Revenge of the Laid-Off Employee

Revenge takes time.

Sometimes you have to wait…and wait…and wait…and then wait some more. Think of Vito Corleone in Godfather Part II. Remember how he waited years to take revenge on the man who slaughtered his family, Don Ciccio. As a young boy, he escaped to America, but never forgot what that mafia chief did to his mother, father and brother. So when he became a successful “businessman” in America, he returned to Sicily and killed Don Ciccio with a well-placed knife in the old man’s stomach.

Now, I’m not advocating murder. That is a fictional—and extreme—example of revenge. I apologize if anyone is offended by my admittedly over-the-top illustration. But stay with me…because something happened recently that indicates that sometimes, if you wait, you can get your revenge on the people who have done you wrong. Or at least show them the error they made by say, laying you off.

Long story short: I recently went on the website of my former employer. In looking over the most recent articles, I noticed a story that seemed very familiar…and for good reason. The article was taken nearly verbatim from one I had written in 2009. The writer, a former colleague, had interspersed the article with some original quotes, but about half of the article was taken word for word from mine. Yet it had her byline. Stats that are nearly two years old were used and one quote in my original piece was attributed to another person in the latest version. This was an obvious and blatant case of plagiarism, not to mention misleading and shoddy journalism. There was no mention made of the earlier article or any credit given to me. To anyone who reads it, he or she would think it was original, not a rehash of an article nearly two years old

What did I do? I wrote a strongly worded email to my former boss, alerting him to this situation. I said that he could think of me as a disgruntled former employee. But I also pointed out that the proof was in black and white.

He wrote back and said he would “address” the issue in a meeting. He seemed sincere, but I don’t know if anything was said to the writer. Since I no longer work there, he is under no obligation to tell me what occurred in the meeting—if there were one at all.

My guess is that this person got a mild slap on the wrist. At worst, she may be put under an “employee improvement plan,” during which time her work should be closely edited. But I have no way of knowing what action, if any, was taken. Knowing the personalities involved, they probably just wanted to sweep the whole mess under the rug.

But the fact that this so-called editor is still working there points up the unfairness of layoffs. Someone who is so obviously incompetent gets to keep her job, while a laid-off employee has no chance to save his or her job.

To be honest, I don’t feel good about this. Yes, I stood up for myself, but to what end? I’m probably viewed as just another disgruntled employee, a bitch. I was raised to be a “good girl” and not make waves. So this was painful for me. I thoroughly expect the universe will whack me in the butt sooner or later for my rare foray into assertiveness.

Instead of taking the blame squarely for her mistake, the writer is probably angry with me for “tattling.” Yeah, we’re in junior high school. She is a grown woman, a professional. She made the mistake, a pretty egregious one, and now has to own up to her error and not make it again.

But she won’t. She is well liked by the powers-that-be, so she is safe. Easier to blame the messenger and not take any responsibility for her actions.

Yet it could be argued that she violated our former office friendship by ripping off my work. And why did she do it? Why not write a shorter story using her own reporting? Or pick another topic altogether? Yes, the remaining staff is overworked. But none have resorted to this level of plagiarism. There is no excuse for passing off someone else’s work as her own.

Maybe she thinks there was nothing wrong with what she did. That is sad, and incorrect. Just because I worked for the company when I wrote the original article doesn’t mean she, or anyone else, can steal my words.

I don’t plan on taking this any further. No point in it anyway.

But I do take some satisfaction in speaking up and bringing this to the attention of my former boss, even if nothing came of it.

Think of it as wish fulfillment. How many times does a laid-off employee get a chance to say, with concrete proof, “HEY, YOU LAID OFF THE WRONG EMPLOYEE, YOU BOZOS!”

Vito would be proud.

The Bright Side

Seeing the photos of devastation in northeastern Japan serves as a reminder that there are far worse things that can happen in life than being out of work. As much as we think we have nature licked, every so often it reminds us who is really in charge.

