The absolute worst scenario happened • Hacker News Board

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#391

Post by Mauricebranagh » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:05 PM UTC

Symbiote wrote: post #111

alistairSH wrote: post #89

Tangent Alert! I have a 3 months resignation period, so I can't even leave... Maybe it's my (US) American experience, but being unable to quit a job strikes me as a terrible policy. This guy(gal?) is really required to submit 3 months notice or face some sort of repercussions (financial, I assume)? Does this 3 month period apply in reverse (employer can't fire employees without a full 3 month warning)? Not that the A…

I once had a colleague "go on holiday" and never come back to work. If you don't work your notice period, you obviously won't be paid for it, and any reference will state that you broke your contract. (Unless your employer asks that you don't come into work any more. This is called "gardening leave" in Britain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_leave , and it's normal in some industries and circumstances.)

:-) I once replaced some one (UK) who "disappeared" - apparently he went to NYC

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#392

Post by enriquec » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:07 PM UTC

jbroson wrote: post #378

reaperducer wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here in america farmers hire illegals to harvest crops, claiming that no american would do the work This is a political talking point that has been repeated so often that people believe it is true. During the recession of 2008, there were stores on local TV news in many places showing unemployed Americans waiting in long lines for the opportunity do do those jobs that the politicians kept saying no American wanted to…

My somewhat educated guess is that these farmers in the PNW don't share the same politics as farmers in the rural south or midwest. That and Republicans have grown way more hostile to immigration since 2010, so it's an interesting anecdote but not sure how well it translates across the US, where polling shows farmers are overwhelmingly Republican who tend also tend to hate immigration legal or not.

"where polling shows farmers are overwhelmingly Republican who tend also tend to hate immigration legal or not."

source?

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#393

Post by Mauricebranagh » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:08 PM UTC

playing_colours wrote: post #168

alistairSH wrote: post #89

Tangent Alert! I have a 3 months resignation period, so I can't even leave... Maybe it's my (US) American experience, but being unable to quit a job strikes me as a terrible policy. This guy(gal?) is really required to submit 3 months notice or face some sort of repercussions (financial, I assume)? Does this 3 month period apply in reverse (employer can't fire employees without a full 3 month warning)? Not that the A…

I guess US fire-at-will system should make contracting even more attractive option for good engineers: you do not get any social protection from being fired at any time unlike say Germany. One solid benefit less to justify pay difference. Is it the case?

US contractors don't seem to be able to charge the premium I would expect in the UK.

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#394

Post by nimih » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:12 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #357

cogman10 wrote: post #355

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean... what could the other side of the story actually be? "We tried to hire back an employee to build something that we didn't train or try and figure out ourselves and a deadline forced us to pay a large lump sum to that employee". No matter how you slice it, that's really shitty planning on the businesses side. They should have spent the time and money learning how to maintain their shit. By not doing it, they…

I imagine if it came down to it they could try to pin it on him and say he didn't provide documentation he said he did, and that's why this entire 10M project now can't be delivered. Luckily for him they decided it's easier to just pay the fee.

Even if they did "pin it on him," why should he care, exactly? Seems to me like he had no obligations here, contractual, ethical, or otherwise.

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#395

Post by danaliv » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:12 PM UTC

hinkley wrote: post #356

scandox wrote: post #35

How people handle this level of disaster is always very revealing. In every case I've ever experienced someone kept their head and a solution was found. Usually there was reputational damage but surprisingly most times the actual business bounced back. But it was always the actions of someone in particular in those first hours that made the difference. Thinking you're fucked is unhelpful, because you start talking ab…

The first manager I ever respected was this goofball who worked at a fast food restaurant. I don't think the other managers took him seriously. He didn't really take himself seriously either (told the worst jokes), but when there was a rush he was the one you wanted running the kitchen. The other 2-3 people were kind of assholes under stress (they were assholes all the time if I'm honest). He was a machine, and it di…

"Are you Mr. Disorganized who shines in an emergency?" would be a not-terrible screening question for ADHD:

https://www.additudemag.com/benefits-of-adhd-crisis/

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#396

Post by oehpr » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:12 PM UTC

hinkley wrote: post #356

scandox wrote: post #35

How people handle this level of disaster is always very revealing. In every case I've ever experienced someone kept their head and a solution was found. Usually there was reputational damage but surprisingly most times the actual business bounced back. But it was always the actions of someone in particular in those first hours that made the difference. Thinking you're fucked is unhelpful, because you start talking ab…

The first manager I ever respected was this goofball who worked at a fast food restaurant. I don't think the other managers took him seriously. He didn't really take himself seriously either (told the worst jokes), but when there was a rush he was the one you wanted running the kitchen. The other 2-3 people were kind of assholes under stress (they were assholes all the time if I'm honest). He was a machine, and it di…

I've heard this is a kind of symptom of people who have ADHD, some of them have grace under pressure.

I've been diagnosed with ADHD and I'm not sure I'd qualify as having that trait. So I don't believe this a general sweeping statement you can make for everyone with that, or if your boss even had ADHD.

But maybe check this out and ask if it rings any bells: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivit...

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#397

Post by unnouinceput » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:13 PM UTC

lmkg wrote: post #257

etripe wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which 3 envelopes would those be?

It's an old story. New executive starts the job. On his desk are three envelopes, left by his predecessor, with a post it note saying "When shit hits the fan, and you don't know what to, open one of the envelopes." Yadda yadda, exposition, things are normal and exec is successful for a year or two and then things go pear-shaped. Completely out of options, he opens the envelope, finds a letter which says "Blame me." H…

My recollection of 2nd letter is "blame it on current economy situation"

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#398

Post by burnte » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:13 PM UTC

ycombinete wrote: post #322

tofuahdude wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love this with all my heart. You did exactly the right thing at every step.

Funnily enough it made me sick to my stomach. I manage a small company and the idea of being extorted in such a blasé and psychopathic fashion terrifies me to even think about.

Then treat your employees better and adhere to best practices and you won't be subject to such "extortion". Once we have elft yoru company, especailly if it was because we were treated poorly, we are under NO compulsion to help you for free. If the idea of paying 1.25% of the value of a deal to make sure the deal happens seems excessive, you're greedy, and that's why his price went to 2.5%.

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#399

Post by ihsw » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:15 PM UTC

antihero wrote: post #326

ihsw wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being paid $5/hour farming in Australia vs $0.50/hour assembling shoes in Malaysia. Wow, such exploitation. "Exploitation" is a relative term, some people would rather be exploited in the countryside of a first-world nation rather than the countryside of their homeland.

Yes, they are both exploitation and they are both evil.

In any case, people should have the freedom to choose.

Re: The absolute worst scenario happened

#400

Post by jacobolus » Mon, Mar 22, 2021, 6:16 PM UTC

antihero wrote: post #326

ihsw wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being paid $5/hour farming in Australia vs $0.50/hour assembling shoes in Malaysia. Wow, such exploitation. "Exploitation" is a relative term, some people would rather be exploited in the countryside of a first-world nation rather than the countryside of their homeland.

Yes, they are both exploitation and they are both evil.

Which is more exploitative, working for $5/hour in agriculture in a wealthy country, 50¢/hour in an urban factory in a poor country, or $1/day in a rural peasant village somewhere or having no work at all?

It’s all relative.