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I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

jzhwu.blogspot.com

261–270 of 391 posts

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#261
post #22
post #13

Taking it public like this comes across as really petty and childish.

Seems to me like he's bringing this unethical decision to attention so that employers and employees know that it's not okay. I disagree with you. It's not petty, and certainly not childish.

> It's not petty, and certainly not childish.

Maybe not, but it's definitely the action of someone lacking experience. Anyone who has been around the block knows that companies can be very petty. Just because a work environment is 'friendly' and 'family-like' doesn't mean you can count on that kind of behaviour when you exit. Companies turn petty very quickly. Very quickly.

An experienced person would have made sure all the money he/she had coming was collected before even handing in the resignation letter. Once you've signalled that you are leaving, things can go south very fast.

I just look at this whole situation and what the OP did and think "what a rookie".

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#262
post #32

Thank you for posting this. As a community of entrepreneurs and hackers it helps all of us know what happens behind the scenes. Some people may view it as airing their dirty laundry but I see it as a way to keep people honest. The fact that you dropped the production database sucks. However you stayed around and fixed it. I can't really say anything more. My bet is we all handle lots of sensitive data around here. Ou…

I disagree. Handling things professionally and keeping people honest are two different things. There is no "service to the SV community" that this guy is doing by airing dirty laundry. If you've been wronged by your former company, handle it on your own. Shaming the company is not going to help you, the company, or anyone else. What you're effectively suggesting is that your "service" is to warn everyone to stay away…

[deleted]

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#263
I've been in situations like this and have involved lawyers to no avail. The reason why I did not complain about former deadbeat clients to the next one is that a manager that hears that I was taken advantage will say to himself, "If some other savvy businessman was able to get away with screwing this guy and I don't, I look like an idiot."

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#264

Really disappointed by this post. As a long time friend of Miso and the awesome people there – the people responsible for several awesome open source projects (Padrino, RABL, to name a few) – it makes me really bummed someone would choose to bring an issue up in this way. I've never heard of a former employee receiving a bonus – referral or otherwise. The idea of a referral bonus is rewarding someone for /growing/ th…

You're an inspiring type. Certainly hope I never need to interview with the likes of you. The guy is owed money. he should be paid, regardless of your love affair with Miso.

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#265
post #5

"I was entitled to a $10k referral bonus offered by the CEO through internal emails." Can you produce this email? (IANAL)If so you may actually have legal grounds for taking action against Miso ...

IANAL - I am not a lawyer. Just incase there are others like me wondering what the heck that acronym stood for…

And there I was thinking that IANAL was a sexual preference.

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#266

Really disappointed by this post. As a long time friend of Miso and the awesome people there – the people responsible for several awesome open source projects (Padrino, RABL, to name a few) – it makes me really bummed someone would choose to bring an issue up in this way. I've never heard of a former employee receiving a bonus – referral or otherwise. The idea of a referral bonus is rewarding someone for /growing/ th…

Why would you ever set this system up so that the employee would have to remember to claim the bonus unless you never really expect to pay it? Surely the company could very easily determine who is woed bonuses when, and automatically disburse them? Mine certainly does!

It's great for you that you don't care about $10,000 owed to you, but not everyone is in that position, and that doesn't make them worse people then you

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#267
Contact the CA department of labor and ask them how strong your case is. CA's department of labor will handle the process of arbitrating any unpaid wages and can likely tell you about labor law much better than most people here.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageCLaim.htm "Unpaid wages, including commissions and bonuses." "A claim based on an oral agreement must be filed within two years from the date the claim arose."

Personally I think they lost their case as soon as their executive mentioned that the reason they would withhold payment was because of mistakes made on the job. By doing such they appear to acknowledge the debt and state their reasoning for not complying with payment is related to such reasons. Regardless of any future emails that kind of breaks CA labor code as far as I know. I'm not a lawyer though so what do I know.

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#268

What they did to you is the right thing. I can't imagine rewarding a stupid employee who wiped my data and left my company.

If your company is too stupid to have backups in place that's your own damn fault. The fact that he blew the data away is irrelevant. It can happen to anyone.

And you think screwing someone out of money they're contractually owed is ok? I'm sure you'll do well..

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, coupling those incidents is, if not intellectually dishonest, at least intellectually sloppy.

It has nothing to do with the relatedness of those incidents. Again, since apparently people missed it: Regardless of whether or not Miso is right to evade their promise of a bonus, I'm not so quick to heap sympathy upon rremoncake. You hire a plumber to do a major job. You're in a hurry. You tell the plumber, I'll pay you a bonus if you finish this by (date). The plumber accidentally floods a downstairs room in the…

Everybody screws up something sometime. It is embarrassing and bad, but the fact of life is that nobody is perfect, and everybody can and will screw up sometimes. To own what you have done, however bad it is, is not shameful (however shameful was the original screwup by itself) and is not the reason to abandon all your rights and not get what you are due.

Re: I'm a former Miso engineer and the founders screwed me out of 10k

#270

Really disappointed by this post. As a long time friend of Miso and the awesome people there – the people responsible for several awesome open source projects (Padrino, RABL, to name a few) – it makes me really bummed someone would choose to bring an issue up in this way. I've never heard of a former employee receiving a bonus – referral or otherwise. The idea of a referral bonus is rewarding someone for /growing/ th…

>> The idea of a referral bonus is rewarding someone for /growing/ the team, and if you leave before that term is up, or if you leave before you file for the bonus, it's ridiculous to ask for it later – especially when you've already deflated your good will with a company

What is the "term" that you're referring to in "leaving before the term?" From the blog post, it seems like the author "grew" the team by successfully referring an employee who stayed for minimum of 6 months, which gives him the entitlement of the 10k bonus as per email discussions.

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