So, in that vein, I’ll avoid my usual whine-fest and highlight some of the good things about not having a job. Here it goes:

Prime Time for PT. Physical therapy, that is. After I lost my job, I needed to undergo about three months of intensive physical therapy for a condition related to some prior surgeries I underwent. The treatments were twice a week, one hour each session. No way would I have been able to do the therapy and keep up my schedule at work. And I doubt my bosses would have allowed me to take time off during the workday to do it.

So, if you need physical therapy or elective surgery, do it while you are unemployed. Provided, of course, you are covered by health insurance.

Free Lunches. During my jobless stretch, several times friends have offered to buy me lunch. Of course, I always offer to pay, but I think most people want to do something nice for a friend going through a tough stretch.

However, don’t take advantage. You don’t want to end up jobless and friendless.

Afternoon Naps. Enough said.

Better Budgeting. I didn’t think I overspent while I was employed, but perhaps I did and didn’t realize it. Now I do. Nothing like a long stretch of unemployment to make you focus on your spending habits and expenses. That’s a good thing, and something that will stay with me after I get a job.

Volunteer. I’m in the middle of an eight-week program to help teach a young Korean woman in my town to speak better English. (I just hope she doesn’t end up with my Joisey accent.)

With no job, you really have no excuse not to do some type of volunteer work if you want to. And don’t think only of formal volunteer work. Take a friend or neighbor to a doctor appointment. Helping others provides a lift to your spirit at a time when you are not getting much positive feedback. It acts as a nice counterbalance to all those rejection emails.

Your Time is Your Own. When you work full time, it seems as if everyone from your bosses to family members have dibs on your time. Now, you can make your own schedule and do things at your pace, not someone else’s, whether it be doing errands or searching for a job.

That’s not being lazy; it just means you have a bit more control over your time and how you use it.

While I look forward to the day when I go back to full-time employment, I can appreciate this hopefully brief respite from the 9 to 5 grind. I’ve spent my entire working adulthood doing what other people wanted me to, and where did that get me?

Telemarketers Leave You Alone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stopped telemarketers cold in their tracks when I tell them I cannot give because I’m unemployed. In the beginning, they would press me to buy some useless magazine or donate to everything from children with cancer to the hangnail foundation. Now, they can’t get off the phone with me fast enough. Yep, it’s a sad indication of just how far you have fallen on the socio-economic ladder when telemarketers hang up on you! I’m surprised none have responded that although they may be telemarketers, at least they have a job. Still, it’s nice not having to deal with those annoying people.

All these good things remind me to keep my situation in perspective. Someday, I will get a job and my old life back. Can the same be said of the thousands of people in northeastern Japan?

Statistical Illusions

We’ve all read or heard about the jump in employment in February. However, that good news comes with a lot of caveats and questions.

Not to get bogged down in numbers, but here are the stats from NPR.org:

The Labor Department says the February jobless rate fell a tenth of a percent to 8.9 percent. The AP says that’s the lowest rate in nearly two years. Employers also hired at their fastest pace in a year.

The New York Times points out the separate jobs creation report reveals a huge jump in hiring: 192,000 jobs were created in February, compared to January, when 63,000 new jobs opened up. The higher growth in (February) payroll employment was partly the result of a bounce back from unusually depressed hiring in January, when snowstorms shuttered offices and factories around the country.

In another article, NPR points out that the numbers might be incorrect:

The unemployment rate is based on the Labor Department’s monthly Current Population Survey, which is a questionnaire sent to about 60,000 households. That translates into about 110,000 individuals, and is a far bigger survey than any conventional public opinion poll.

But it still has a substantial margin of error—higher than the government’s survey of employers, which is the source for statistics about jobs gained or lost every month.

Maybe it’s my outta-work-for-more-than-a-year cynicism, but I’m not buying this supposed “good” news.

Yes, there are a few bright spots: manufacturers added 33,000 jobs in February. America is always at its best when it makes things. Temporary hiring is also up, which is a precursor to permanent jobs. We hope.

So, what does this indicate for the economy as a whole? Will more industries start hiring? In my profession, does this mean publishers and media companies will see a spike in ad sales and hire more staffers? I don’t think so.

