Employer being tricky and trying to be cheap. Any suggestions? 13

[MechEngineer2012]

Dear All,

Approximately eight months ago, I joined a new company (5th of my career) The initial phase was promising, marked by a steep learning curve as I strived for productivity and commendable outcomes. My responsibilities involve document preparation and submission for managerial approval.

However, after five months, a monthly performance review initiated by my manager revealed concerns about my performance. The issues raised seemed minor and left me perplexed. Examples include omitting due dates when requesting information from other departments, occasional oversights in document details submitted for approval, and other minor details. I was not 100% accurate.

This monthly review cycle persisted, with minor issues magnified as major deficiencies. In the third monthly review, I was informed that I had failed, and my salary would be reduced by 30%. I was also notified that, in a different company, my employment might have been terminated. This development has led me to question whether these repeated observations are a deliberate strategy to justify a salary reduction.

I am actively exploring alternative job opportunities, but I am curious to know your perspective on whether this employer has the potential to change. Your insights would be greatly appreciated.

 

[geesaman.d]

Why should any of that be considered illegal or indecent? Businesses and workers both need to adapt to changing economic conditions and shouldn't take anything for-granted - not their jobs, health, or even being above the dirt. If your location earns little/no profit, is redundant, or has other issues then its common-sense to prepare for layoffs. If you've chosen to live in a decent area layoffs mean your next employer pays you more, if not its an opportunity to improve your life. Regardless, the only answer to my question is bc entitled folks make bad decisions and would rather others suffer.

If you're replying to me (are you?) then my answer is that it's not illegal. They have lawyers and take calculated risks. Changing someone's job location without relocation assistance and calling it "job abandonment" when they're not foolish enough to move with it - that is obviously intended to offend and drive out as many employees out as possible. It's also an attempt to mislead the employees who do not relocate from claiming the unemployment to which they are entitled. 'Indecent' is a judgment - it's not a legal matter - it's corporate culture. And corporate culture has serious impact.

I guess my overall point is that if you want to work in America, your employer is free to stab your back when it saves them a buck. They will do it to your face or they will hide it in obfuscated business moves. They can lay you off the week before your pension kicks in or a day before your 401k is vested. If you don't want to be surprised you need to have your head on a swivel and stay in tune with all of the things going on. There are no US laws that protect an employee except for an explicit employment contract. As an employee, if you saw nothing wrong with using friends as your EIT references (or felt you had no choice), then you have no one else to blame but yourself.

 

[CWB1]

None of that is legal stateside. Employees cannot be involuntarily relocated beyond 25(?) miles, and signatures/lack on the required labor and tax forms easily prove/disprove consent. If an employee doesnt consent and their location closes, staff are laid off and eligible for unemployment. Pensions and other employer retirement plans are partially vested according to the federal schedule. The exact date laid off might affect whether employees are 80% or 100% vested but doesnt make them suddenly ineligible. Most employees also fully vest within five years so layoffs at 4 years & 364 days would save the company very little.

Contracts work both for and against employees. There's no free lunch, they tradeoff job security and income/benefits.

 

[canwesteng]

It might be an issue with the company, but at the same time, if there were 3 monthly reviews and you kept making the same mistakes, even if minor, I would imagine they aren't too happy with you either. Look for other employment, and also try and be more thorough in your work.

 

[MechEngineer2012]

Thank you for your replies. I appreciate your comments on my post. I acknowledge my mistakes and I am committed to learning and improving. Everyone makes mistakes—no exceptions. What concerns me is whether I am the only one making them.

As many of you advised, I anm actively applying for opportunities. In fact, I have an interview this Monday. I found the suggestion to always have another job option while working. Is it possible? Does anyone here already have another job lined up while still employed?

 

[GregLocock]

I've always found my next job while working.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[MechEngineer2012]

I apologize for any confusion. What I meant was, have you ever had another job offer while you were not looking and happy with your company? I wasn't inquiring about continuous employment or your ability to find a job when actively searching. Basically at any given moment, you had another opportunity already lined up.

 

[SWComposites]

Ive always had “plan B” in mind.
But if someone extends an offer, they want an answer right away. You can’t string them along for 10 years as a backup.

