and opportunity cost of having a worker develop something custom instead of paying for a developed commercial software product. Then the developer leaves and in a few years something breaks and nobody knows how to fix it."

I saw a bunch of these kludges get fixed during Y2K, when IT departments were swimming in cash to get things certified and used the opportunity to fix all those lingering issues they could never get funding to address.

But it looks like nobody learned their lesson as it seems 23 years later, the same thing is happening.

[Lazamataz]

He was fired after working on a major project for the company. The laid-off worker used his final days on the job to delete all of the work he had completed for the company so that they would have to start from scratch.

This is immoral at best, and illegal at worst.

[G Larry]

Better to terminate via same day notice and provide 2 weeks paid leave.

[Mr. Lucky]

...but...but, it’s such a good story.

[pierrem15]

He owes them for said destroyed product.

Depends on the product, and whether the company had a "work for hire" clause in the employee's contract. The law on ownership of creative products like software favors the creator.

[wastedyears]

If he owns the copyright, then it’s his and he can do what he wants.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Yep. This guy will feel good about himself for about a month until he realizes that his resume is ending up in the round file wherever it goes.

[FLT-bird]

Not just unprofessional but he is also liable for damages. He built the things he did on company time. His work product belonged to the company that paid his wages. Deleting those things is deliberately destroying company property the same as if he’d thrown a molotov cocktail at the building in the middle of the night.

[wastedyears]

If he owns the copyright, then he can do what he wants.

[gibsonguy]

It is for this reason many companies terminate with no notice and escort employees out.

[StolarStorm]

What this guy did was illegal and wrong, but I’m going to push back on the multiple “don’t burn your bridges” comments. There are some employers that are so disgusting that you shouldn’t just burn the bridge, you should nuke it from orbit.

[bk1000]

I would think an employee at that IT level would be walked out on the spot and paid severance rather than be given two weeks to screw around.

[Allegra]

Not cool.

I know it sucks to be laid off, but I’m sure he was paid to write those programs.

Vindictive behavior like his can have some unpleasant consequences for him down the road.

[dfwgator]

[minnesota_bound]

#15 That was Lucille Ball in Here’s Lucy : )

[Donnafrflorida]

Exactly. 23 years with AT&T and another 25 in IT down here in florida. You are immediately escorted out. Badge turned over . Access removed.

[minnesota_bound]

My uncle told me to wait out any co-workers you have had problems with. They will leave and he was right. They leave one way or another.

Now to the story. There are many stories like this. If he was a programmer then all bad code or deleting of said code could be traced back to them easily.
“Bob” was working on that project. To be followed by “Bob” was arrested.

[Donnafrflorida]

Elon cut off all access immediately.