Author Topic: Epic FU money stories  (Read 2794959 times)

MoonShadow

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #950 on: January 14, 2016, 09:22:53 PM »
haha, FUCK YOU BARB!

For some reason that reminded me of this "retirement" scene in the movie Wanted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7CXtxOflI

On the short list of greatest movies of all time, IMHO.

albireo13

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #951 on: January 15, 2016, 07:26:06 AM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )

Kitsune

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #952 on: January 15, 2016, 08:15:29 AM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )

And then, if they're anything like my old company, they've have eternal and endless 'all management' meetings to discuss the 'retention issue'. Of course, suggestions like 'enable flex time arrangements', or 'pay them what they're worth and what they're leaving for because others are paying those salaries right down the street', were rejected.

There's a reason I'm no longer working there, is all I'm sayin...

Pooperman

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #953 on: January 15, 2016, 08:56:16 AM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )

And then, if they're anything like my old company, they've have eternal and endless 'all management' meetings to discuss the 'retention issue'. Of course, suggestions like 'enable flex time arrangements', or 'pay them what they're worth and what they're leaving for because others are paying those salaries right down the street', were rejected.

There's a reason I'm no longer working there, is all I'm sayin...

Did you tell them that in the exit interview?

nobodyspecial

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #954 on: January 15, 2016, 09:02:41 AM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".   
We just wasted half a day in a meeting about recruitment problems presented by a bunch of expensive HR consultants waving an expensive report  (we paid $x0,000 for) which shows average salaries in our area and nationally - and picked the lowest.

I attempted to point out that paying the average meant you get the people that 50% of your competitors rejected.
That salary surveys under-report the truth because they faithfully count lots of low end salary jobs and don't count the secretly negotiated salaries of rock star programmers
And that we might want to look at remote workers given that we are located in one of the worlds highest COL cities

Don't think I'm invited to the next meeting

AZDude

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #955 on: January 15, 2016, 09:08:55 AM »
Don't think I'm invited to the next meeting

So then a big win for you?

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #956 on: January 15, 2016, 12:03:28 PM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )
And then, if they're anything like my old company, they've have eternal and endless 'all management' meetings to discuss the 'retention issue'. Of course, suggestions like 'enable flex time arrangements', or 'pay them what they're worth and what they're leaving for because others are paying those salaries right down the street', were rejected.

There's a reason I'm no longer working there, is all I'm sayin...
It's truly amazing how much inertia, apathy, and lack of common sense there is in middle management. I'm truly lucky to have the super I do. He fought for alternate work schedules, is now fighting for routine telework, etc.
It's so bad (good) that I'm losing my zeal for FIRE.... ahahaha

Chris22

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #957 on: January 15, 2016, 12:40:15 PM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".   
We just wasted half a day in a meeting about recruitment problems presented by a bunch of expensive HR consultants waving an expensive report  (we paid $x0,000 for) which shows average salaries in our area and nationally - and picked the lowest.

I attempted to point out that paying the average meant you get the people that 50% of your competitors rejected.
That salary surveys under-report the truth because they faithfully count lots of low end salary jobs and don't count the secretly negotiated salaries of rock star programmers
And that we might want to look at remote workers given that we are located in one of the worlds highest COL cities

Don't think I'm invited to the next meeting

I was 18 months into working for my current employer, and two guys in another group approached me about joining their group to fill an empty role.  Great.  They talked about more visibility, responsibility, etc etc etc.  I eventually agreed, and then they went to HR to get them to make me an offer.  HR determined I was already highly paid, and they'd give me $0.00 to move.  I balked, and eventually a promise by the CEO to help me out come raise time got me to take the role, and in fairness, he did come through for me; got about a $7k raise (about $2500 of which I would have gotten as a COL increase anyways).  That put me around $92k IIRC.  And I worked about 5 months in the new role at the old pay.

I did well, and a year later I was promoted again, to managing my old role.  This time they did a reasonable job taking care of me $$-wise.  So I put out a req for my old role, and HR told me I had a budget of $90k to hire someone.  Eventually decided on a candidate (external) and the HR guys came back and said to hire that guy, we need to offer $99k, 10% over my budget.  I asked, uh, what can we do, and they said, oh don't worry, go ahead with the $99k offer.  WTF?

So for a guy, me, who was approached about filling a role, came with a proven track record at the company, I had to fight for a raise and got ~8%, of which a third I was going to get anyways. 

OTOH, for someone who was entirely unknown, no history at all, external hire, we paid him 10% over our plan (and $7k over what I was getting for the same role) with no blinks or hesitation at all.

Doesn't make sense to me at all.  And by the way, guy we hired turned out to be a shithead we've almost fired 2x now and is on "double secret probation".


nobodyspecial

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #958 on: January 15, 2016, 05:51:05 PM »
The only way to get a raise is to leave and return.

It's bad in areas like banking/consultancy - you get hired at market salary in the market when you were hired.
So people that happened to get hired in booms are being paid 30% more than others, and every year your increment is a % of your salary.


scottish

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #959 on: January 15, 2016, 06:02:09 PM »
I've had some good raises.  Last time I was promoted, I received a 12% raise I wasn't expecting.  I have never ever *threatened* to leave.   Like zephyr911 said:   
Quote
I'm truly lucky to have the super I do.
   This can make all the difference.

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #960 on: January 15, 2016, 06:50:12 PM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )
And then, if they're anything like my old company, they've have eternal and endless 'all management' meetings to discuss the 'retention issue'. Of course, suggestions like 'enable flex time arrangements', or 'pay them what they're worth and what they're leaving for because others are paying those salaries right down the street', were rejected.

There's a reason I'm no longer working there, is all I'm sayin...
It's truly amazing how much inertia, apathy, and lack of common sense there is in middle management. I'm truly lucky to have the super I do. He fought for alternate work schedules, is now fighting for routine telework, etc.
It's so bad (good) that I'm losing my zeal for FIRE.... ahahaha
I fought for that stuff back when I was a manager.  It was super hard.  In our case, it was hands on shift work, so what I fought for was a shift differential.  I eventually won, but then they took it away, because my employees were salaried.  "We don't have to give it to them."  "No, but it's fucking shitty that you are requiring them to work 6 pm to 6 am and on weekends.  You give the differential to the hourly employees, so you are just being an ass."

jlajr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #961 on: January 15, 2016, 10:13:41 PM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".    LOL

  So, basically they want to hire the best but expect to pay the average.  Of, course life doesn't work that way and the "best" would leave for elsewhere.