Companies have probably cut as much at they could cut in terms of staffing. But I doubt that means they are going on a hiring spree.

I’m not sure one month of good employment news means much. And is a near 9 percent unemployment rate anything to cheer about?

Will this give HR people even more reason not to hire us? They could think, “Well, job creation is up and these people still can’t get hired? Something must be wrong with them.”

Will the always-fickle media now forget the plight of the long-term unemployed with hiring supposedly on the upswing?

What happens if gas goes to up to $4 a gallon or more? Will that push this fragile recovery back into recession?

And what will happen to the unemployment rate when those thousands of state workers and teachers around the country get laid off?

Even if someone does find a job, it’s very likely he or she was hired at a lower salary. How does that help the economy?

I’m sure there are many persons who have been jobless for so long that they have given up hope of ever finding employment, which may be artificially lowering the unemployment rate.

Many economists have said it will take years to recoup the job losses piled up in this recession. We need more than one month of “good” job numbers.

For the millions of us who are unemployed, until we are actually hired for a job, these numbers are meaningless. Just a lot of statistical illusions.

Sloppy Seconds

Yesterday, I received a most unusual rejection email.

It went like this:

“Thank you so much for your terrific edit test, but we have decided to go with another candidate at this time.

It was a really tough call—I wish I could hire two editors! However, if things don’t work out as we have planned (and they sometimes don’t with freelance situations), I do hope you’d still consider the position.

I would like to keep the lines of communication open, as you are wonderful writer, and your experience and expertise would be a wonderful asset to our organization.

It was a pleasure speaking with you—so please stay in touch.”

Hey, at least it wasn’t the standard “We’ve decided to go with another candidate and good luck in your job search” (dis)missive. I mean, are companies truly sincere when they wish us good luck in our job search? If they really cared, they would hire us, right?

And I really don’t get upset when I receive a rejection email. It’s just part of the job-seeking process.

But I digress.

This particular job was for steady freelance work that would have paid $2,000 a month. I could have kept doing my other freelance gig, but probably would have had to give up the unemployment benefits.

The job entailed writing and editing for the website of a regional lifestyle consumer magazine. I’ve been trying to break into consumer publications for a while, so this would have been a good opportunity.

However, the job required a lot of technical expertise that I do not have at this time. Although when I spoke to the editor, I made it clear I was willing to learn and she said there would be a training period. My guess is she went with somebody who already had those technical skills, which is understandable.

I feel two ways about the email. On one hand, she did compliment my writing. We unemployed people get so little feedback—good or bad—that any positive reinforcement is welcome. Considering unemployed job seekers are treated with either indifference or outright rudeness, her email was quite nice. She didn’t have to explain anything to me. Most companies don’t even bother getting back to applicants.

Yet, I came in second and still don’t have a job. And sometimes coming in second can be just as devastating as finishing last (see the New York Mets, 2006-08). It’s extremely frustrating.

And what if the person she hired works out? There’s no guarantee she would hire me. I’m just sloppy seconds.

And frankly, I think it’s a bit presumptuous of her to think I’d wait around for her to offer me the job, a job she has already rejected me for. If another viable, full-time opportunity comes along, of course I would take it…although that is looking increasingly unlikely every passing day.

Nevertheless, I wrote back to her, thanking her for her kind words. I also said I would be available for any freelance writing projects. What else could I say?

Tell me about your unusual rejection emails or letters.

Friends With [Unemployment] Benefits

Can unemployed people be friends with those who have a job? And can you still be friends with someone you used to work with after you’ve been laid off and that person still has a job at your former employer?

I’ve been thinking about that lately because I think a person who still works at the place I was discharged from wants to break off our friendship. Nothing concrete, just a vibe I’m getting.

This person was my second-in-command at the magazine I edited. I was her boss, but I always treated her with respect and never, ever raised my voice to her (which is more than I can say for the people who supervised me). We divided the work fairly between us, helped each out and got along quite well.

