The Mystery Revealed
Oct. 10th, 2017 08:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ismoA day that begins with a visit to a lawyer first thing in the morning could still be a good day . . . but the odds are that it will be a very tiring day. And so it proved to be yesterday. The lawyer was one who specializes in employment law and discrimination cases. The problem we've been dealing with for several weeks now is that the Sparrowhawk's evil boss decided to force him out of his job. The Sparrowhawk had planned to work for three more years and then retire. His previous boss, who wasn't great, but was not actually a sneaky evil rat, got RIFed at the beginning of the summer. He was a loser in the game of musical chairs that's so popular in corporate offices. They didn't want to fire him and create embarrassment for themselves, so they just eliminated his position, and he vanished. This left the Sparrowhawk hanging in the wind. He had to report to somebody, so they assigned him to the VP for Evil, J, who appears to be assembling a mini-empire. The Sparrowhawk had two teams of people working for him, to do reporting and analytics. First Evil J assigned half of them to IT, to do the reports under the aegis of IT. The Sparrowhawk did not mind that, because the reports were routine and not a part of his major objectives anyway.
However, just before we went to Wisconsin, Evil J had an unannounced conversation with the Sparrowhawk, in which he declared that the Sparrowhawk was doing a terrible job of leading his analytic team, along with various other confusing and unfounded assertions. He took the Sparrowhawk's team away and said they'd report to himself from now on. He then asked the Sparrowhawk what he thought he'd be good for now that he had no staff, and suggested he rewrite his own job description and submit it for Jay's consideration. Basically, he was trying to bully the Sparrowhawk into feeling bad enough that he'd voluntarily resign. Thus, they wouldn't have to give him severance pay and he would just fade away.
As you can imagine, the Sparrowhawk was shook up, and I was too. He was in shock, as if from a body blow. It took him days to even realize that Evil J was out to get him--something that I, with my simple barbarian mind, recognized instantly. I seriously wanted to go to J's house and punch him in the face, and then kick him a few times when he fell down. It was a severe trial to me that I had to restrain myself. But even that was just a distraction from my grief and anguish at seeing my Sparrowhawk suffering so unjustly, and having no recourse to protect him. This post would be a yard long if I told in detail all the reasons why this is so very wrong.
We consulted friends. A friend at work told him to get out now. Another friend who is a lawyer suggested getting legal advice, because this sounded to her like age discrimination. All this took time. We finally talked to the lawyer yesterday. He has done a lot of work with discrimination cases in this town, and has gone up against the Sparrowhawk's employer several times. He was gracious and helpful, and told us that he honestly could not recommend that we try to sue them or get them to cough up more than what is contractually owed. In his experience, the judicial climate now would make it quite difficult to win. Also, the employer has forktons of money and lawyers, and they are inclined to double down rather than settle. This was frustrating, because it left us feeling that we had no control--which we don't--but it was a blessing in a way, because it enabled the Sparrowhawk to make a decision to leave as soon as possible. I've been seriously concerned about the effect that all this stress is having on his health, so this is a good thing.
Meanwhile, Evil J, who is impatient and greedy, got impatient that the Sparrowhawk hadn't crumbled yet. I guess he thought, "Oh, fine, then let's just give him his severance pay if it will make my will be done so I can get rid of him." Although the Sparrowhawk had declined a meeting with him, he showed up at 8 am and issued an ultimatum, but this time he included the suggestion that, should the Sparrowhawk choose to resign, he could receive his severance package. Actually, they're contractually obligated to give him a year's pay if they fire him without cause. But bullies love to make it appear they're doing you a favor if they grudgingly fulfill their obligations.
So, having finally been offered what was his due, the Sparrowhawk talked to HR and suggested leaving at the end of the next pay period. Papers are being drawn up. We are still in a state of unrest, and my poor Sparrowhawk is enduring discomfort because he has to show up every day in a place where he's been told he's not wanted. I feel sorry for the people who used to report to him. They're good people and have now been thrown to the wolves, basically. The team leader keeps coming around to the Sparrowhawk's office asking for help with the assignments Evil J is giving him. When the Sparrowhawk is gone, they will suffer.
Meanwhile, I feel like the guy in Warren Zevon's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me": "[They] put me through some changes, Lord--kinda like a Waring blender."
However, just before we went to Wisconsin, Evil J had an unannounced conversation with the Sparrowhawk, in which he declared that the Sparrowhawk was doing a terrible job of leading his analytic team, along with various other confusing and unfounded assertions. He took the Sparrowhawk's team away and said they'd report to himself from now on. He then asked the Sparrowhawk what he thought he'd be good for now that he had no staff, and suggested he rewrite his own job description and submit it for Jay's consideration. Basically, he was trying to bully the Sparrowhawk into feeling bad enough that he'd voluntarily resign. Thus, they wouldn't have to give him severance pay and he would just fade away.
As you can imagine, the Sparrowhawk was shook up, and I was too. He was in shock, as if from a body blow. It took him days to even realize that Evil J was out to get him--something that I, with my simple barbarian mind, recognized instantly. I seriously wanted to go to J's house and punch him in the face, and then kick him a few times when he fell down. It was a severe trial to me that I had to restrain myself. But even that was just a distraction from my grief and anguish at seeing my Sparrowhawk suffering so unjustly, and having no recourse to protect him. This post would be a yard long if I told in detail all the reasons why this is so very wrong.
We consulted friends. A friend at work told him to get out now. Another friend who is a lawyer suggested getting legal advice, because this sounded to her like age discrimination. All this took time. We finally talked to the lawyer yesterday. He has done a lot of work with discrimination cases in this town, and has gone up against the Sparrowhawk's employer several times. He was gracious and helpful, and told us that he honestly could not recommend that we try to sue them or get them to cough up more than what is contractually owed. In his experience, the judicial climate now would make it quite difficult to win. Also, the employer has forktons of money and lawyers, and they are inclined to double down rather than settle. This was frustrating, because it left us feeling that we had no control--which we don't--but it was a blessing in a way, because it enabled the Sparrowhawk to make a decision to leave as soon as possible. I've been seriously concerned about the effect that all this stress is having on his health, so this is a good thing.
Meanwhile, Evil J, who is impatient and greedy, got impatient that the Sparrowhawk hadn't crumbled yet. I guess he thought, "Oh, fine, then let's just give him his severance pay if it will make my will be done so I can get rid of him." Although the Sparrowhawk had declined a meeting with him, he showed up at 8 am and issued an ultimatum, but this time he included the suggestion that, should the Sparrowhawk choose to resign, he could receive his severance package. Actually, they're contractually obligated to give him a year's pay if they fire him without cause. But bullies love to make it appear they're doing you a favor if they grudgingly fulfill their obligations.
So, having finally been offered what was his due, the Sparrowhawk talked to HR and suggested leaving at the end of the next pay period. Papers are being drawn up. We are still in a state of unrest, and my poor Sparrowhawk is enduring discomfort because he has to show up every day in a place where he's been told he's not wanted. I feel sorry for the people who used to report to him. They're good people and have now been thrown to the wolves, basically. The team leader keeps coming around to the Sparrowhawk's office asking for help with the assignments Evil J is giving him. When the Sparrowhawk is gone, they will suffer.
Meanwhile, I feel like the guy in Warren Zevon's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me": "[They] put me through some changes, Lord--kinda like a Waring blender."
no subject
Date: 2017-10-12 04:42 am (UTC)I'm so sorry. It's unfair and unjust and that evil boss deserves all the bad karma he's accruing. This happened to my husband's former manager, too, only for her it was sexism that did her in.
I hope he finds something great.