LOL    : )

And then, if they're anything like my old company, they've have eternal and endless 'all management' meetings to discuss the 'retention issue'. Of course, suggestions like 'enable flex time arrangements', or 'pay them what they're worth and what they're leaving for because others are paying those salaries right down the street', were rejected.

There's a reason I'm no longer working there, is all I'm sayin...

These.

In April 2015, someone decided to lay off three people on my team of 16, including the manager with 24 years of experience with the products and a lead with 29 years of experience with the products. As part of my business unit's retention initiative, my new manager about a week ago asks me into his office and asks me if I plan on leaving in the next five years. Are you fucking kidding me? Besides the obvious - that is, if you want to retain knowledge, be as productive as possible, and produce the highest quality work, then don't lay your best people off without any knowledge transfer and retain/reward incompetency - I told him it was beyond unacceptable to ask me that question. I might answer the question honestly on an anonymous employee survey - which we had last year. I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.

I didn't even realize it at the time, because I was a little stunned by the question, but it didn't even occur to me that if my situation remains the same, I should reach FIRE in 5-10 years. I would likely leave or significantly curtail my employment at that point. While other colleagues are aware I am contemplating FIRE in a general sense, I don't discuss specific figures and timelines. Anyway, while I doubt that has filtered back to my manager, you never know.

AlanStache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #962 on: January 16, 2016, 07:07:40 AM »
... I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.
...

Saying you intend to stay for X years could be legally binding in your country?!?!?  Like if you left early they could sue or deny retirement benefits  due to losses because you had left?

ender

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #963 on: January 16, 2016, 09:08:46 AM »
... I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.
...

Saying you intend to stay for X years could be legally binding in your country?!?!?  Like if you left early they could sue or deny retirement benefits  due to losses because you had left?

Some people might feel bad saying something like that knowing it's not going to be true.

JLee

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #964 on: January 16, 2016, 04:58:24 PM »
I work for a large high tech company. I often got a chuckle over how they would be selective about hiring, claiming that they wanted only "the best talent".
Of course the salary structure was unimpressive.  When asked about increasing salaries for engineers the official response was that the pay was "competitive and consistent with the industry average".   
We just wasted half a day in a meeting about recruitment problems presented by a bunch of expensive HR consultants waving an expensive report  (we paid $x0,000 for) which shows average salaries in our area and nationally - and picked the lowest.

I attempted to point out that paying the average meant you get the people that 50% of your competitors rejected.
That salary surveys under-report the truth because they faithfully count lots of low end salary jobs and don't count the secretly negotiated salaries of rock star programmers
And that we might want to look at remote workers given that we are located in one of the worlds highest COL cities

Don't think I'm invited to the next meeting

I was 18 months into working for my current employer, and two guys in another group approached me about joining their group to fill an empty role.  Great.  They talked about more visibility, responsibility, etc etc etc.  I eventually agreed, and then they went to HR to get them to make me an offer.  HR determined I was already highly paid, and they'd give me $0.00 to move.  I balked, and eventually a promise by the CEO to help me out come raise time got me to take the role, and in fairness, he did come through for me; got about a $7k raise (about $2500 of which I would have gotten as a COL increase anyways).  That put me around $92k IIRC.  And I worked about 5 months in the new role at the old pay.

I did well, and a year later I was promoted again, to managing my old role.  This time they did a reasonable job taking care of me $$-wise.  So I put out a req for my old role, and HR told me I had a budget of $90k to hire someone.  Eventually decided on a candidate (external) and the HR guys came back and said to hire that guy, we need to offer $99k, 10% over my budget.  I asked, uh, what can we do, and they said, oh don't worry, go ahead with the $99k offer.  WTF?

So for a guy, me, who was approached about filling a role, came with a proven track record at the company, I had to fight for a raise and got ~8%, of which a third I was going to get anyways. 

OTOH, for someone who was entirely unknown, no history at all, external hire, we paid him 10% over our plan (and $7k over what I was getting for the same role) with no blinks or hesitation at all.

Doesn't make sense to me at all.  And by the way, guy we hired turned out to be a shithead we've almost fired 2x now and is on "double secret probation".

Yeah...sounds familiar. I was promoted into a new role at my previous employer, then got my annual raise, then got another promotion, and was still making $4k less than the outside guy (in the same position) was making three years previously when he was initially hired.

MoonShadow

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #965 on: January 16, 2016, 05:12:00 PM »
... I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.
...

Saying you intend to stay for X years could be legally binding in your country?!?!? Like if you left early they could sue or deny retirement benefits  due to losses because you had left?

No, not like that.

jlajr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #966 on: January 17, 2016, 12:25:29 AM »
... I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.
...

Saying you intend to stay for X years could be legally binding in your country?!?!?  Like if you left early they could sue or deny retirement benefits  due to losses because you had left?

I have no idea whether it is legally binding in my country, but I'd also rather not have to find out.

Asking the question to me is just as unacceptable as me asking him if the company is going to lay me off/fire me/sack me/terminate my employment agreement in that time period. He wouldn't answer that question, so I can't understand why they think I would answer their question for attribution. Anonymously, maybe.

TomTX

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #967 on: January 17, 2016, 06:38:13 AM »
... I'm not about to allow them to attribute an answer to me, at which point it becomes a verbal commitment.
...

Saying you intend to stay for X years could be legally binding in your country?!?!?  Like if you left early they could sue or deny retirement benefits  due to losses because you had left?

I have no idea whether it is legally binding in my country, but I'd also rather not have to find out.

Asking the question to me is just as unacceptable as me asking him if the company is going to lay me off/fire me/sack me/terminate my employment agreement in that time period. He wouldn't answer that question, so I can't understand why they think I would answer their question for attribution. Anonymously, maybe.

"I have no plans to resign or retire."

