So how many times was he supposed to say no? Which he did, several times. But every time he took the stuff out of the box, the security chief put it back in, and then insisted on escorting him from the building with the stuff in the box over all protestations. There comes a point when you really can’t do anything more about it. Which in this case when he was outside the secured gate with no access to the property to return anything. If the security chief really felt the $10 power strip belonged to him and not the company, at that point it was the security chief’s decision to make, and he made it. So if you want to say anybody stole anything, you maybe should go talk to the security chief. But he’s a former career Army MP; he could still kick most peoples’ asses without even trying.
I can’t be the only one who isn’t going to get any work done at all because I’m too busy checking back here for the inevitable meltdown.
Damn good thing I have the day off today… 
Damn, I’m really going to miss Joan. After the whole Radio Incident, I figured it would only be a matter of time. Maureen, I’m glad you’ll be getting rid of this poisonous person, but your Joan stories were always a treat.
Since I’m east coast, Maureen should be posting the follow-up right around my lunch time. Can’t wait!
I wouldn’t look at it that way; adults should know by now what they can and can’t get away with at work. People who are two paycheques away from losing their house (and I’ll join you there with that group) know that they need to act responsibly at work and NOT lose their jobs. Joan is making her own bed, and she will get to lie in it. In other words, you’re not responsible for someone else’s actions.
I know that Joan needs to leave, based on what Maureen has posted. But I still feel a little sorry for her.
Half of us in my department were blindsided when we were laid off. The previous week our manager talked to us as usual and never gave a hint that any of us were going to be gone. None of us had any idea there were going to be layoffs at all, so it was a bit of a shock when they came. And Management knew who was going for at least a week.
Joan had her holidays. She doesn’t know what’s coming today. Maybe she had a good holiday and she’s in high spirits. Even though Joan must go, I feel sorry for her because I know how it is to be blindsided.
Once, following which there is this exchange:
“No, really I can’t. That stuff belongs to the company and taking it would be unethical. Its bad enough I’m getting laid off, I’d hate to see you fired over this.”
“How would they find out?”
“Well, they may ask questions when I return this all tomorrow with a note that said it inadvertantly ended up in my personal stuff.”
Every company has deliveries. Box it up, send it to the manager. As I tell my kids “Madelyn made me do it” is not an excuse for something you know is wrong.
I do have to say if I ran a company and my security chief was handing out my assets to terminated employees, he’d not only be fired, I’d be pressing charges. It isn’t his place to decide how terminated employees should be compensated of if they are getting screwed.
so? Did you do it? Is she gone?
It’s only a quarter 'til eight here.
I try to feel even a little bit sorry for Joan, and I just can’t. She is at that “dangerously clueless” level where she has the potential to do a lot of harm to her employer’s reputation, at the least. She’s brought every bit of it on herself by simply refusing to accept responsibility for her own actions.
One would hope that everyone has to grow up, and this may be Maureen’s point. It may take getting fired for her to begin to see that she brought it on herself. Then again, she may remain dangerously clueless and blame everyone else for what happened; but this might actually shock her into taking a look at her own behavior. There comes a point, however, where an employer gets to choose not to coddle someone who refuses to be responsible for herself.
And Johnny L.A., being blindsided is possibly no worse than having the layoff axe hanging over your head for over a year, as happened to us. It was a relief to have it finally fall – among other things, it meant that Papa T. could get on the list of “displaced employees” that put him at priority for consideration elsewhere in the company (he was laid off from a contract, not his employer).
Dangerosa, we opted to not make waves over the security chief insisting Papa T. take that stuff. Looking back, perhaps we shuold have insisted harder. But it was a teensy, teensy thing compared to the massive waste and abuse that was happening all around him by other laid-off employees of that company. It’s several years ago now, and all the people involved lost their homes in Katrina. It’s not worth endangering anybody’s job over something that small.
I disagree. Some of us were on the ‘lay-off list’ for a year, after the Indians started coming in. (I was told that the only reason I was on the list instead of someone else was that I wanted to move to Washington.) The company offered us a ‘retention bonus’ if we didn’t quit. Knowing ‘the axe was coming’ allowed us to make plans for the future. (Of course one should always make plans for the future, but you know what I mean.) Only a couple of employees were laid off. They received their full retention bonuses. The rest of us, the majority, were not laid off and received half of the bonus even though under the agreement we signed we were not entitled to it. So I’ve been ‘on the list’, and I’ve been blindsided. I much prefer advanced notice.
I would have probably done the same. I just think its a little disingeneous to say that there was no way around it. Not worth fighting over a $10 power strip, then or now. At the same time, I have to wonder about the security chief - not like a $10 power strip is going to make up for getting laid off.
The drama is probably playing out at this very moment.
For some strange reason I have a picture of Maureen approaching Joan’s desk, going through a sea of cubicles, with the theme of “Jaws” starting up …
We’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Come on, it’s lunch time! You’re killing us with suspense!
It’s 9:30, you Right Coast Time Elitist! 
I thought Maureen got in at 8:30a.
Just teasing.
I’m sure it takes some time to summon Jane, perform the deed, allow Joan to clear out, and have a post-firing meeting with HR. I can see that taking a couple of hours in total. I’m guessing we’ll hear the news closer to lunchtime.
Daaamn, what a bunch of bloodthirsty savages.
I got here at 7:30, actually. Met with the HR director in my office at 8:30. Joan got in at her usual time, 9am and was directed immediately into the office. I’ll go into the grisly details, but thought I’d at least post to let y’all know Elvis has left the building. You should’ve seen all the grins when the door shut behind her.
Now, I’m gonna get some Tylenol and set about to posting every histrionic last detail. More to come.
And God forbid Maureen’s first priority isn’t updating US!
Besides, she has to go out to lunch and celebrate.