Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Contract of the soul
So my company doesn't do severance packages. It does something called "transition". Which is part of the whole idea that no-one ever gets fired here.
While I was trying to argue with HR about why I should be eligible for "transition" (should this even be an argument?), the HR person told me some tomfoolery about how I wouldnt have to leave the country right after I quit/left. I am on an H1-B visa, as you know
After talking to some past employees and the company lawyer, I finally called the state department, where the woman on the other end of the line informed me of the reality. Yes, I will have to leave the country on my last day with the company, "with the recession, we've seen a lot of these cases. But don't worry, it's usually part of your contract that your company will pay for your ticket home."
When I informed her that I didn't have a contract, she actually apologized to me. She felt sorry for me, for how my company was treating me. I would be treated better if say, I worked cleaning hotel rooms in Florida... how upsetting.
We do not have contracts going into this firm. But we have to sign a lot of stuff when we leave. It's shocking really. I have not even taken a look at the confidentiality agreement yet, but one of the things I have to sign before they will release my hypothetical "transition" package is something that says I was treated fairly.... Not just that I have not been discriminated against... but that the company acted in good faith in all things and was basically awesome....
I'm not sure that is true.
Will I sign?
I do not work for this firm... but all experiences in this industry are similar... see here for an article.
And for your entertainment... a video
While I was trying to argue with HR about why I should be eligible for "transition" (should this even be an argument?), the HR person told me some tomfoolery about how I wouldnt have to leave the country right after I quit/left. I am on an H1-B visa, as you know
After talking to some past employees and the company lawyer, I finally called the state department, where the woman on the other end of the line informed me of the reality. Yes, I will have to leave the country on my last day with the company, "with the recession, we've seen a lot of these cases. But don't worry, it's usually part of your contract that your company will pay for your ticket home."
When I informed her that I didn't have a contract, she actually apologized to me. She felt sorry for me, for how my company was treating me. I would be treated better if say, I worked cleaning hotel rooms in Florida... how upsetting.
We do not have contracts going into this firm. But we have to sign a lot of stuff when we leave. It's shocking really. I have not even taken a look at the confidentiality agreement yet, but one of the things I have to sign before they will release my hypothetical "transition" package is something that says I was treated fairly.... Not just that I have not been discriminated against... but that the company acted in good faith in all things and was basically awesome....
I'm not sure that is true.
Will I sign?
I do not work for this firm... but all experiences in this industry are similar... see here for an article.
And for your entertainment... a video
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