Unless you have a signed offer letter in hand from another employer, you don't have a plan.

jlajr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #968 on: January 17, 2016, 10:32:24 PM »
"I have no plans to resign or retire."

Unless you have a signed offer letter in hand from another employer, you don't have a plan.

Well, a few weeks ago, I came across the idea of mini-retirement, so a plan wouldn't necessarily depend on a signed offer letter in hand from another employer.

Nonetheless, I appreciate your point.

coin

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #969 on: January 18, 2016, 09:55:31 PM »
This thread is a thing of beauty and justice, I am awed.

My coworker at my previous job was a friend of mine and revealed that he was getting paid a couple dollars more an hour than me. Doesn't sound like much more but it worked out to about $5000 per annum.

I was more experienced and had qualifications (that they needed to maintain multi-million dollar contracts) that my buddy didn't, so the pay gap made absolutely no sense because he had not negotiated at all with them and we were doing the exact same job.  I brought it up with them, they told me tough shit and they weren't going to make us equal. Then I accused them of gender discrimination because it suddenly occurred to me I was the only lady performing this job and they denied, denied, denied.

Even if it wasn't gender discrimination, they could have brought our pays in line and I would have shut up and gone back to work rather than spend three weeks in meetings and arguing with them about how they weren't following their own policy. They could have saved money right there!

By that stage I decided to quit in a few weeks whether or not I had found a new job. I get the impression they grossly underestimated me and thought I wouldn't quit.

Luckily for me, I found a job that paid $10k more, put in my notice and that was that. Only after I left did they realise they were suddenly down one of the few people that could work early mornings, who had most of the qualifications they needed for their contracts and who they had just spent thousands of dollars training for said contracts.

They were stupid enough to give me an exit interview form to fill out about my time at the company... As if I wouldn't share with them how annoyed I was about the whole situation. I found it yesterday while I was sorting some papers. My responses were polite but you can tell I was extremely angry when I wrote it because I liked the job but the management were arseholes.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2016, 10:04:41 PM by coin »

electriceagle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #970 on: January 19, 2016, 01:23:52 AM »
I did well, and a year later I was promoted again, to managing my old role.  This time they did a reasonable job taking care of me $$-wise.  So I put out a req for my old role, and HR told me I had a budget of $90k to hire someone.  Eventually decided on a candidate (external) and the HR guys came back and said to hire that guy, we need to offer $99k, 10% over my budget.  I asked, uh, what can we do, and they said, oh don't worry, go ahead with the $99k offer.  WTF?

So for a guy, me, who was approached about filling a role, came with a proven track record at the company, I had to fight for a raise and got ~8%, of which a third I was going to get anyways. 

OTOH, for someone who was entirely unknown, no history at all, external hire, we paid him 10% over our plan (and $7k over what I was getting for the same role) with no blinks or hesitation at all.

Doesn't make sense to me at all.  And by the way, guy we hired turned out to be a shithead we've almost fired 2x now and is on "double secret probation".

Yep, the only way to get real raises is to change companies during a boom. A company that hires does so because they recognize an immediate need; the company that you move from only recognizes that you're not worth firing. Ergo, a company that is hiring is motivated to pay more.

Kitsune

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #971 on: January 19, 2016, 07:02:40 AM »
I did well, and a year later I was promoted again, to managing my old role.  This time they did a reasonable job taking care of me $$-wise.  So I put out a req for my old role, and HR told me I had a budget of $90k to hire someone.  Eventually decided on a candidate (external) and the HR guys came back and said to hire that guy, we need to offer $99k, 10% over my budget.  I asked, uh, what can we do, and they said, oh don't worry, go ahead with the $99k offer.  WTF?

So for a guy, me, who was approached about filling a role, came with a proven track record at the company, I had to fight for a raise and got ~8%, of which a third I was going to get anyways. 

OTOH, for someone who was entirely unknown, no history at all, external hire, we paid him 10% over our plan (and $7k over what I was getting for the same role) with no blinks or hesitation at all.

Doesn't make sense to me at all.  And by the way, guy we hired turned out to be a shithead we've almost fired 2x now and is on "double secret probation".

Yep, the only way to get real raises is to change companies during a boom. A company that hires does so because they recognize an immediate need; the company that you move from only recognizes that you're not worth firing. Ergo, a company that is hiring is motivated to pay more.

This. I'm currently 31, and I've had 4 professional jobs since graduating from university (BA in English Lit with a minor in European history and women's studies; I clearly wanted a job)

Job 1: 35K/year, 80 hours a week of being screamed at. I lasted 13 months; just long enough to get enough experience to get a better job elsewhere.
Job 2: 40K/year, 55 hours per week, reasonable working conditions in a company I liked. No raises for 3.5 years (start-up that wasn't making money), but I argued a lot of quality-of-life 'raises' (working from home, expensing my phone/internet/bus pass, 2 extra weeks vacation, etc)
Job 3: 68K/year + 8% bonus, 60 hours per week. I was hired by someone I had previously worked with, negotiated well, had experience to back it up, and justified an extra increase by telling the interviewer that if I was giving up all the quality of life bonuses I had at my previous job, that had to be compensated for with money. It worked. *shrugs*It was huge corporate thing and I HATED it, but it was worth it for the money and experience (and knowledge that I hate working for huge and corporate and should avoid at all costs in the future) I worked there 3 years, plus technically a year of maternity leave.
Job 4 (where I'm currently at): 60K/year, 35 hours per week. Slight pay cut, but honestly, I will absolutely lose 8K/year to work 25 hours per week less... because at that salary difference, those hours are paid at 6$/hour CAD... or 60% of minimum wage. Bugger that. If I need 8K more, I'll go be a consultant somewhere for a month or two. Or, y'know, sell some eggs/asparagus/raspberries once our garden gets going. There are better ways to make 8K than to work 25 hours per week for a year...

And the people I graduated university with who are still in the company they started out with? Are working 60+ hours per week for under 40K a year, universally.

Papa Mustache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #972 on: February 17, 2016, 10:19:40 PM »
I'll throw in my bone (story). I've told it before so if it sounds familiar I apologize.

