Layoffs - not me, but I notice a sucky trend

[mitt]

My location laid off 8 people yesterday.  Most were veterans of our company (20 to almost 40 years), and skilled labor - i.e. no managers, but actually people whose work you can weigh at the end of each day - designers, engineers, machinist, office admin.  I think all were 45 to 60 years old.  I guess it isn't fair to get old.  Just by nature your skills don't jive with modern managers desires du jour, and you are at the top of the list.



mitt

[ducpainter]

class action age discrimination suit....

[mitt]

class action age discrimination suit....

Yes, but if your skills are 'old', then wouldn't it be easy for the company to argue it was just?

mitt

[ducpainter]

Yes, but if your skills are 'old', then wouldn't it be easy for the company to argue it was just?

mitt

On an individual basis...sure.

But for them to lay off 8 'veterans' looks bad...

and a handle cranker doesn't have stale skills.

He can do the job or not.

Just my thinking....

[somegirl]

We've had a number of recent layoffs too.

One of them was a sales rep that I worked with quite closely.  She had made her number for the year in Q3, before taking off for maternity leave in Q4.  They laid her off while she was on maternity leave.

Apparently someone in HR even said to her "but surely you wouldn't want to keep traveling with a newborn?"

[DesmoDiva]

We've had a number of recent layoffs too.

One of them was a sales rep that I worked with quite closely.  She had made her number for the year in Q3, before taking off for maternity leave in Q4.  They laid her off while she was on maternity leave.

Apparently someone in HR even said to her "but surely you wouldn't want to keep traveling with a newborn?"

That stinks!!

Sounds like she should speak with a employment lawyer. 

[somegirl]

That stinks!!

Sounds like she should speak with a employment lawyer. 

She has, and would be justified in pursuing things.

But her husband still works for the company, and in our industry, acquisitions of smaller companies are common enough that she could easily end up working for them again some day.  She's not ready to burn those bridges.

[Drunken Monkey]

make the beast with two backs burning bridges.

If they don't hire her later she can re-sue as a whistleblower.

What's the point of labor protections if folks are too scared to use them?

[Gator]

Yes, but if your skills are 'old', then wouldn't it be easy for the company to argue it was just?

mitt

They probably also earned a bit more than the younger guys too.

[FatguyRacer]

My location laid off 8 people yesterday.  Most were veterans of our company (20 to almost 40 years), and skilled labor - i.e. no managers, but actually people whose work you can weigh at the end of each day - designers, engineers, machinist, office admin.  I think all were 45 to 60 years old.  I guess it isn't fair to get old.  Just by nature your skills don't jive with modern managers desires du jour, and you are at the top of the list.



mitt

Exactly what happened to me. Nothing to do with age. Everything to do with payroll trimming and not seeing eye to eye with a construction manager who has his and the owners head up his ass. Everyone who was let go was an old timer and a person who was not afraid to let the construction manager know to his face he's a moron. 

[somegirl]

make the beast with two backs burning bridges.

If they don't hire her later she can re-sue as a whistleblower.

What's the point of labor protections if folks are too scared to use them?

Well, I agree with you but I couldn't talk her into it.