Re: When to leave?

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

Compile a list of all current projects and their current estimated 
completion dates.  Let everyone involved know that since you 
will be terminated as of Jan 2, you are going to concentrate on 
completing projects that are already scheduled to be done on 
or before that date (such as the guide you have already agreed
to do), and that unless other arrangements are made (such as 
extending your employment of a contractor agreement) the 
other projects cannot be completed before you leave and you
will be stopping work on them to concentrate on the one/s you
can complete.  

If none of the projects are already scheduled for completion 
prior to Jan 2, advise all involved that all work that can be 
completed prior to your termination date has been "finished," 
and that unless they want to make those other arrangements 
now you will be leaving as soon as you can brief those who
will be remaining on what still needs to be done and request
that your exit interview be scheduled.  

It's admirable to not want to leave others who were not part 
of the decision to render you unemployed in the lurch if you 
can avoid it, but if the only thing you can accomplish in the 
time remaining is to advance your projects to a later stage 
of not being finished, they will still be left in the lurch and 
you will have wasted valuable decompression, lost job 
grieving and jobhunting time.  This is one of those times
when you need to make sure your own oxygen mask is
in place and working before attempting to assist others.

Gene Kim-Eng




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "TECHWR-L Administrator" <admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Forwarded anonymously on request--please reply to list only. Thanks!
> 
> I have a question for the list. I was laid off in a mass layoff a few
> weeks back, and they are treating us as employees until the first of the
> year when the severance package will start, so I will be paid my regular
> wages until Jan 2. We were told that we could leave when we finished our
> work, and most everyone has turned in their computer and badge and gone.
> 
> As the sole tech writer, there is no one for me to turn my projects over
> to, and there is, of course, no definitive moment when I would be
> "finished" with my work. Most of my projects were always done for other
> departments (not the one I report to) and there is no one who has an
> overview of my work.
> 
> I would still like to complete a how to guide for the customer manuals  
> and
> for the custom and standard online help, and there is one group that  
> badly
> needs help with a customer guide that I agreed to work on with the
> understanding that my time was short. I can turn over a partial guide  
> that
> will need updated screenshots and procedures, or I can hang around to  
> make
> a guide that is nearly completed. There is also a chance that I can
> continue to work as a contractor for a different department (same
> projects) after the first of the year.
> 
> When do I leave, and when do I become a "stalker?" By staying longer,  
> will
> I be earning brownie points, or will I make everyone even more
> uncomfortable (post layoff stress syndrome)?

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