Was working for a once smallish engineering company that did not pay very well in retrospect and that basically used people up. They could do that b/c they had a surplus of applicants in our town at the time - that was the early chapters of the Great Recession.

We'd have company meetings with the managers spinning great yarns about how great things were. Then one day they laid off about ten guys (out of ~145 employees) - a couple really good guys with potential to make way for a lousy manager that needed to backslide to keep his job after failing to measure up.

The guy was/is a nut. I never witnessed any episodes but from time to time he'd throw public tantrums. My direct troubles with him mostly amounted to last second "emergency" assignments that occupied late nights and weekends. Also contradictory instructions. Once delivered I'd notice that these assignments would cool on the back burner for a month or more. Meanwhile I was working unpaid overtime on top of a modest entry-level salary.

I've since heard stories of him doing that to his entire team. Order his guys to work that weekend with 30 mins notice as he's headed out the door and out of town to the mtns for the weekend. Never mind if you had plans... At least his floor team was working hourly and thus overtime. Maybe part of why he got stepped on - causing overtime just so he could throw his weight around.

I was naive, believed the "team" concept for too long and bought the management's spiel at the company pep-rallies. Then the guy that hired me left to start his own company competing with the company he left. Took the cream of the crop experienced engineers and builders. I should have realized that from his POV he could see the place souring. Naive me...

With the guy that hired me gone, I was quickly designing/building projects for several managers. Much higher work load. I was hired to do these projects using methods were were very slow and time consuming. Using some simple software and redesigning the work flow I quietly automated much of what I did. The challenge then was to appear busy. Had to track billing on the various projects. That was eventually all made up b/c it was impossible to account for my time accurately.

I wanted to parlay all this into a promotion but it was clear that during this period, promotions were difficult to obtain, and I was so low on the career ladder my future was uncertain no matter how much I was accomplishing. Also it became clear that their was a "boy's club" that would never leave and no way I could move up more than one more step. And - moving up would mean more unpaid overtime after a modest bump in salary ($4K maybe). It was time to look elsewhere.

Interviewed at other places around the state, had some offers but the best offer was at a different employer in my same town. No relocation expenses. Yay! Accepted.

Went to my manager and delivered my notice. He tried to counter offer and asked how much it would take. $10K was my answer and he shook his head no. Didn't matter b/c I had already accepted the other job offer at nearly the same $10K increase plus much more generous benefits package, much better work/life balance, better people, more interesting work, etc.

The old employer pissed me off during the next two weeks and I decided quietly that I'd take my efficiency hacks with me. I trained my replacement in the slow and boring methods I had been taught several years prior. I backed up all of my projects to DVD plus my software hacks - and left. The backups were in case I ever returned.

The next two or three replacements after me all left within months. Many of my friends at the company left as soon as they could find greener pastures (next few years). Company is still there, bigger now but still a lousy place to work. Oh, and the same "boy's club" runs the place.

chetmanly

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #973 on: February 18, 2016, 01:21:39 PM »
I think FU money is something that employers should encourage. Who would you want working with you, people who actually want to be there or people who feel like they have no choice? Don't companies always say they want engagement? I don't think engagement happens when people feel trapped.

Love the WalMart guy story. A great example of how financial stability/security preserves our dignity. When you are enslaved to paycheck-to-paycheck living, you may need to set your dignity aside if you want to eat that month.

I find it really odd that so many people in hiring positions complain about people who "Are Lazy" and "Refuse to find work", man.. would you WANT to hire those people? Hell I'd pay them to STAY AWAY from my company.

chetmanly

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #974 on: February 18, 2016, 01:37:15 PM »
I don't have an FU story but after this past week, I want to get to that point more than ever.

I work as an engineer and about six months ago we hired another "engineer". I use the quotes because he does not have an engineering degree, just tons of experience from being out in the field. This past week we had a piece of equipment that had failed in the field and has been replaced three time prior by an exact copy but new piece of equipment each time. The "engineer" had called for it to be replaced again and I told the field guys to leave it until someone proves the equipment is truly defective, and not actually miscoordinating. The "engineer" sent me an email and included the guys in my group as well. He asked me to explain to him why I superseded his judgement. Side note, he and I are the same level and pay but he is twice my age. With FU money, I would be able to respond back with "please find attached a copy of MY engineering degree for your reference. If you need further explanation, please note the PE initials following my name. They roughly translate to I am the expert!"

Until the moment I have FU money, I have to bite my tongue and play the politics to keep building up my FU fund. Or wait two years when I'm the engineering manager and then he'll be thinking twice about what he says.

A degree makes you an expert. That's hilarious.

That being said, given the part had failed three times before and replaced three times, that suggests something else is wrong. So good call. Wrong reason.

electriceagle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #975 on: February 19, 2016, 08:40:56 AM »
A guy was hired, and he regularly brought a gun to work—in a secured office with little chance of anything happening. Not only did he bring it, he put it on his desk while he was working. This made a lot of people uncomfortable. When the company tried to tell them, he went all 2nd amendment on them. It was going to be a long tedious process of either firing him and having lawsuits, or figuring out a way to not let the guy bring it in. Eventually they paid him off with a severance package and a glowing letter of recommendation

Engineer your own layoff indeed!

Edit: Actually, we had a gun guy when I worked at BigMegaCorp. He would talk loudly on the phone about how the government had taken his guns and how he was going to get them back, but in the meantime he had bought more. We were all in cubicles, so everyone could hear his conversations.

This was a time of quarterly layoffs, when hordes of people were being walked out the door every few months. Everyone else in the area was having layoffs as well. Along the way, someone at some other company in the area shot 3-4 of the managers when they got fired.

Gun guy is still there. I guess management didn't want to take the chance....
« Last Edit: October 07, 2019, 07:19:01 AM by electriceagle »

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #976 on: February 19, 2016, 08:43:54 AM »
A degree makes you an expert. That's hilarious.

That being said, given the part had failed three times before and replaced three times, that suggests something else is wrong. So good call. Wrong reason.

