Laid Off - but they keep calling!

[SaveTheSeaTurtles]

Hi !

Just venting...(I think) - maybe I am not looking at this correctly?

I was laid off over the holidays. Ok, I know , so many people have been affected by this bad economy and I am no different. I will just look for a new job. I have been giving myself a little time to feel sorry for myself but that is ending now for the most part.

Here is the problem - they keep calling me from work, almost daily, with problems, asking me about various situations and what I would be doing.

Hmmm....I THOUGHT a lay-off meant that I don't work for them any more. I don't see a pay check coming in with my name on it?? I am not exactly feeling charitable toward them right now..

I just want to move on. They closed the door, not me.

 

[Disney Ella]

Stop answering the phone. That will solve the problem. I wouldn't want to be helpful either if they didn't pay me what they owed me.

 

[disneystacy]

Tell them " I'm sorry, I no longer work for the company and need to cncentrate on finding a new job. If a position opens up please keep me in mind, thanks, bye"

 

[SaveTheSeaTurtles]

Hi Ella -

I should have mentioned that I am not answering the phone and I am screening the calls. It is just annoying to have to do that.

I guess part of my annoyance is that they feel entitled to do it. If positions were reversed, I wouldn't even think of doing that!

 

[canadianjovigirl]

I was also in the same situation some years ago and i tried to be helpful for the first little while and then i got upset and just finally told them that people get paid to do that kind of stuff and that i was busy looking for a job so could not offer my services for free.........

 

[Bastiansmom]

I would not help them at all!
When I got laid off in March, they helped me... I used managers as references and the HR manager even helped me with my resume and let me know of job prospects.

I did help the lady who took over my job with a few things because I like her and I know she didn't "steal" my job from me.

Its sounds to be like they want the milk without buying the cow. No way.. and I wouldn't just "Not answer the phone" I would "remind" them that they CHOSE to terminate me as an employee and that I am no longer comfortable offering them my assistance. They have some nerve!

 

[bettymae1121]

Maybe you can turn this lemon into lemonaid. Next time, answer the phone and tell them if they are having so much trouble without you, they can either A) offer you your old job back or B) Offer to higher you as an outside consultant (at an inflated coster per hour! ).

If they are unwilling or unable to, then I'd tell them that due to all the stress the layoff has caused you, you've forgoten everything you know about your former position.

Honestly, the nerve of some people...

 

[KimFIGFern]

Maybe you can turn this lemon into lemonaid. Next time, answer the phone and tell them if they are having so much trouble without you, they can either A) offer you your old job back or B) Offer to higher you as an outside consultant (at an inflated coster per hour! ).

I think this is a great idea! Offer them your consulting fees at a higher price. Either they will pay you .... or will stop calling. You can say it in a friendly manner. It is always ironic that work sometimes doesn't realize everything you do ... until you are not there!

 

[mrsklamc]

Maybe you can turn this lemon into lemonaid. Next time, answer the phone and tell them if they are having so much trouble without you, they can either A) offer you your old job back or B) Offer to higher you as an outside consultant (at an inflated coster per hour! ).

This

 

[DVCBELLE]

I would definitely stop screening the calls and let them know that they can't call you anymore.

Have you already answered some questions for them ? If so, you could create a consulting invoice and send it to them. That would get your point across.

 

[tommya60]

Hmm, I don't think this is appropriate behavior.....BUT do you need them for a reference? If so, ask for a written letter of recommendation, while you are waiting for it (offer to ghost write it if you have to), screen the calls, returning them on occassion. Once you have the letter of recommendation in hand, return fewer and fewer of the calls. In one of those calls mention that you are setting up a consulting business until you find a full time job, and your rates are XYZ.

 

[crisi]

Seriously, bill them. They will either pay it and you'll be consulting, or you'll make it clear to them that you are not answering questions for free. Do inflate your rate, you'll have to claim it on your taxes if they pay you and will be subject to paying your own SS tax - though I suspect that they will call you up, throw a fit, refuse to pay it, and that will end the phone calls.

 

[adisneymama]

Maybe you can turn this lemon into lemonaid. Next time, answer the phone and tell them if they are having so much trouble without you, they can either A) offer you your old job back or B) Offer to higher you as an outside consultant (at an inflated coster per hour! ).

If they are unwilling or unable to, then I'd tell them that due to all the stress the layoff has caused you, you've forgoten everything you know about your former position.

Honestly, the nerve of some people...

This is exactly what I was going to say!

 

[Janet Hill]

I had this same situation - they would call me. However, everyone I'm using as a reference either no longer works there or they too feel that I shouldn't have answered their questions.

I would just answer the phone listen to their plight and then say, "I'm sorry, I really can't remember". They stopped after about 5 calls.

If you think they'll go for it try and get them to cough up some consulting money.

 

[ssawka]

Tell them that you no longer work there, but if they are willing to sign a contract that you are available as a consultant for $xxx per hour.

 

[Princess April]

All I can say is.....

 

[StephMK]

I agree w/the consulting idea. Just explain you will charge for your time but happy to help for a price. It might make you some money in the meantime and will at least keep you in their good graces for potential re-hiring if you're at all interested in that. Pretty ballsy on their part but use it to your advantage.

 

[SandrA9810]

my aunt had the same problem when she left her job of over 20years. The owner didn't want her to leave, but wouldn't give her a raise.
A couple years later, she came back to florida because of my g'mother. Checked in on the old company and found out that her replacement was stealing under the table. Took about a year before she was able to get everything back under control, hired and trained her replacement.
Once again, the owner asked her to stay and he still wouldn't agree to her terms. After her saving his butt the whole company.

The nerve of some people... If they need you to keep things running, they shouldn't have let you go. Should've thought about it before they did that.

 

[jlima]

6 months before I was laid off, a manager on our team was laid off, and they paid her $1,000 a month for 6 months for us to be able to call & ask her questions plus she came in 3 - 4 times for sit-downs to show us stuff. I knew the amount because I did the check requests.

10 minutes after I was laid off, my boss said she needed me to come in the following week to show her everything I did; and maybe I could come in 3 - 4 times for an hour or so over the next month. I didn't say anything that minute, but about 5 minutes later when someone else was at my desk I said, as loud as I could so others could hear me, If they want me to come in to show someone else how to do my job then they can pay me, just like they did ___. It must have worked because my boss never asked me to come in; she just asked me to type up some contact names for her. Plus they called me periodically for about 6 months or so - 2 - 3 times a month for the first few months; then the calls tapered off. I didn't want to burn any bridges, so I cooperated. I wasn't happy about it, but I sucked it up and answered the questions. But had they asked me to come in, oh yes, I would have asked for the same amount of money.

 

[jlima]

Hi !

Just venting...(I think) - maybe I am not looking at this correctly?

I was laid off over the holidays. Ok, I know , so many people have been affected by this bad economy and I am no different. I will just look for a new job. I have been giving myself a little time to feel sorry for myself but that is ending now for the most part.

Here is the problem - they keep calling me from work, almost daily, with problems, asking me about various situations and what I would be doing.

Hmmm....I THOUGHT a lay-off meant that I don't work for them any more. I don't see a pay check coming in with my name on it?? I am not exactly feeling charitable toward them right now..

I just want to move on. They closed the door, not me.

Have the calls tapered off at all? If not, call & speak to your old boss and tell them you don't want to burn bridges, but your time is valuable; and now that your job is looking for a job, your fee is $100/hour and you bill in 15 minute increments and each phone call will be an invoice for $25. Maybe even type up a quick contract and put a signature line on it and fax it to them. That should stop the calls.