 

[CWB1]

Yes and no. Companies wont hold a specific slot more than a few months, but having a network of recruiters and engineering managers familiar with your resume/past work is definitely worthwhile. Many of the best and highest paying engineering slots arent publicly advertised. I've been recruited (without applying) while employed elsewhere. I've also quietly reached out to the network asking about new opportunities, been offered a non-competitive slot, and reported to a new office two weeks later.

I dont login too often, but do recommend using LinkedIn to help manage the network. My page is more developed than my resume, more of a portfolio with images and links to corporate and media pages showing my work. As I meet folks on-the-job, at trade shows, society meetings, or otherwise I add those folks to my LinkedIn page to keep in touch and so they can learn more about me. Forewarning - many including myself abhor random strangers trying to contact us on LI, the two exceptions being 1. they're asking for a purchasing/business contact at our employer or 2. they're salaried internal (not a private/commission-based headhunter) to a major company that is hiring. Random headhunters and engineers looking for a job are quickly declined.

One other thing I'm surprised that I often have to tell juniors - learn who the players are in your industry. Even if you have zero interest in working for them, you should be able to quickly name the largest employers and any major upcoming technology firms, and have contacts within them. At a minimum, those are the companies that shape industry and who you'll do business with eventually. At most, they're your future employer.

 

[IRstuff]

Aside from postponing an offer; continually trying to get jobs that you know you are going to turn down may likely build a negative reputation for you. After a 2nd or 3rd "NO", a company may likely ghost you in the future, when you actually need the job.

As an alternative, you might try to figure out how to network with employees of a potential future employer through professional associations and meetings, possibly.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[weldstan]

OP. I have had three offers of jobs while not seeking one while employed happily with two different companies.

 

[dik]

Same here, but more, and I've never left a company except for economic slowdown. That's the reason I should have gone into medicine...

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[IRstuff]

That's the reason I should have gone into medicine...

There's lots of doctors thinking they should have gone into engineering; grass is greener, etc.

> family doctors, in particular continually get squeezed by insurance companies and getting paid a lot less over time, coupled with rising wages for medical assistants, drugs, etc.; my wife made more than me once in 19 years
> general acceptance of less trained, lower paid nurse practitioners that are legally allowed to do almost anything a doctor can do, but they have no medical insurance liabilities, since it's the supervising doctor who's liable, and that doctor can "supervise" way more than one nurse practitioner


TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[dik]

Thanks IRS... I'm aware of it. I think it's the 'greener grass' syndrome. I enjoy engineering (still) but I think I could have had just as much fun playing doctor'.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[IRstuff]

I've always felt that my alter ego would have been a lawyer, since I like to argue so much ;-)

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[dik]

Not me... I still have some integrity.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[StrucPatholgst]

I just saw this thread. My two cents, from the original post:

If you had substituted the word "quarterly" for the word "monthly", this all would have made sense. Monthly reviews seem a bit crazy. As for the communication and grammatical accuracy things, I could see how a more-sane employer would measure your performance quarterly and see that there was a problem worthy of correcting. Grammatical errors just make it unnecessarily time consuming for reviewers that have to correct your work, and that is a squeaky wheel you don't want to have. Even more so with timeline and due date communication. If someone else's productivity or schedule is impacted because of consistent errors on your part, then getting dinged on a performance review is fair.

The 30% haircut thing is unheard of after only three months of getting dinged, imho. Usually you get put on a performance improvement plan first if you work for a good company.

 

[Christine74]

Constructive Discharge is the legal term for when an employer deliberately makes your work situation so unpleasant that you have little choice but to resign. I'm not an attorney but it sure looks like that's what's happening to you. If so you may have legal recourse.


-Christine

 

[MechEngineer2012]

Dear All,

OP here. I have accepted an Engineering position at another company and will be transitioning out of current company at the end of this month. The experiences and lessons gained during my time at there will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of my career.

I want to express my gratitude to each of you for your valuable suggestions.

 

[SWComposites]

ME2012 - good luck to you in your new job. Hopefully you have a well defined role and good mentors at the new job.

 

[dik]

Good luck with your new position... and all the best.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik