4 ms·
I also write a short acknowledgment form that the employee will sign and that confirms what happened. It makes clear that the employee was responsible and that
by Cyranix 14y ago
I also write a short acknowledgment form that the employee will sign and that confirms what happened. It makes clear that the employee was responsible and that the reason for the firing has been explained.
When I was fired from my first programming job, my boss took this approach. I was inexperienced and frankly quite shocked -- there had been no warnings, and the reason cited was laughable* -- so I ended up signing it. I've come to realize that I despise the practice. It asks a person who is feeling vulnerable to increase their own shame, doing nothing productive for either party. I always thought I was a careful person when it came to contracts and such, but this was a real lesson in keeping one's guard up even when taken by surprise.
* Namely, that I didn't deliver projects in a timely manner. Normally this would have been good cause, but instead of looking to more significant factors (bickering bosses making major changes to requirements on a daily basis, unstable platform for development, etc.) they considered the problem to be fundamentally attributable to my slow typing speed of ~70wpm.
- Bobby_Tables 14y agoThey need these sort of things to cover their bases in case the real reason for firing you isn't something they'd want to explain to anyone outside the company. (At least that was the case the one time I was fired.)
- Arelius 14y agoWhat motivation does an employee, who is getting fired, have to sign the acknowledgment form?
- MattRogish 14y agoI've heard (never seen it done, or worked for a place that did this) that they withhold a last paycheck, severance, whatever until you sign. Probably not legal but it is pretty compelling at a very shocking time.
- stcredzero 14y agoIf a company has such poor ethics that they'd think about witholding a last paycheck, what makes you think signing is going to prevent it from happening anyways?
- MattRogish 14y agoMy suspicion was that they were bluffing. Again, this is all about 3-rd hand; never happened to me or someone I know.
- stcredzero 14y agoEven such a bluff is ethically grey, and a dark shade at that.
- wildwood 14y agoI'm pretty sure that, in order to get severance, you will often need to sign a release form of some kind. But withholding any pay for work done or unpaid vacation is illegal.