So much so that after I was laid off, she suggested we meet for lunch. She lives close to me, so it wasn’t a problem for us to get together on a Saturday afternoon for a meal. We’d meet about once a month.

Yet the last time we met, when she said goodbye, she didn’t suggest getting together again. I’ve sent her two emails, but she has not responded in nearly a month.

Now, I know I sound a bit overly sensitive, even paranoid. She is probably busy with other things in her life. But what would it take to respond to an email?

Yes, we would talk about my former place of employment. She’s even volunteered some juicy office gossip, which I’m careful not to spread.

Perhaps she got sick of hearing me whine about being laid off and my jobless state. Does she feel guilty about being kept on while I was kicked to the curb? She shouldn’t. Layoff decisions are nearly always capricious and illogical. And I’ve never suggested she should have been laid off instead of me. None of us should have lost our jobs. But she may have perceived it that way. I never meant to imply that and if I did, I sincerely apologize.

Worse, does she think my layoff was justified, that I was a bad worker/boss?

She probably thinks I should just shut up about it. But I didn’t talk about my feelings that much with her. Yet the impression I got was that she didn’t want to hear it and that she never fully understood why I felt so bad about getting laid off. People never think getting laid off is a big deal...until it happens to them. However, if she thought about it, what happened to me, and so many people I worked with at that wretched place, could conceivably be her fate. I’m a reminder that no job is secure, and she may not want to face that fact.

Maybe I was wrong to think we could continue a friendship after I was laid off. I sometimes think it’s better if a whole company or department gets the boot. That way, there’s a sense of camaraderie among the laid-off workers. You don’t feel singled out. Everybody got the ax, so there was no possibility of favoritism.

When some are laid off and others are kept, well, it leads to an inequality and the inevitable “Why me?” question that can corrode even the best of office friendships.

So, I wish her well. I really don’t know how she feels, so I can’t make assumptions. If she wants to see me, she can get in touch with me. If not, so be it. I’m not reaching out again. Getting professional rejection is quite enough, thank you very much; no need to court personal snubs.

Perhaps it’s better this way. In a sense, keeping in touch with her kept me emotionally tethered to that horrid place. I need to break all connections with what was an extremely painful experience in my life and move on.

I also think I’m feeling slighted by her lack of communication because my list of friends has dwindled. Both my sisters live out of state. Another friend moved West a year ago. I have two other close friends that live nearby, but one is always busy and the other has been homebound by a recent back surgery. So losing her friendship is a bit upsetting to me.

I further wonder if unemployed and employed people can ever be friends. Is the gulf between us too wide? I hear a lot of employed people tell me how busy they are, implying that jobless people are lazy, that we whine too much. (Or am I being defensive?) Hey, it’s not whining if you have something to whine about, and losing a job falls into that category.

My answer to that is simple and twofold: We would surely help you out if your boss, or any company, would hire us. We want to work as much as they want the assistance. After all, we weren’t the morons-in-charge who thought slashing jobs was a good idea.

Employed people should also remember that none of us left our jobs voluntarily. We were laid off. We did not choose to be unemployed. Yeah, we love being broke and treated like lepers by the rest of society.

And just for the record: I have never asked anyone for money. I have too much respect for my friends—and myself—to ever do that. I'm not a freeloader.

Meanwhile, the people I used to work with got raises and Christmas bonuses.

Now, apparently, those of us who made those things at least partially possible because our salaries were eliminated don’t even rate their friendship.

But tell me. How do your employed friends treat you?

Talk About a Revolution

We’ve all been transfixed by the protests in the Middle East. Much has been said about the role social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter played in getting the crowds together for the demonstrations.

But why are they protesting? From what I’ve read, the young people in Egypt, Yemen and Libya want the same things a lot of their counterparts in the U.S. want: A job and the chance for a better life.

According to one Op-Ed piece I read recently, the unemployment rate for youth in this country is 48.9%. That means half of the young people in this country cannot find a job.

That’s disturbing on so many levels. One, how can these young people ever buy a home, rent an apartment or even buy a car without a job? And let’s not forget that many college graduates are burdened with hefty amounts of student loan debt.