It takes a lot more than a degree to get a PE cert. I was an engineer for years (with a degree) and never had one.

nobodyspecial

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #977 on: February 19, 2016, 09:07:00 AM »
It takes a lot more than a degree to get a PE cert. I was an engineer for years (with a degree) and never had one.
Specifically it takes working for years at an old company.
Our startup lost one EEng this year because the only way to get a PE was to work under an already certified PE, which means working for government or an old established company.  It's a really good trick to keep salaries low.


BTDretire

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Re: Fired or laid off
« Reply #978 on: February 19, 2016, 10:14:24 AM »
A few years ago, I was surprised to find out that some people I know, originally from the US I think, distinguish between being fired versus being laid off:

  • Being fired meaning a company terminated employment due to poor performance
  • Being laid off meaning a company terminated employment due to reorganization, downsizing, and so on
Because I don't think many people would volunteer to family, friends, or potential employers that they were fired for poor performance, I figured anyone who makes the distinction wouldn't say they were fired anyway. Meaning, even if they were in fact fired for poor performance, they'd say they were laid off.

The point being, I was using the terms interchangeably, not realizing others might have been attaching different meanings to the terms.


A colleague friend of mine, originally from the UK, uses the term sacked for all types of employment termination, I think. I don't think that works for US audiences though.

I've heard friends and family use "fired" to describe when the were indeed fired.


I've never known anyone to use the terms interchangeably.

When I was young my dad was a carpenter, going from construction job to construction job.
So he was often between jobs. I was 10 or 11 when I ask my mom, "why does dad keep getting fired from
his jobs?"  She had to explain to me about construction jobs and when the are finished there is no more work,
so he was laid off waiting for a new job to start.

BlueHouse

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Re: Fired or laid off
« Reply #979 on: February 19, 2016, 10:22:44 AM »
A few years ago, I was surprised to find out that some people I know, originally from the US I think, distinguish between being fired versus being laid off:

  • Being fired meaning a company terminated employment due to poor performance
  • Being laid off meaning a company terminated employment due to reorganization, downsizing, and so on

Because I don't think many people would volunteer to family, friends, or potential employers that they were fired for poor performance, I figured anyone who makes the distinction wouldn't say they were fired anyway. Meaning, even if they were in fact fired for poor performance, they'd say they were laid off.

The point being, I was using the terms interchangeably, not realizing others might have been attaching different meanings to the terms.

A colleague friend of mine, originally from the UK, uses the term sacked for all types of employment termination, I think. I don't think that works for US audiences though.

I've heard friends and family use "fired" to describe when the were indeed fired.

I've never known anyone to use the terms interchangeably.

I use the term "shit-canned" pretty routinely.  Even now, I'm a consultant and when the job is done, it's done.  I still say I was shit-canned to family and friends.  To business colleagues I usually say "I'm about to roll-off an assignment if you know of anything coming up".  I always put that in the future tense, so they don't think I'm out of work between jobs -- can make it more difficult to find the next one or to negotiate higher rates. 

msilenus

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Re: Fired or laid off
« Reply #980 on: February 19, 2016, 10:49:29 AM »
I use the term "shit-canned" pretty routinely.

Ever since I first heard the phrase "he was managed outside the company" I've preferred the term "shit-canned" for getting fired.

scottish

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #981 on: February 19, 2016, 08:00:02 PM »
After the first 30,000 or 40,000 at Nortel, we started using the term 'whacked'.

"Fred got whacked in the last round."

gimp

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #982 on: February 20, 2016, 02:01:12 AM »
I liked "promoted to customer."

Bergal

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #983 on: February 20, 2016, 06:33:19 AM »
After my company just shut down one part of the business - and all its workers - they hired "outplacement" experts to help the employees.  What a ridiculous euphemism. 

LeRainDrop

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #984 on: February 20, 2016, 10:19:16 PM »
Don't be like me: A story of having FU money and not using it when you should.  Friends, the biggest regret I have in my life so far is not quitting a toxic job when I should have, despite actually having adequate FU money to tide me over for quite awhile.  I work in biglaw, with the high hours and high pressure that goes along with that.  But more than that, I became the frog in boiling water over a two-year period, while my used-to-be-mentor found herself in a bad life crossroads and was essentially forced to come back to work under unfavorable terms.  As a result, she set out to prove herself as large and in-charge, and show the firm that those silly associates just couldn't possibly have handled her responsibilities, as we had been doing without her for a year.  In any event, the next two years of my life were buried in pure hell from her, as she was a huge bully, mean girl, moved deadlines to suit her and bury us, found countless ways to assert her power, etc.  Almost every deadline from her was "ASAP," but it was not enough to meet her deadlines -- no, you had to beat them!  I pointed out to her once that you cannot finish work any earlier than ASAP; by definition that is not possible.  That point actually flustered her for a minute while she continued to berate me for, I kid you not, going to a committee lunch for half an hour about three months earlier (yes, this stuck in her craw for three months before she raised it!) because I "could have been billing" during that time but had the nerve to go eat; coming in on a Saturday at noon and staying till 8 p.m., though she had arrived that Saturday at 9 a.m. and stayed till 1 p.m., even though I had specifically cleared it with her ahead of time that I had a conflict in the morning and probably would not arrive until 1 p.m. (so I actually got in an hour early) -- oh, she also mocked me for arriving and asking, "how can I help?"; sending her an email with the results of my assignment at 10:01 a.m., when my deadline was 10 a.m.; and not looking upset enough by her complaints.  I worked several weeks of all-nighters or only a few hours of sleep, developed stress-induced medical conditions (including one surgery, which made me rejoice for the break!), missed my grandmother's funeral to complete work for this lady (who knew her demand was causing me to miss the funeral, and she didn't even bother to thank me, and even got her henchman to tell me the very next week that "if I were being honest with myself, I'd know that I'm just not doing my best"), was strongly discouraged and told she was "disappointed" in me for going to take care of my father for a week after he was in a very bad accident, and this list could go on and on.  At the worst of it, she poisoned a new co-worker against me and others, stirred that pot, intentionally saying different things to the different groups to cause fights and then giving advice that contradicted what she was telling the others so that we would complain about each other and she could presumably somehow be the one person not in the fray.  This plan back-fired once our group realized the conniving shit that the boss lady was causing in an already stressful environment and the groups became friends again.  She treated me and others terribly, and there were so many times I was so fed up and at the end of my rope, but I never said enough is enough.  One awesome co-worker even told me that boss lady was abusing me and I shouldn't put up with it, but I was so lost, I sometimes even defended that boss lady, like she had a grain of truth good reason to be mean to me ("it's true, I did send that email at 10:01 and she asked for it by 10!".  So crazy.  I did go to the higher-ups and got some traction with them, although this b-lady was the golden child of the head of my group, which is why she always managed to get away with so much shit over these two years.  In the end, while my talks with the higher-ups were at their peak, the dragon lady ended up quitting.  I stayed through that, and I regret it every effing day.  Don't be like me -- if you have FU money and the circumstances of your job suck, then use that FU money!!!
« Last Edit: February 20, 2016, 10:38:44 PM by LeRainDrop »

