Reading this stuff is precisely why some people, who have been managers in the past, absolutely refuse to apply for a position (again) where they have to deal with hiring (or firing) potential idiots, but instead, choose to work more independently for someone else (who gets the headache of dealing with the potential idiots).
Who on Earth thinks that arguing your way back into a job is going to undo whatever it was that got them fired (or laid off) in the first place???
Reading that people do this is almost as ridiculous as a goofy coworker, who was caught using the company phone, on company time, to advertise her massage therapy rates (she comes out to your house, she charges thus-and-such per hour, etc. etc.) WITHOUT A LAWFUL LICENSE.
I'm still debating if the moron should be informed that this is a possible misdemeanor, but it's right up there with arguing with someone who has already fired you.
Honestly, employers need to realize that they no longer have to "settle" for the clowns in this post-recession economy. Merely being able to do the job isn't sufficient; they need to create more cultured and intellectually sophisticated workgroups to attract and retain real talent.
By the way, maybe US News can have one of the bloggers/writers write an article about the level of pathetic desperation some people are resorting to, that they'd even let coworkers overhear their unlicensed advertising for services they are not legally authorized to perform. In this post-recession economy, you hear and see just about everything. It's unbelievable what people are resorting to.
Sadly, these behaviors will not help people get ahead.
Employed, but stuck working with some real idiotsof IL1:45AM July 06, 2010
Who goes into employment thikning about how they will be terminated? A bad employee IMHO. I don't take a position looking at the termination clauses of the agreement, because I'm hoping to succeed in the position, and if they don't think I'm suited, well then we're both better off aren't we?
Dataceptionist7:13PM June 10, 2008
As an HR professional I am not scared when an employee threatens to call an attorney, but several of our senior honchos are and they act foolish in response and look very guilty.
Regarding "outlawing one-sided documents," I am also not scared of employment-at-will because I give it my best and know it will be recognized. I do not want to be in a union or any other organization that guarantees me job protection and the expense of my individual professional contribution.
Olivia Brownof DC3:29PM June 05, 2008
After most people at most firms have signed the employment-at-will statement to get hired in the first place, they might as well know that calling their lawyer is most likely futile. I am constantly amazed that we citizens have all nationally rolled over to the idea of "agreeing" in advance to be fired for "any reason or no reason" ---and yet we have. Corporations put it all over the aps and the handbooks, and we lesser sheep just sign whatever is shoved over the desk at us.
The HR people, such as the author and posters above, have signed similar things to get THEIR jobs as well.
Curiously, the exceptional folks in our society, those that get individual contracts, are not nearly so careless in what they sign. If they're fired for "no" reason, they have compensation for that spelled out in advance. They're smart. But the rest of us have been too dumb to know that with the "union" of a national liberal government, we could long ago have had the coercion of one-sided documents outlawed. We would be well-served if the TV "lawyer" shows hammered this theme again and again and again---but, of course, they won't.
Daniel Davidof NM11:10AM May 31, 2008
Great post -- I'm continually amazed by people who think legal action is the answer to pretty much anything they don't like.
Alison Greenof DC6:28PM May 29, 2008
We must see too many lawyer shows or commercials, because "I'm calling my attorney," does seem like the most often used argument by a lot of people. In addition to not scaring the object of your wrath, many times it simply makes them realize just how inexperienced and silly you are.
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Employed, but stuck working with some real idiots of IL 1:45AM July 06, 2010
Dataceptionist 7:13PM June 10, 2008
Olivia Brown of DC 3:29PM June 05, 2008
Daniel David of NM 11:10AM May 31, 2008
Alison Green of DC 6:28PM May 29, 2008
GL H of MN 5:07PM May 29, 2008