boyst Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) I thought I had replied to this by now. I ran the Pennsylvania House Furniture warehouse for the US - not a big operation, really. This was after LaZBoy bought it for $298mm and relocated it from PA to NC. After just under 2 1/2 years they closed the doors. We found out in September officially, but knew in June. We continued until Dec 31, when it was just 1 guy left. I was the second to last let go and voluntarily left - the other guy ran the Receiving Dept had family and a paycheck would help for Christmas. The hardest part was every week we would have 2, 3, or 4 guys let go. HR guy shows up, asks us to bring in ____, ____, _____. Each one took their time, as they deserved, went to everyone and said their goodbyes - once released you had to leave the property. On peak weeks, especially at the end, though, was the most disturbing. We'd have to hire 4 or 5 temps for a week of back breaking work. It was a paycheck for them, but it sucked because we could have done layoffs for at least a few of the guys and bring them back to work a week or two without impacting their benefits, and actually extending them. edit: I forgot to add, LaZBoy sold the PA House name and 4 names of the furniture suites to Legacy Classic Furniture for $3.95mm. Edited July 12, 2013 by jboyst62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bills Fan Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I am sorry to hear man abd wish you the best of luck. I live in Canada and used to work for an American company/collection agency who outsourced to Canada. It was awful because they were always looking for ways to eliminate costs and always told our president that "if you cant do what we need for the cheapest cost and hit all the goals we set for you then we will find another company who can" Everyone always feared for their job and it was always used as a scare tactic by management. They would just lay off people with no notice. Up to 80 at a time. Worst thing though was my dad. He has been with the company for 30 years and one day was brought to HR where the president told him we either need to cut your salary in half or let you go and gave my dad 24 hours to come up with a decision. That was it for me as I starting applying to so many jobs that when I got calls for interviews, I wouldnt even remember applying. I am glad I am gone now and work for a much better company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsWatch Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Anyone else ever been in that position? I'm sure I'll hear something more concrete tomorrow (hopefully), but my stomach sank when I read this and I'm feeling sort of odd. Thoughts? Was contracting at government site, Naval Research Laboratory, and we were told a number of the jobs were being eliminated in October because there was no need for positions since government employees could do those jobs. Was not really happy working there and started looking. Next week I had offer of contract position with stipulation client needed someone as soon as possible since person hired needed to do job transition with person leaving. I gave a one week notice on government site aware they may decide as they have done with others that if you give notice they might just cut your contract right there. I was told by government manager that I could not leave since I did not give two weeks notice and I was needed to finish project I was working on. I told manager I was already given notice of layoff hence no need to give notice and wasn't I told I was not needed? I agreed to complete the project but only if I could work after normal business hours something not normally allowed by contractors. Look for work immediately including other possibilities of working there via contractors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 any updates on the teleconference? Earth to AJ.... is there anyone out there? Hope you're OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Earth to AJ.... is there anyone out there? Hope you're OK. Big soccer match, he's still having difficulty finding toe and finger nail polish to match his chest paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 lol, hey guys...thanks for all the posts, I've really enjoyed reading through them. The teleconference was really sort of odd. Basically there was an article in the Atlanta paper where the reporter got hold of a leaked power point presentation, indicating that our customer (the largest customer we have) was ditching us and going with a competitor. This was supposed to be official by now, but as of today there has been no official announcement. I've heard different theories on why that may be, but the bottom line is that as much as it would be nice to have some clarification one way or the other, it ended up being a "we really appreciate you and we're going to do everything we can to keep everyone in a job" rah-rah session. To their credit, they were answering questions from the staff very candidly and they were more transparent than they had to be, but I guess I'm just going to have to reconcile with my "dead job walking" status a bit longer. And I'm certainly not complaining, cause it could be much worse than it is...seems like I'll at least have another month or two of guaranteed income, so that will add to the cushion I've already began. Just sort of weird...never been in this position before. I guess that's what I get for taking my profession and trying to fit it into a corporate environment...it's not exactly a match made in heaven! So...how you guys doin'? Big soccer match, he's still having difficulty finding toe and finger nail polish to match his chest paint. lol bastard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 "No, Really! We love youz guyz! It's nothing PERSONAL!..