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Zamboni

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #986 on: February 21, 2016, 08:02:48 AM »
I really like Samuel's story of telling HR he was retiring but not ever telling his supervisor. I wonder: how many places would that work? Probably a lot.

LeRainDrop, you have my sympathy. I worked for a similar person for 9 months when I was in college (in my case the supervisor was a man.) Never again. The young lady he hired to replace me told him to stuff it and walked out the first week she was there, and I immediately thought "hmmm, I should have done that!"

When I saw similar craziness traits starting to emerge from a recent supervisor, I immediately activated an exit strategy. It took me more than a year to execute the plan, but having a plan helped me stay sane, keep boundaries firm, and clam up and keep ideas to myself. These boundaries pissed her off even more than normal, of course, as she needed the constantly collect ideas from others so she could keep passing them off as her own ideas, so her level of unprofessional behavior escalated to ridiculous. Nonetheless, I got out and into a better department at the same employer. She still tries to lash out at me sometimes, but she's been caught in some lies related to how she does things and her credibility is finally shot with most people I think. Others have done the same -- escape her but stay in the giant machine -- so now there are several people are my very large employer who escaped the tentacles of this horrible boss. We all smile brightly when we see each other, and sometimes exchange brief stories of escaping her nonsense. At meetings I catch her current employees giving me looks that can other be described as imploring for help, but they are afraid to talk with anyone. In about two years there has been 80% turnover in her staff . . . and this is at a company where turnover is generally very low (my current office has less than 5% turnover in the same time frame.) A big bunch of her lies and unethical behavior got uncovered independently by a third department last year. She threw a subordinate under the bus and survived, although not unscathed in terms of reputation.

It's amazing that the small percent of people who are like these horrible bosses seem to manage to keep their jobs . . . more companies should adopt the No Asshole Rule.

homestead neohio

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #987 on: March 08, 2016, 08:18:26 PM »
Just finished binge-reading and this is an epic thread.  The thing that fascinates me about these stories is how shocked all the bosses are, because it is JUST THAT PERVASIVE that people are stuck in their jobs due to their spending habits and are therefore powerless (or feel powerless) to change their situations.  "Woe is me, a victim."  Every once in a while they encounter a badass who says FU.

I agree with so many others that FU money gives you sanity and options.  I chose not to use my FU money when a good employment situation turned bad (2 good years, 1 not so good, 2 bad), but knowing I could walk away from that job, even as the sole income earner in my family of 4, kept me sane.  DW encouraged me to leave multiple times due to obvious unhappiness, stress and unrealistic expectations.  We frequently would have to cancel weekend plans when told on Friday afternoon I was required to work all weekend, sometimes did not see my kids because I was working or commuting during their waking hours, various other BS.  I came up with coping strategies (took Friday's off to avoid weekend work requests), but those only lasted so long.  Co-workers were having breakdowns, going on meds, and getting divorces, but not quitting.  As I approached my breaking point at work, I started to push back.  If I was ready to walk away, why not just push back on the craziness instead of walking?  Worst they'd do is relieve me of my position, which I was about to do myself.  Every employment situation is different, but for me there were never any consequences of saying "no, I will not work then" or "I will not meet your [totally unrealistic] timeline, but can commit to getting that done by [realistic timeline]".  If told, "that is unacceptable", I'd just say, "I'm sorry that what is possible is not acceptable to you."  I tried to make it about my crazy manager's expectation problem, not my output problem, though it took energy to fend off the unrealistic expectations.  I kept collecting my paycheck while looking for other jobs.  There were still sacrifices including some minor health issues due to stress and being overall unhappy and irritable, which did affect my family life.  I chose to accept this for a time as I did not know how long a job search would take given my desire to stay local and limited local employers in my field. 

It would have immediately felt good to quit, but I suspect I would have gotten stressed over time if I was not finding employment, and I would have felt like I have to take the first thing that came along.  This way I got to keep the 'stache for which I had worked so hard.

I don't know if I would make the same decisions today (and with my current 'stache), but in the end I got a great job at more pay with a good boss at a growing company, so it all worked out. 

I understand the comments people have made in this thread that taking an FU attitude is unhealthy, and they'd rather keep it positive and move on to other opportunities without a focus on hurting a boss, team or company.  I get that, and that is clearly best.  But I've also been in "that situation" where you WANT to deal out a fraction of the harm they've done to you as a matter of JUSTICE, because you are in a position of power to do so.  I did not do anything epic when I left my prior employer, but oh how I fantasized about it. 

Keep the FU stories coming.

happy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #988 on: March 09, 2016, 03:05:46 AM »
Not exactly an epic story, but a while back I changed jobs and decided to take a couple of months of paid leave to decompress between jobs. The leave was part annual leave and part long service leave. It was all approved and off I went. It took a while for the paperwork to trickle up the line and a boss somewhere near the top of the line decided to not approve the LSL component. Theoretically they can do that, but its pretty unusual. Apparently everyone in my dept was arguing about who's job it was  to ring me up to tell me. Anyway the deal was  come back to work or take leave without pay. 

Having very adequate FU money it was SO nice to not turn a hair and say I would take the leave without pay.  People were quite shocked because everyone expected I would have to come back to work and couldn't survive 4 weeks or so with no income.  Being public service, my leave entitlements are transferred with me, so sooner or later I'll be paid for the leave, so no loss to me.

