Hi Todd,
It seems this new company is all about the bottom line and not loyalty or skill of its employees. It's upsetting this happened to you but I know you'll pick yourself up and move on. While I can't offer any advice on employment legalities or disability options, I do ask one question that pops into my head.
I, like Nina, don't want to pry, but IF after the dust settles, you're stuck with abiding by the non compete clause, would you be better off to work at 50% rather than 0%? You didn't say if this 50% was for just the first year, or five years, or forever. If it is a short time my question is valid. If longer, not really an option.
Another thought I had concerns disability benefits. Again, I know nothing about specifics, but I do know that during our working years that we're all paying, one way or another, into the entitlement systems at local, state, and federal levels. You've been paying for years. Shouldn't you get something out of it now that you need it?
If you're stuck with being "unemployed" for a while, I know Bruce has an idea that frustrates him every time he wants to go to an RV park. Most of them you have to call between 8am and 5pm. These places are often not on the Internet at all, and if they are,
their system is "email them and we'll get back to you". You could become the web master/designer/guru for your new endeavor - "RV's Online".
I'd better stop now - my mind is going weird places.
Sent: Friday, October 7, 2016 12:13 PM
To: 'Todd Andrews'; 'Under the Stars'
Subject: Re: [UTS] News
Hi, Todd,
I’m very, very sorry to hear that this happened to you and your coworkers. Buyouts, reorganizations and workplace politics in general are messy and have a particularly nasty impact on those of us of a certain age and with disabilities or complex chronic medical needs. I’m glad that you already have another offer and I’m confident that Chuck will be able to give you good advice or direction on the non-compete issue.
I know you have the skills and desire to work as much as you may be able, and I don’t want to pry into your finances or whatever other benefits or programs you may already be receiving but as you may remember, I spent many years in the disability field professionally, continue to keep up and have many contacts all over the country personally, and would be happy to email with you or talk to you on the phone regarding options, now or in the future as the need may arise.
Nina
From: starman617@gmail.com [mailto:starman617@gmail.com]
On Behalf Of Todd Andrews
Sent: Friday, October 7, 2016 4:01 AM
To: Under the Stars <uts@starmanet.com>; Nina <nmp2@earthlink.net>
Subject: News
Hi all,
Within the last few weeks my neck spasms have gotten significantly worse such that I cut back from a four hour workday to one hour. And then a week or two after that I heard from one of my co-workers (not management!) that the company I work for was bought out by another company. I had a phone interview with the new company president on a Mon, which I thought went pretty well even after telling him I was 20 hours a week and on disability and only recently switched to a five hour week. The following Fri of that same week the new president said he would not be offering me a job at the new company. Six of us (three programmers, two admin staff, one project manager), including me, were laid off. We got the no-hire decision that Fri and within about two hours our (six) phones were disconnected and our logins were disabled (no more access to company servers, including no more email). We didn't even get to finish our work day they moved so swiftly. We barely had time to let the rest of our co-workers know and to wish them well. No severance pay. There didn't even seem to be a plan for final checks for accrued vacation until a couple of us spoke up.
Chuck, I'm curious how it has been for the companies you worked for when it came to agreements not to compete. I signed one when I started with this company about five years ago. It basically says that if I go to work for a client within a year of not working for the company that the client must pay my employer half of my yearly salary. Do employees get released from this when the company technically doesn't exist anymore? The six of us were laid off the day before the new company officially took over. I've already been offered a part time job by one of the clients but I told them about the agreement not to compete. My former employer, in prior years, has made two or three exceptions to this and employees were able to work for clients without paying 50% of their annual salary. Is there a "norm" for this kind of policy?
-Todd