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 So I just found out in a bit of a strange manner (newspaper got hold of a "leaked" power point slide) that my position at work now has an expiration date. I work on the largest account at my company, with over half the RNs working on this one account. So even though I haven't been officially notified (we have a mandatory meeting in the morning), apparently some time between tomorrow and Dec 31st I'm out of a job. Anyone else ever been in that position? I'm sure I'll hear something more concrete tomorrow (hopefully), but my stomach sank when I read this and I'm feeling sort of odd. Thoughts? That is deflating to say the least. Yes I have been in that position before. Once I found out, I quit the next day and moved on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 That is deflating to say the least. Yes I have been in that position before. Once I found out, I quit the next day and moved on. When I was studying for my BSN, there was a nursing shortage at the time. It was pretty amazing how much interest a new grad could garner. Then in the middle part of last decade, at least here in Georgia the shortage had dwindled to where it was becoming more of an employers market. I honestly haven't been paying attention to the climate, but apparently there is once again quite a shortage. I've put a few fliers out and I'm feeling much better about the predicament based on the preliminary feedback I've received just in the last 24 hr or so. I really thought that I had found my "end game" in terms of settling in, because my company is very well prepared for adapting to the new healthcare environment. If not for the fact that this account I've been working on for the past 3.5 years is just so DAMN HUGE, I could easily get picked up by another account. That's the fly in the ointment here. So anyway, the point is that I could feasibly do exactly what you did and not even think twice about it. I don't want to burn this bridge, cause I do like the way they take care of their RN staff in general and I enjoy the "pay for performance" concept...but of course this is one area where most of us would rather be in control as much as possible. Thanks again for all the responses, guys...honestly, it seems as if there is NOTHING that could happen in our lives where we couldn't find others to help support us through it, while at the same time having a few laughs...you guys rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thought I'd post a quick update on my situation... So yesterday I'm sitting in my cubicle working hard wasting time, when all of a sudden I hear our team lead on the other side of my cubicle saying, "okay AJ, meeting with Glenda (the big, big boss) in the small conference room in back in ten minutes". Maybe some of you guys catastrophize a bit less quickly than I do, but I essentially heard, "in ten minutes the site director is going to fire your arse in the back conference room, so don't be late". Needless to say, I sharted myself immediately. Thankfully I soon learned that the big boss wasn't even on site...or even in state, for that matter...and the small conference room was just one of many rooms they were directing our team to in order to have access to a conference call. We're not supposed to discuss the content of the meeting, of course, but when it was over let's just say I was still pretty sure I would be needing a contingency plan come December. Well, literally just a few minutes ago I happened to be checking out the local paper's website, and I came across this article that shed new light on the situation entirely. I'll link the article below, but maybe the "good guys" will prevail after all...I really enjoy working for this company, so this was a very welcome development from my perspective (and from the perspectives of my teammates, I'm sure!) Anyway, for anyone interested... http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2013/07/25/7304118.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thought I'd post a quick update on my situation... So yesterday I'm sitting in my cubicle working hard wasting time, when all of a sudden I hear our team lead on the other side of my cubicle saying, "okay AJ, meeting with Glenda (the big, big boss) in the small conference room in back in ten minutes". Maybe some of you guys catastrophize a bit less quickly than I do, but I essentially heard, "in ten minutes the site director is going to fire your arse in the back conference room, so don't be late". Needless to say, I sharted myself immediately. Thankfully I soon learned that the big boss wasn't even on site...or even in state, for that matter...and the small conference room was just one of many rooms they were directing our team to in order to have access to a conference call. We're not supposed to discuss the content of the meeting, of course, but when it was over let's just say I was still pretty sure I would be needing a contingency plan come December. Well, literally just a few minutes ago I happened to be checking out the local paper's website, and I came across this article that shed new light on the situation entirely. I'll link the article below, but maybe the "good guys" will prevail after all...I really enjoy working for this company, so this was a very welcome development from my perspective (and from the perspectives of my teammates, I'm sure!) Anyway, for anyone interested... http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2013/07/25/7304118.htm