Elle 8

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #989 on: March 09, 2016, 04:32:22 AM »
... Co-workers were having breakdowns, going on meds, and getting divorces, but not quitting. ...

That's horrible!

Dicey

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #990 on: March 09, 2016, 08:40:17 AM »
Not exactly an epic story, but a while back I changed jobs and decided to take a couple of months of paid leave to decompress between jobs. The leave was part annual leave and part long service leave. It was all approved and off I went. It took a while for the paperwork to trickle up the line and a boss somewhere near the top of the line decided to not approve the LSL component. Theoretically they can do that, but its pretty unusual. Apparently everyone in my dept was arguing about who's job it was  to ring me up to tell me. Anyway the deal was  come back to work or take leave without pay. 

Having very adequate FU money it was SO nice to not turn a hair and say I would take the leave without pay.  People were quite shocked because everyone expected I would have to come back to work and couldn't survive 4 weeks or so with no income.  Being public service, my leave entitlements are transferred with me, so sooner or later I'll be paid for the leave, so no loss to me.
So you got to have your cake and eat it too. Good on you! Thanks to you and homestead neohio for reviving this thread, it's one of my favorites.

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #991 on: March 09, 2016, 11:49:08 AM »
Quote
If I was ready to walk away, why not just push back on the craziness instead of walking?  Worst they'd do is relieve me of my position, which I was about to do myself.  Every employment situation is different, but for me there were never any consequences of saying "no, I will not work then" or "I will not meet your [totally unrealistic] timeline, but can commit to getting that done by [realistic timeline]".  If told, "that is unacceptable", I'd just say, "I'm sorry that what is possible is not acceptable to you."  I tried to make it about my crazy manager's expectation problem, not my output problem, though it took energy to fend off the unrealistic expectations.  I kept collecting my paycheck while looking for other jobs. 

I really like this.  I have been at my company for almost 8 years, with a similar issue.  A few great years, then a slide, a couple of very very bad ones.  While I was good at pushing back on work hours the whole time, I found it frustrating for other reasons (being constantly reorganized with new bosses and new responsibilities).  I still had lots of stress, but for awhile realized that working my tail off was getting me nowhere.

So I worked, and looked for a new job.  Didn't find one, but years later now am in a new position with a new boss (same company), and it's MUCH better.  And I collected 2 years of a paycheck in the mean time.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2016, 12:24:48 PM by mm1970 »

CorpRaider

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #992 on: March 09, 2016, 12:08:42 PM »
Don't be like me: A story of having FU money and not using it when you should.  Friends, the biggest regret I have in my life so far is not quitting a toxic job when I should have, despite actually having adequate FU money to tide me over for quite awhile.  I work in biglaw, with the high hours and high pressure that goes along with that.  But more than that, I became the frog in boiling water over a two-year period, while my used-to-be-mentor found herself in a bad life crossroads and was essentially forced to come back to work under unfavorable terms.  As a result, she set out to prove herself as large and in-charge, and show the firm that those silly associates just couldn't possibly have handled her responsibilities, as we had been doing without her for a year.  In any event, the next two years of my life were buried in pure hell from her, as she was a huge bully, mean girl, moved deadlines to suit her and bury us, found countless ways to assert her power, etc.  Almost every deadline from her was "ASAP," but it was not enough to meet her deadlines -- no, you had to beat them!  I pointed out to her once that you cannot finish work any earlier than ASAP; by definition that is not possible.  That point actually flustered her for a minute while she continued to berate me for, I kid you not, going to a committee lunch for half an hour about three months earlier (yes, this stuck in her craw for three months before she raised it!) because I "could have been billing" during that time but had the nerve to go eat; coming in on a Saturday at noon and staying till 8 p.m., though she had arrived that Saturday at 9 a.m. and stayed till 1 p.m., even though I had specifically cleared it with her ahead of time that I had a conflict in the morning and probably would not arrive until 1 p.m. (so I actually got in an hour early) -- oh, she also mocked me for arriving and asking, "how can I help?"; sending her an email with the results of my assignment at 10:01 a.m., when my deadline was 10 a.m.; and not looking upset enough by her complaints.  I worked several weeks of all-nighters or only a few hours of sleep, developed stress-induced medical conditions (including one surgery, which made me rejoice for the break!), missed my grandmother's funeral to complete work for this lady (who knew her demand was causing me to miss the funeral, and she didn't even bother to thank me, and even got her henchman to tell me the very next week that "if I were being honest with myself, I'd know that I'm just not doing my best"), was strongly discouraged and told she was "disappointed" in me for going to take care of my father for a week after he was in a very bad accident, and this list could go on and on.  At the worst of it, she poisoned a new co-worker against me and others, stirred that pot, intentionally saying different things to the different groups to cause fights and then giving advice that contradicted what she was telling the others so that we would complain about each other and she could presumably somehow be the one person not in the fray.  This plan back-fired once our group realized the conniving shit that the boss lady was causing in an already stressful environment and the groups became friends again.  She treated me and others terribly, and there were so many times I was so fed up and at the end of my rope, but I never said enough is enough.  One awesome co-worker even told me that boss lady was abusing me and I shouldn't put up with it, but I was so lost, I sometimes even defended that boss lady, like she had a grain of truth good reason to be mean to me ("it's true, I did send that email at 10:01 and she asked for it by 10!".  So crazy.  I did go to the higher-ups and got some traction with them, although this b-lady was the golden child of the head of my group, which is why she always managed to get away with so much shit over these two years.  In the end, while my talks with the higher-ups were at their peak, the dragon lady ended up quitting.  I stayed through that, and I regret it every effing day.  Don't be like me -- if you have FU money and the circumstances of your job suck, then use that FU money!!!

