Re: Layoffs and scrounging

[Dave Neufeld <Dave_Neufeld -at- SPECTRUMSIGNAL -dot- COM>]

My first job as a writer happened after I was laid off during a drastic
downsizing at a small company and then re-hired 6 months later as a TW
to replace someone who had taken their 6 month globe trotting vacation.
When they got back and inquired about their old job, they didn't get it
and I got to stay. I had started as in a lowly software quality
assurance and tech support position before the layoff. Being rehired as
a TW gave me more $$$, but I was still cheap labour.  So, SOMETIMES a
recall happens; but in my case, I was pro-active and applied for the
position when it came available. This was about 9 years ago.

Scavenging equipment? This year I came back from a month long winter
VACATION to New Zealand and found my cubicle ransacked! I got back a day
earlier than the IS department thought and they hadn't replaced the
computer which had been borrowed. I was missing:
*       my computer (they left the keyboard and 17" monitor, though)
*       my chair
*       my mouse pad (it was a tradeshow trinket with some sentimental
value; it was never found or returned, snif)
*       granola bars from my "stash" (my colleague 'fessed up and I said
it was okay)
*       snack money from my desk (borrowed)
*       reference books from my bookshelf
*       my telephone books (yellow and white pages; those cads!)

I needed the extra day just to locate my cubicle contents, remember just
what the heck it was I did there, and brag about my trip. Good thing I
really like what I do and who I do it for, or else it wouldn't have been
funny.

The equipment is the companies to allocate as they see fit. It is still
rather bad form to be a vulture when someone is on vacation and snatch
the petty stuff.