About To Get Laid Off - Any Tips?

[Tyler]

So.. I just got a heads up from our CEO.. looks like our company is about to fold. I've never been laid off before and am looking for some advice from any HR people/recent lay-off-ees. I'll be speaking to HR this afternoon for my complete run-through.

What sort of questions should I ask? What should I be entitled to?

Thanks in advance!

[HOOT]

Enjoy it!

[cKy]

Office Supplies. Take as many office supplies as you can. Seriously, load up on as many free pens that you can!

Sucks about getting laid off. I got laid off and went through a 7 month stretch of unemployment. I'm not good with the HR side of things, I got a decent package, so my only advice is to go get hammered tonight, and sleep in tomorrow.

[Poison]

Blaze of Glory My friend, Blaze of Glory!!!

Loot!!!!! Pillage!!!!!! Steal!!!!!

[VladtheImpaler]

What's your job and how long have you been at it? How old are you?

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Tyler

So.. I just got a heads up from our CEO.. looks like our company is about to fold. I've never been laid off before and am looking for some advice from any HR people/recent lay-off-ees. I'll be speaking to HR this afternoon for my complete run-through.

What sort of questions should I ask? What should I be entitled to?

Thanks in advance!

First question you should ask your HR rep, if your company is "folding" are you going to get a package (~ 2 weeks per year is the going rate for packages)? However this depends where you live (i.e. province.. assuming you are a full time employee).

HR rep should then discuss your end date, benefits etc.....

I would recommend for you to create a network plan (i.e. most people keep their contacts in their work computer). A network plan is names, email addresses, phone numbers,web addresses etc.... This will really help you find a new job.

[Kriz]

Severance is key if applicable... if not get your record of employement and get your papers in quick... as you know there's a lot of people collecting EI atm.

[MarchHare]

Don't burn any bridges, no matter how tempting it might be.

Hope for a nice severance package (although if your company is going bankrupt that might be wishful thinking).

Get the personal contact info of everyone. You never know when you'll need a good reference, and it's always helpful to have a large network of contacts.

Take a "mini vacation" for a week or so to let your head clear before you update your resume and start looking for a new job. With the Olympics on at the moment, it's not the worst time in the world to be jobless!

[Tyler]

I handle the business development and marketing duties for an e-gaming company. Been with them for 4.5 years now. UBC graduate. 26 years old.

Appreciate the advice all.

[Two Fivenagame]

Nail that co-worker in the copy-room like you've always wanted!

[yads]

Is it Chartwell?

[Sylvanfan]

The company I was working for folded last year. Basically the Labour board policy is 1 week of wages for every year of service. I got gipped on mine as they folded a month before my official start date.

They will issue you a record of employment and than you can apply for EI benefits right away and should. With EI there is a 2 week waiting period and than some additional time depending on the severance package you receive. As an example I got two weeks pay, so I had that two weeks as well as the two week waiting period so it was 4 weeks until I was eligible to start receiving benefits, and I don't think I got any money for another 2 weeks.

So it looks like you will get 4 weeks pay as part of your severance so it would be 6 weeks until you can claim EI, unless you had a contract stipulating that you are entitled to a better severance package.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Don't burn any bridges, no matter how tempting it might be.

I second this, in Calgary folks tend to move around a fair bit.

Never know when you may run into a former boss or HR rep etc....

[shermanator]

Dealing with EI is a bitch. Be prepared to get angry at that.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by yads

Is it Chartwell?

Nope - this is with a different company based out of Vancouver.

Funny story, we actually used to be supplied with Chartwell games. Those weren't the best of times.. ha.

[Tron_fdc]

Don't count on severance packages......there are ways around paying them even if the company you're working for isn't going under.

I'd start collecting names and email addresses of co-workers, and build a mini network of colleagues and what they do (education, etc). It won't hurt, especially if they find a job and low and behold, they're looking for someone like you in another department.

I'd also discourage stealing anything; doing things like that will get you a bad name pretty quick. It's a small community in Calgary, and if your CEO knows you're the guy who swipes all the office pens as payback when you leave, be prepared to have a grudge held against you.

Coming from someone in management, I'll always recommend the guy who shakes my hand and walks out over the guy who takes it upon himself to act like an idiot and steals my stationary on his last day.

We had a guy that we laid off a few years back that cut the tops of his keys off so we couldn't put them on a key ring. Then he shredded all his information that he compiled over the years. Then he cut up all the jigs he made over the years (he was a woodworker). As hilarious as it was, it's things like that make you look pretty immature.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I handle the business development and marketing duties for an e-gaming company. Been with them for 4.5 years now. UBC graduate. 26 years old.

Appreciate the advice all.

You can make the argument that you are "management" and therefore entitled to approx 1 month/year of service severance at common law. Now, of course, if the company is going under, you can't get blood out of a stone. So, get what you can, get some nice letters of reference if you can.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by fotze

So you're the guy who finds weasel clauses to not pay severance and do the right thing to a loyal employee, but the guy stealing the pen is the bad guy. You're a Jerk!

What can I say? I'm also the guy who owns a company and can't collect EI, so it's me first! How else can I afford my Mt Royal mansion and 3 BMW's?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

What can I say? I'm also the guy who owns a company and can't collect EI, so it's me first! How else can I afford my Mt Royal mansion and 3 BMW's?

Wait a minute you own a Mt Royal Mansion and 3 BMW's and you took your main squeeze to Humpty's for Valantines day.


I must paint you.

[Shazam]

Make sure you reserve your poos for office hours, and don't flush the toilet.