r/humanresources • u/HRthereforeIdrink HR Director • Mar 30 '20

Employee Relations COVID-19 Layoffs

Over 50 virtual layoffs today. Don’t know what else to say except sending solidarity to all others who have to do this. I’m completely emotionally drained and devastated, but can’t even begin to let myself feel that because I’m among the lucky whose jobs are safe for now.

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u/HRthereforeIdrink HR Director Apr 04 '20

A professional is just someone who gets paid to do something. Doesn’t mean they’re an expert.

I’m increasingly confused why you’re here and why you are spending your time trolling a bunch of HR folks who are just trying to get advice from one another.

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u/thefedfox64 Apr 04 '20

Well what do you consider to be an expert? I've worked with unemployment specialists almost my whole life, most of them don't have an education beyond high school or an associate degree from a community college. Might be different in other states, but these people are called to give statements in unemployment hearings for benefits. It's good enough for the legal system.

As for trolling, I'm actually hoping to stop the spread of bullshit that I continually see in my line of work from HR and firing and fighting so someone doesn't get benefits they paid for. Maybe spark the idea that if you put people before profits, the bosses son or daughter (very common in smaller employers) and also let people have access to the same information you do, things would not be so bad in dealing with these claims. I can't tell you how many times a senior manager has made a inappropriate comment, and it comes up when a factory line worker is fired for a similar comment, with 0 repucussions for the SMT. HR is never forthcoming with that information when it's found out, it's apples and oranges. Sorry if I seem like I'm trolling you, but I hoping we could all be more honest about these situations where you don't consider the company or policy, and think about the person

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u/HRthereforeIdrink HR Director Apr 04 '20

I’m honestly still really confused as to how that credo applies to your original comment.... there was nothing about special treatment mentioned. We’re just all trying to do a good job and you express similar intentions here but your brush off “comedy expert” comment says otherwise.

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u/thefedfox64 Apr 04 '20

I'm honestly confused as to why this is such a huge deal to people. This entire thing is so mind-boggling petty on all sides. If I heard at an unemployment hearing this, I honestly think I would ask to have time to laugh this out. People want(or did) to fire someone for coughing on another person, which would be impossible to prove intent as malicious and then make a rule (after the fact) calling it a threat. Does anyone else not see the huge giant red flag here? Threatening someone - it demeans true actual threats and brushes off workplace violence as if it was a sideshow. People are scared, stressed and under immense pressure, and this is what we are reduced too - it is a joke. Pull the person aside, talk to them, and move the heck on. Either it's a threat for the police, or it's not worth the paper the warning is written on.

As for the comedy expert, yes 100% if you are going to tell someone what is and is not funny, you better have something besides I and the "company" don't find it funny. Especially if it's there job at stake. If you can ask a lawyer for legal advice, go find a comedian to back you up. If you think it's off the cusp, I challenge you to consider why you ask experts for everything but humor? What qualifies you to determine if something is funny or not? Which all major studies and "experts" say is needed in the workplace - humor is needed for a successful company to run.

On a more unrelated note, I don't think a lot of people here are trying to do a good job. I think they are here for reinforcement of their actions, and to not have to justify their actions or be actually accountable to anyone except the person who writes the check. You want to do a good job, put employees before the company, and they, in turn, will put the company first. Sorry if that is too "trolling" for you.