Yeah, I had a similar albeit much less psychotic partner once.  She started out great and just went psycho over time as well.  I didn't have FU money but I still bailed right during the financial crisis and man were they dumbstruck that I had to stroke (good fortune really) to make a move right in the middle of a nuclear winter.

jlajr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #993 on: March 09, 2016, 11:27:51 PM »
...As I approached my breaking point at work, I started to push back.  If I was ready to walk away, why not just push back on the craziness instead of walking?  Worst they'd do is relieve me of my position, which I was about to do myself.  Every employment situation is different, but for me there were never any consequences of saying "no, I will not work then" or "I will not meet your [totally unrealistic] timeline, but can commit to getting that done by [realistic timeline]".  If told, "that is unacceptable", I'd just say, "I'm sorry that what is possible is not acceptable to you."  I tried to make it about my crazy manager's expectation problem, not my output problem, though it took energy to fend off the unrealistic expectations.  I kept collecting my paycheck while looking for other jobs.  There were still sacrifices including some minor health issues due to stress and being overall unhappy and irritable, which did affect my family life.  I chose to accept this for a time as I did not know how long a job search would take given my desire to stay local and limited local employers in my field. 

It would have immediately felt good to quit, but I suspect I would have gotten stressed over time if I was not finding employment, and I would have felt like I have to take the first thing that came along.  This way I got to keep the 'stache for which I had worked so hard...

I know exactly how you felt, applaud you for recognizing that the source of the problem was external not internal, and expressing that recognition.

Between April of last year until about two months ago, I was extremely frustrated at work and looking for another job (which would require moving where I live). If I had been offered any of the jobs for which I applied, I would have accepted it with no hesitation.

Unfortunately, after months of a frustrating job search, usually driving at least two hours each way to interviews/tests and taking vacation time to do so, I decided that I would no longer actively look for another job. I also decided not to move from where I current live and leave my current job, before accepting another position. As you did, I decided to allow my Stash to continue to grow instead of possibly using it to cover expenses while looking for a job.

Coming to these decisions has made a huge difference. I have not fully returned to my pre-April 2015 state of being extremely happy with my situation - but I am nonetheless happy, regardless of what my managers have or have not done, are or are not doing, and will or will not do.

I do what I need to do to maintain a healthy state of mind - such as freely speak my mind or flatly refuse to do certain tasks. The worst-case scenario, as far as I can tell, would be my current employer firing me (or laying me off, or whatever you choose to call it), with a contract-required notice of two months. As that's a fairly attractive option from my point of view, if that happens, I'd simply say something like "Great. Thank you.", leave the office, tell my landlord I'm exercising the clause in my lease that allows me to cancel it with two months' notice, and start looking for a new job and a new place to live.

I actually joke with colleagues that happy jlajr can be just as annoying as frustrated jlajr, and that I suspect that they have started putting happy pills in my lunch. :)

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #994 on: March 10, 2016, 07:06:58 AM »
I have only been at my current job for 1.5 years. The money has been really good considering the hours and stress level.

Things are quickly changing, company is laying people off, pulling accounts away from our sales team, increasing quotas, and creating unrealistic expectations and seriously inhibiting out ability to make money.

I am one of the few on my team who has some FU $ saved up. No epic story but we will see how this scenario unfolds for me.

I am not afraid to leave, though for now I will stick it out and see what happens.

Pooperman

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #995 on: March 10, 2016, 07:25:58 AM »
I have only been at my current job for 1.5 years. The money has been really good considering the hours and stress level.

Things are quickly changing, company is laying people off, pulling accounts away from our sales team, increasing quotas, and creating unrealistic expectations and seriously inhibiting out ability to make money.

I am one of the few on my team who has some FU $ saved up. No epic story but we will see how this scenario unfolds for me.

I am not afraid to leave, though for now I will stick it out and see what happens.

All hands! Abandon ship!

Northwestie

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #996 on: March 10, 2016, 08:43:31 AM »
I have only been at my current job for 1.5 years. The money has been really good considering the hours and stress level.

Things are quickly changing, company is laying people off, pulling accounts away from our sales team, increasing quotas, and creating unrealistic expectations and seriously inhibiting out ability to make money.

I am one of the few on my team who has some FU $ saved up. No epic story but we will see how this scenario unfolds for me.

I am not afraid to leave, though for now I will stick it out and see what happens.



All hands! Abandon ship!

This is a depressing thread.  I can't say I've ever had a horrible boss - one that wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he cared about his employees.  I've just moved on when a company changed hands and just became too large or when they seemed to lose their edge, each time moving to a better situation.  Current job is ideal. 

Plenty of fodder here for Dilbert episodes.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2016, 09:34:46 AM by Northwestie »

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #997 on: March 10, 2016, 08:49:21 AM »
I have only been at my current job for 1.5 years. The money has been really good considering the hours and stress level.

Things are quickly changing, company is laying people off, pulling accounts away from our sales team, increasing quotas, and creating unrealistic expectations and seriously inhibiting out ability to make money.

I am one of the few on my team who has some FU $ saved up. No epic story but we will see how this scenario unfolds for me.

I am not afraid to leave, though for now I will stick it out and see what happens.

All hands! Abandon ship!
I'm going to hold off for now. I received a healthy bump to base salary. If/when things get bad enough to warrant my exit. It will be swift and unexpected for my employer.

chetmanly

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #998 on: March 10, 2016, 09:44:06 AM »
A degree makes you an expert. That's hilarious.

That being said, given the part had failed three times before and replaced three times, that suggests something else is wrong. So good call. Wrong reason.

It takes a lot more than a degree to get a PE cert. I was an engineer for years (with a degree) and never had one.

Thank you for correcting me.

RobFIRE

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #999 on: March 13, 2016, 04:44:58 AM »
I've read through this thread over the last few days. Some very interesting and entertaining posts.

My own non-story FU money story is that about 18 months ago I asked (politely and with several weeks' notice) to work remotely. I was working on a software project that had me at client office 3 or 4 days a week anyway so working from home the other days didn't seem to me to be a major step. I knew that if it were refused I had FU money so would have the choice to resign, negotiate harder, or accept it. It was accepted, so no need to even declare existence of FU money. For me that's the point of FU money really: it's entertaining to hear about occasions of real FU moments, bridge burning/revenge can seem cathartic in that instant, but the real point of FU money is giving you real control/options so no work situation leaves you with no choice or powerless to act.

(By that definition I would say that if you don't feel you have full control, e.g. only have up to a few month's core expenses, then it's "emergency fund" rather than "FU money" territory and likely only used as a "last resort")