Getting screwed by companies.

[ArtG]

Anyone else worked for a company who tried to screw them over?

Long story short I'm going on paternity leave on the 25. I also knew that at the end of my leave I will not be returning to my current job, so being a nice guy and knowing that finding a replacement will take some time. I figured I would let them know that I will not be coming back, so they can plan ahead. I worked for this company 8 years now. Today I get a end of employment letter stating I advised them my last day of work is Jan 25.....

In short they are trying to screw my for 16 weeks of paternity leave.

[rugatika]

Sounds like you gave them notice you are quitting. Why would they pay paternity leave to someone quitting?

[Jeron Kahyar]

I understand you were trying to be a nice guy. But you did give your notice. Like Rug said why would they pay your paternity leave if you quit?

[Sooner]

I know of quite a few women who knew they wouldn't come back after their second baby but didn't give notice for this same reason. Waited until the last month of paternity leave to give notice.

Sucks that you're being nice, gave them the legal right.

[hal53]

So how do you think you're being screwed over?..you resigned your position...they said " thanks, see ya"

[ArtG]

Originally Posted by hal53

So how do you think you're being screwed over?..you resigned your position...they said " thanks, see ya"

Ya I gave early notice that I'm resigning my position as of may not january. Last time I quit I gave 2 month notice since finding a replacement usually takes couple of months and I dont like to burn bridges.

[diamonddave]

Originally Posted by ArtG

Ya I gave early notice that I'm resigning my position as of may not january. Last time I quit I gave 2 month notice since finding a replacement usually takes couple of months and I dont like to burn bridges.

No, you gave them notice you were done as of the 25th of Jan.

[Grizzly Adams]

A LEAVE implies you're coming back. Gotta love the entitled generation.

Grizz

[Okotokian]

Sounds like you gave them a resignation date (end of your leave) and they arbitrarily decided to lay you off earlier. That's their right. So you say you want a record of employment that shows you were laid off and you expect a severance package.

No difference than if I tell my employer I'm retiring in September and they say "No, you can go in June". Sure, with a severance package.

Now I am assuming that your Paternity leave is UNPAID. The downside for you is still probably two-fold:
1) you lose your benefits you would have had while on leave.
2) you probably don't qualify for EI parental benefits if you don't have a job. You will probably have to go on regular EI, but then you have to be looking for a job right away, and you are drawing on it earlier than you would have had to otherwise.

Yeah, your employer is screwing you over, but you gave them the opening by telling them of your long term plans. NEVER do that. You don't know that you wouldn't have changed your mind. Who's to say your thoughts or your circumstances wouldn't have changed and you might have decided you wanted to return to your job.

Go talk an employment lawyer. You probably have recourse to go to the Alberta Human Rights commission as they are terminating you in part because you are going on parental leave. They can't discriminate based on family status. They couldn't terminate a woman who was going on maternity leave.

[I_forget]

Live and learn.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Sounds like you gave them a resignation date (end of your leave) and they arbitrarily decided to lay you off earlier. That's their right. So you say you want a record of employment that shows you were laid off and you expect a severance package.

No difference than if I tell my employer I'm retiring in September and they say "No, you can go in June". Sure, with a severance package.

Now I am assuming that your Paternity leave is UNPAID. The downside for you is still probably two-fold:
1) you lose your benefits you would have had while on leave.
2) you probably don't qualify for EI parental benefits if you don't have a job. You will probably have to go on regular EI, but then you have to be looking for a job right away, and you are drawing on it earlier than you would have had to otherwise.

Yeah, your employer is screwing you over, but you gave them the opening by telling them of your long term plans. NEVER do that. You don't know that you wouldn't have changed your mind. Who's to say your thoughts or your circumstances wouldn't have changed and you might have decided you wanted to return to your job.

Go talk an employment lawyer. You probably have recourse to go to the Alberta Human Rights commission as they are terminating you in part because you are going on parental leave. They can't discriminate based on family status. They couldn't terminate a woman who was going on maternity leave.

Hate to argue with you, but his statement is pretty cut and dried.
There is zero point talking to a Lawyer, there is no 'I changed my mind and want backsies on this, he gave notice, they took it.

"Long story short I'm going on paternity leave on the 25. I also knew that at the end of my leave I will not be returning to my current job, so being a nice guy and knowing that finding a replacement will take some time. I figured I would let them know that I will not be coming back, so they can plan ahead. I worked for this company 8 years now. Today I get a end of employment letter stating I advised them my last day of work is Jan 25....."

'Leave' means will return. He said Leaving and not coming back.

There is no screwing over here, he did what he thought was, and actually was the right thing to do. Trouble is, with no intention of returning and telling them that, they have no obligation to pay him to come back, which is what 'paid leave' is.