Keep us informed and hopefully it works out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Thought I'd provide one last update on the outcome of this situation, just cause I think it shows what a great company I work for... Basically between now and Dec 31st, they're going to try and re-deploy as many of our team as possible to other accounts, but since this account is so large that's not likely to happen. So what they're doing is they're going to offer us a retention bonus for anyone who will stay on through the end of the year to sort of help ensure that we provide excellent service to the acct all the way up through the last day of the contract. It's actually a very generous bonus...so worse case scenario is that in january I'll earn the bonus plus my severance package, so at least I will be able to search for a new position without having to worry about the immediacy of bills/rent. Now I'm not naive enough to believe they're doing this just cause they like us...I know the retention bonus originates from business needs, but still...it's just nice to work for a company that is in position to provide a soft landing place as opposed to just beign tossed out on my arse, you know? So anyway, that's pretty much how the story ends. I'm going to continue to work hard this Fall and into the winter, enjoy the NFL and college football season, and then come January I'll see where the next step in my career leads me. Thanks for all the support guys....really appreciate it! Focker Out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 (edited) Prayers are headed your way! Edited August 7, 2013 by CowgirlsFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 damn...i put my money on the under.... Thought I'd provide one last update on the outcome of this situation, just cause I think it shows what a great company I work for... Basically between now and Dec 31st, they're going to try and re-deploy as many of our team as possible to other accounts, but since this account is so large that's not likely to happen. So what they're doing is they're going to offer us a retention bonus for anyone who will stay on through the end of the year to sort of help ensure that we provide excellent service to the acct all the way up through the last day of the contract. It's actually a very generous bonus...so worse case scenario is that in january I'll earn the bonus plus my severance package, so at least I will be able to search for a new position without having to worry about the immediacy of bills/rent. Now I'm not naive enough to believe they're doing this just cause they like us...I know the retention bonus originates from business needs, but still...it's just nice to work for a company that is in position to provide a soft landing place as opposed to just beign tossed out on my arse, you know? So anyway, that's pretty much how the story ends. I'm going to continue to work hard this Fall and into the winter, enjoy the NFL and college football season, and then come January I'll see where the next step in my career leads me. Thanks for all the support guys....really appreciate it! Focker Out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 damn...i put my money on the under.... lol, so did I CGF: Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 lol, so did I CGF: Thanks! You forgot to include Braves baseball! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 You forgot to include Braves baseball! Oh heck yeah, we're on a roll lately! I think this could be our year...we're strong everywhere and we've significantly reduced our strikeouts. How are your Rangers looking so far? Contenders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 My brother is in a similar not so great position. He's a college professor and has been at the same school for the last 5 or 6 years. He comes up for tenure, and ooooh so sorry. College has changed their policies and are not offering tenure at this time. His contract runs thru the next school year (Spring 2014) so he has that long to find another position. And in his line of work another position usually means relocating. So he's going to have to also worry about selling his house And that's assuming he can even find another full time teaching position Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Hey man. Work your @$$ off just like usual. You never know when someone is watching you. You might end up getting an offer from somewhere out of it when you least expect it. Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. ~J.C. Watts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 My brother is in a similar not so great position. He's a college professor and has been at the same school for the last 5 or 6 years. He comes up for tenure, and ooooh so sorry. College has changed their policies and are not offering tenure at this time. His contract runs thru the next school year (Spring 2014) so he has that long to find another position. And in his line of work another position usually means relocating. So he's going to have to also worry about selling his house And that's assuming he can even find another full time teaching position Oh wow, what is his area of expertise? That's gotta be frustrating as hell for the guy. Hey man. Work your @$$ off just like usual. You never know when someone is watching you. You might end up getting an offer from somewhere out of it when you least expect it. Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. ~J.C. Watts I can dig it, brother! Great quote! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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