A Year Ago Today
Exactly one year ago, I lost my job. I lost a job that I had for 16 years, 11 months and 2 weeks. I lost it just two weeks short of service anniversary. I did not realize that until after I got information about my benefit package several weeks later.
I went as an employee of The Big Blue (BB) in the morning and an hour later, I walked out as an ex-employee. I walked into my manager's office in the morning. He had a few papers ready for me. He read a few things from the papers he had and asked me to sign at a few places.
My manager MG looked quite cold and ruthless. Afterall, it was not the first time he was cutting a head :-) He had become a pro at this having cut three other heads before me and I was the fourth and there was one more to go for him that day. What he read to me sounded more like big blue's (BB) Bill of Rights. I was to sign on the dotted lines and give up my rights in exchange of a paltry sum of money BB was going to give me.
A few months earlier, MG had told me on two occasions that the package would be generous and that I would get two weeks per every year I served and that I would max out at 26 weeks of salary plus the vacation pay. Just a few days earlier, he called me to his office and told me that it will not be generous. Since I was going away and my job was not going away, my package would only be "half as much" he told me. He said that the choice I had was to accept it and leave or else I will leave without that package. The Big Blue will make sure that I leave whether I accept the package or not. One way or the other, I will have to leave. I was taken aback when he told me the change (in severence package) offer, for he had lied to me earlier about it. But I had no choice.
I handed him the badge, personal computer. He asked me whether I had deleted all the id's (various user id's) as per his previous day's note. I nodded my head.
Finally MG gave me my final salary check and the severence package, my vacation pay. He also gave me a copy of what I had signed. I asked him "Anything else MG?". MG said "No, that's it!". I had worked for a long time with the Big Blue and his phrase "That's it" ended a part of my life that became history.
CS's office was right opposite to MG's office and he was "The Next". I bade CS goodbye and told him he was "Next". He looked sad. He had been told by MG to "retire or else". He had chosen to not to pick the "else" part.
I went to what used to be my office to pick up my stuff which was in a box. Jo, my officemate picked up another. MG followed me to my office. He was to escort me to the door of the building.
As we walked towards my office, he did not say anything. As I was leaving, he did not say a thing. I extended my hand at him told him, "Thank you MG for everything". He walked me to the elevator.
I saw JJ near the elevator. When she saw me with Jo, MG, she asked me whether "that was it". I nodded my head. She was saying something about a goodbye party when the elevator came .. I got into it. MG asked Jo whether he was going with me and if so there was no need for him to come to the door.
As Jo was coming with me, MG left. I think it was around 8:30 or 9:00AM. It was the first time that I was going home early! I did not see any familiar faces as I walked towards the garage with Jo. Jo came up the car with my box.
I sat in the car for a long time not knowing what to do. I had been an employee for so long .. I did not know and I had not contemplated as what I would do next. I had been shown the door. Now that I had become unemployed, I had to do something else. With a heavy and sad heart I started the car.
(More to come)
I went as an employee of The Big Blue (BB) in the morning and an hour later, I walked out as an ex-employee. I walked into my manager's office in the morning. He had a few papers ready for me. He read a few things from the papers he had and asked me to sign at a few places.
My manager MG looked quite cold and ruthless. Afterall, it was not the first time he was cutting a head :-) He had become a pro at this having cut three other heads before me and I was the fourth and there was one more to go for him that day. What he read to me sounded more like big blue's (BB) Bill of Rights. I was to sign on the dotted lines and give up my rights in exchange of a paltry sum of money BB was going to give me.
A few months earlier, MG had told me on two occasions that the package would be generous and that I would get two weeks per every year I served and that I would max out at 26 weeks of salary plus the vacation pay. Just a few days earlier, he called me to his office and told me that it will not be generous. Since I was going away and my job was not going away, my package would only be "half as much" he told me. He said that the choice I had was to accept it and leave or else I will leave without that package. The Big Blue will make sure that I leave whether I accept the package or not. One way or the other, I will have to leave. I was taken aback when he told me the change (in severence package) offer, for he had lied to me earlier about it. But I had no choice.
I handed him the badge, personal computer. He asked me whether I had deleted all the id's (various user id's) as per his previous day's note. I nodded my head.
Finally MG gave me my final salary check and the severence package, my vacation pay. He also gave me a copy of what I had signed. I asked him "Anything else MG?". MG said "No, that's it!". I had worked for a long time with the Big Blue and his phrase "That's it" ended a part of my life that became history.
CS's office was right opposite to MG's office and he was "The Next". I bade CS goodbye and told him he was "Next". He looked sad. He had been told by MG to "retire or else". He had chosen to not to pick the "else" part.
I went to what used to be my office to pick up my stuff which was in a box. Jo, my officemate picked up another. MG followed me to my office. He was to escort me to the door of the building.
As we walked towards my office, he did not say anything. As I was leaving, he did not say a thing. I extended my hand at him told him, "Thank you MG for everything". He walked me to the elevator.
I saw JJ near the elevator. When she saw me with Jo, MG, she asked me whether "that was it". I nodded my head. She was saying something about a goodbye party when the elevator came .. I got into it. MG asked Jo whether he was going with me and if so there was no need for him to come to the door.
As Jo was coming with me, MG left. I think it was around 8:30 or 9:00AM. It was the first time that I was going home early! I did not see any familiar faces as I walked towards the garage with Jo. Jo came up the car with my box.
I sat in the car for a long time not knowing what to do. I had been an employee for so long .. I did not know and I had not contemplated as what I would do next. I had been shown the door. Now that I had become unemployed, I had to do something else. With a heavy and sad heart I started the car.
(More to come)
posted by satish at 8:23 PM
<< Home