This section will contain my "Mad as Hell!" comments. Here will be written what happened during the last months of hell in late 2000 through mid 2001 when
Brad & I became part of the "downsizing", due to mismanagement. That may sound like "sour grapes", but if you wanted to...you could ask the other people who got the boot. I termed the people who stayed until the end "the survivors". It has a nice ring...don't you think? One of the people who caused the downfall is still sitting in his chair at his desk in that building, laughing at the wool he pulled over his boss' eyes.For example, my boss knew this would happen. In July, 2000 he started applying for a new job. In October, just before he left, he would walk around the department saying "I wonder who will be the next person to quit". He knew he was leaving in two weeks, and enjoyed irritating his staff. Soon no one could get any answers from him about anything, he would not approve leave requests. His answer was "I can't tell you know, you'll just have to wait 'a while' and then you'll know what I mean." (?) This person was also being used as a consultant; it's amazing how many meetings were scheduled on days Mike would be out of the office. Mike's leave requests were made weeks in advance. The notifications of these said meetings occurred on the Tuesday of the week when the meeting was held.
His boss worked until he finished training his replacement, who had also worked for this company. Unlike everyone else, the upper management did not indicate a definite "resignation date" (therefore, this option should have been available for everyone). There were employees that were originally classified as "unnecessary", these people returned to their original positions or were rehired for new positions. One individual (a manager) was nearly dismissed; he later became the person to update our web site and was asked if he would resume his previous managerial duties! He declined, but later accepted the position, much to his regret. A memo stated employees would have to be interviewed for the new jobs in the "reorganization" company. However, when no one applied (or turned down the offer), they just went around & asked individuals if they would like to continue working for this company. And upper management did not have their jobs posted or be interviewed for their positions.
Our organization was going to be shut down in September, 2000. A man with access to tons of money (we're talking in the millions!) & weight bailed us out. We were never introduced to him. In October he had an office in our company. No one told us where he fit in the management level or what an employee was supposed to do when this stranger requested information. Because of Mike's job, he had daily contacts with "Tom", creating & providing statistical reports. To upper management "Tom" appeared to be a threat to their power. Personally Mike & his staff spent a great deal of time proving our integrity. Output by the dozens was created to prove his auditors were incorrect in their assessment of this company.
They said we overpaid $10 million dollars in benefits. This was reduced to $5 million, 2.5 million, $1 million, $500,000, $100,000 and finally, less than $50,000. Three months of very hard work proved what we employees already knew about this company, but nobody in high places believed "the staff". If an outsider said we paid claims incorrectly, the organization was guilty until proven "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that we were innocent. In the end, the auditors had to admit that they could not find any high dollar overpayments. Big deal, the little people already knew that! And all the money spent on auditors could have been used toward our salaries.By the way, Mike & Brad worked for an organization that insured federal & postal employees.
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