This is not a good harbinger for economic prosperity in this country.

President Obama has implored business leaders to hire more workers, but so far, those words have fallen on deaf ears. Corporate leaders respond they are too “uncertain” about the economy. I think they are waiting for an even more friendly Congress to wipe out as many taxes as they can.

It must be equally frustrating for young people to stagnate at such a young age, a time when they should be making their mark in the world, when they are surrounded by so many images of success by people barely out of puberty. Justin Bieber is a superstar at age 16! Mark Zuckerberg a billionaire before age 30! And please don’t get me started on Ke$ha.

At least when I graduated from college it was expected that it would take some time before I climbed up the ladder of my profession…and it did. Now, young people have to be at the top of their field no later than their 21st birthday. That’s a heavy burden to put on someone just out of college.

Companies often say applicants don’t have the exact skills they are looking for. Well, you could train someone who is bright and otherwise qualified. But managers are lazy and they don’t want to train incoming employees. And it’s going to take time for schools and colleges to put in the necessary curriculum to educate young people in those new skills. There is going to be a lag. In the meantime, companies must teach new hires if they want their firms to grow and prosper.

Since I’m at the other end of the spectrum—I won’t give my age but let’s say I’m between Lady Gaga and Betty White—I have to say that this employment market has not been kind to older workers either. Many have been let go because of their supposed high salaries and employers view them as out of touch with today’s technology. That’s a bit unfair. I’m certainly willing to take a cut in a pay and learn new skills, if only someone would give me the chance.

It’s also been said that one way to reduce the national deficit is to cut entitlement programs like Social Security. But neither political party seems willing to do that. There’s a reason why it’s called the third rail of politics.

One suggestion has been to push up the retirement age. I’m all for that. Health permitting, I’d love to work well beyond retirement age. Provided, of course, I have a job. Raising the retirement age will only help cut the budget deficit if companies hire workers—of all ages.

So you see, young and old are not that far apart on this issue. Maybe we should get together and march on Washington, D.C. for jobs.

Young people can push our wheelchairs and in return, we’ll co-sign your car loans. A deal?

What Happened to the Middle Class?

I read two interesting articles recently.

First the good news: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is finally investigating employers who deliberately exclude unemployed persons from hiring decisions. Here it is: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110217/ts_yblog_thelookout/help-wanted-jobless-need-not-apply

I say it’s about time the government looked into this odious and illegal practice.

Now, the not-so-good news: The middle class in the United States is falling further and further behind economically while the rich get richer. http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/16/news/economy/middle_class/. So much for the “trickle down” theory.

There are many reasons for this. First is the decline of unions. Without strong unions, workers have fewer shields against abuse by employers and wages have stagnated as a result. And how many companies offer pensions these days?

I also contend that the absence of unions is also an issue when it comes to layoffs. Unions offered a measure of protection against employers summarily dismissing workers without reason or warning. Favoritism was less of a factor. Now, corporate overlords just cut anyone they want in order to boost profits, protect their own power bases and save their handpicked lapdogs. Workers have little redress.

In this recession, very few CEOs lost their jobs. It was the middle-level workers and below who got canned. It will take years for them to recover lost wages. Not wonder so many homes have gone into foreclosure.

We can debate the usefulness of unions. Did they get too greedy? But without them, the middle class has suffered.

I'm not going on a socialist rant here. But it seems to me that the best promise of capitalism—that anyone who works hard can achieve the good life—is giving way to a rigid class structure of rich getting richer and middle class and below getting poorer. The opportunity to move up the economic ladder is dwindling.

Global competition also plays a part. Corporations now seek to send manufacturing jobs offshore at cheaper wages, thereby cutting off what was once a path to middle class prosperity for many with only a high school education.

Now, only the most highly trained and skilled can get good paying jobs in finance and technology. So it’s not enough to simply go to college, you have to go to the right college and have the right degree. And that takes a lot of money, which ensures the rich will stay that way.

This situation is sure to cause tension between the rich and the middle class. Guess who will win?