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How To Handle Corporate Blackmail?
An anonymous reader writes "I have been in a software engineering position at a large company for approximately seven years. Recently, for a variety of reasons, I accepted a new job working for a local software company. I have given my employer three weeks' notice, instead of the standard two, as a courtesy.
In return, it has been implied that, in spite my record of above-average performance appraisals and promotions, I will be marked as leaving the company 'on bad terms' if I refuse to extend my departure date further. With only three weeks remaining, I am hesitant to rock the boat by contacting our HR department, but this concerns me and seems like an extremely unethical practice. I live in an 'at-will' employment state, so I know that they have no legal recourse to keep me. I am concerned about the references they could give in the future; having spent a large majority of my career at this company, I will be dependent on them for references to verify my career experience.
Has anyone ever run into this kind of situation before?"
Asking Slashdot for legal advice is like asking your plumber to repair your car.
But I'm having trouble with my passenger side sink!
That is why you hide the recorder - just make sure you are in a one party consent state first.
Hey boss? Can we have my exit interview in Oregon? Thanks.
Have the PFY get the van and a roll of carpet; no one blackmails a Bastard... Seriously though Make copies of everything, talk with a lawyer. Possibly try and gather evidence or reliable witnesses.
The above post is the best advice. But if you don't care and really want to have a little fun:
Reverse blackmail. Tell them that you are leaving today, and they can sign you as a contractor for the next 3 weeks at triple your hourly rate.
I love the "Gut a fish on your desk" idea. Please get video of this for youtube!
http://www.AmherstburgVisionCentre.com
Hehe...dude, you rule. Can I be your friend? :)
I want a workaround for the second law of thermodynamcs on my desk by noon Friday.
- your boss
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
If you took a job where working around the laws of thermodynamics was part of the job description, you deserve to be fired.
>>>If you can't do the job, you should be fired.
I would agree under normal circumstances, but they wanted me to design an entire circuit card in ONE week (the government offered a bonus to create a new tank variant in less than three months).
Pshaw, that's nothing! At my old gig I had to design an entire circuit card in two hours using nothing but some used tinfoil, a ball of yarn, and a roll of duct tape! And I was grateful for the work! The kids these days, I tell ya...
Disclaimer: I'm not even sure I know what a circuit card is.
I want a workaround for the second law of thermodynamcs on my desk by noon Friday.
Try the sun; it will work as a local stop-gap measure, for next few billion years anyway.
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
Don't for to add a hearty "f*** you!" to the end of your resignation letter! It will attest to your negotiation skills.
Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"
Poor naif, you have no idea: HR is staffed by Uranian ice-snakes who animate human cadavers bought from the Chinese penitentiary system at a deep discount. As for "conflict of interest", Humanoid Reptiles never experience such a thing because they have no interest in your welfare, their only interest is in furthering their own positions within the corporations who pay them. That, and increasing their cadaver collection, of course.
Great men are almost always bad men--Lord Acton's Corollary
I didn't think I would have to spell out that I took a pay cut of $10k rather than quitting a job that only paid that much. But then, I sometimes forget where I am.
Web consulting +
If you took a job where working around the laws of thermodynamics was part of the job description, you deserve to be fired.
But it never starts like that.
The job requirement was more likely "Ability to boil water," and it all went downhill from there...
Fully licensed blockchain psychiatrist
Obviously the whole thing's not going to end well. End it like a friend of mine did when a company royally screwed him over. Walk back to your desk, strip to your skin, and walk out... naked. Everyone in the industry to this day knows EXACTLY why he left, and no matter what the company officially says, his action and the reasons for it were never forgotten by anyone, ten years later.
+++OK ATH
I had this once. My 2-weeks' notice was agreed with my manager, and I confirmed my starting date with my new employer. Then the CEO found out, and told me "I can't just have people leaving willy-nilly, you'll need to work 2 months'". We argued the toss for a while, and eventually I pointed out that if he really insisted, I'd happily work the notice. However, I felt like I was coming down with a bit of a cold/flu, so might need to take some time off sick. And obviously I couldn't guarantee the quality of my work during that enforced period - so I might write some really awful code (yeah, same as normal ;)).
Eventually he got the point and understood that there was no way he could force me to work, so re-agreed the terms.