Ever since graduating from an undergrad program at an Universtiy, all my jobs have been at-will employment. And I’ve experienced first hand what it felt like to be laid off as well, once so far. As the recession continues to loom over our heads, I am feeling a bit uneasy day by day. And I have to say, at-will employment sucks arse! The way it is defined just does not protect the employee and there is no guarantee.
My industry at the moment, is in hospitality and tourism. I do not work for a hotel per se but am in that environment and the hand that feeds is suffering tremendously. My company offers technology solutions, not audio-visual, for events held in the conference spaces at hotels. When the hotel’s own sales staff struggle to book enough meetings, my revenue numbers go down. At this moment, I practically have to check my pulse to make sure that we are still alive since business is rather slow. In other words, revenue numbers being down, my job security is on the line.
A concern is as an at-will employee, you can be fired, terminated or laid off at any moments notice without hesitation from your employing company. With that being said, I wonder why we typically give a two weeks notice when we decide to switch jobs or careers? Clearly, it is a pure business arrangement where there is no loyalty. Middle managers or low level executives controlling expenses and costs to cover their butt. Lower echelon workers doing the brunt work yet never sensing any sort of security. Its amazing how there is a missing facet of corporate lifestyle where loyalty is questionable. I guess that is why we are in this whole economic mess because there is no accountability. Even here in the United States, networking and whom you know is just as important and it really is not what you know and what your abilities are.
I probably never had enough experience from my first job out of college to have a severance pay out the first time I got laid off. But now, I am sensing a change in the climate with my own job security. A company I have been with going on three years now. How does a severance package work and do you qualify if your an at-will employee? Here’s a nice quick read: http://www.careerprotection.com/severancepay.html
Time will reveal all in the next two weeks or so, but I’m crossing my fingers that things will be for the better. I hope I can say the same for my assistant as well. Truth be told, perhaps getting laid off may be better suited as do often proclaim my desire for change and this could just be that blessing in disguise I’ve been waiting for.