Had he said 'I am leaving for Paternity leave Jan 25' and ended it there, this would be a completely different story.

[bobtodrick]

You've unfortunately learned what most of us have.
You work for a company (sometimes for years), you do a good job and you feel a sense of loyalty.
But for most business they feel that they have repaid that loyalty every 2nd Friday...it's called your paycheque.
Brass tacks...most business owners (no matter how nice they may be) have gone into business to make money. Your employer just saved a bundle.

[Lefty-Canuck]

You should have held your cards closer....but you laid them down face up on the table.

LC

[JBE]

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

[jstubbs]

Originally Posted by JBE

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

Perhaps wife earns a good salary and the father decides to take time with the kids? As well, I think paternity leave tells you all about his gender.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by JBE

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

There are many reasons:
-Mother makes more money
-Mother's career will suffer more with gaps in employment
-Father wants to spend time with the kid (hard to believe right??)

And I'm sure there are many more.

I (for one), believe that the gap in employment for the father drastically changes his employer's opinion of the father. Is that right? No. But it will affect your promotions/salary increases/etc moving forward at that company.

Would I have preferred to have the time off to spend with my kids. For sure. But not realistic for me.

[Bitumen Bullet]

Companies want their workers thinking the company is going to act in the best interest of or be fair to the workers as it makes workers more productive, more loyal, but the company only cares because it makes them money.

Something many workers, a generation of workers, learned the hard way in the 1980's, and many more since then.

It is up to older workers to remind younger workers to not trust companies. That better treatment will not be given, it must be taken. Young workers need to be reminded to put their own interests first and foremost because that is what the companies are doing. Companies are not open and honest if it doesn't benefit them and neither should any worker be open and honest if it is to their disadvantage.

Don't be put off by suggestions that proper compensation and benefits is not due, that those wanting such things are entitled or not being competitive. Read up on policies and benefits, ask co-workers what they are doing, talk about pay and compensation, and remember all those times companies put their interests before yours or your community or even country.

Sounds like the OP has started to collect those incidents he can use to remind himself and others.

[HoytCRX32]

Originally Posted by Sooner

I know of quite a few women who knew they wouldn't come back after their second baby but didn't give notice for this same reason. Waited until the last month of paternity leave to give notice.

Sucks that you're being nice, gave them the legal right.

If they knew they weren't coming back, who's screwing whom? Always something for nothing with some folk.

[ArtG]

Originally Posted by JBE

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

Wife got a job offer which she couldn't pass up and she loves what she does. My absence from work won't effect any possible job advancements in my current job. If anything ii gives me a chance to look for something better.

plus who wouldn't want to spend time with their kids. Right now its come home at 5, eat, by 6 its his 1 hour nap. at 8/9 his is down for the night. rinse and repeat

But I guess being nice is being entitled. Guess I should have planned to just not bothers showing up after my 16 weeks was up.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by JBE

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

the weeks can be used by either paternal parent, or even split up by the two parents, so if mom is a stay at home mom, the father can collect all the weeks..
when my wife had our 2 children, we chose for her to be off with the kids, so she could continue breast feeding and bonding with the new baby..

but iv also had buddies(fathers) that has taken the time off also to care for mom and baby..

[HoytCRX32]

Originally Posted by ArtG

Wife got a job offer which she couldn't pass up and she loves what she does. My absence from work won't effect any possible job advancements in my current job. If anything ii gives me a chance to look for something better.

plus who wouldn't want to spend time with their kids. Right now its come home at 5, eat, by 6 its his 1 hour nap. at 8/9 his is down for the night. rinse and repeat

But I guess being nice is being entitled. Guess I should have planned to just not bothers showing up after my 16 weeks was up.

Being nice???? How much loyalty are you showing the employer by telling them you are quitting right after your benefits are used up? And they should be loyal to you why??? Judging by your age I am assuming you're not retiring.

[New Hunter Okotoks]

Unfortunately, nice guys/honest guys often finish last.

In a case like this, I feel that the company could have made a judgement call based on his 8 years of service, work ethic etc. and helped him out. If he was willing to look out for the Employer and give plenty of notice so that they could plan ahead and find a replacement in order to make a smooth transition, I'm willing to bet that he's a stand-up guy. Even though they don't legally have to do it for him, they could have if they wanted to help him out; the same way he helped them out.

[I-Love-Eyes]

Does your current company pay you while you are on leave?

The way I understand it, you have to apply to EI for paternity leave. It is paid from the last day you worked (in your case, Jan 25.) You need an ROE to apply for this.

You are not getting screwed out of 16 weeks paternity leave UNLESS your COMPANY also gives you paid leave.

More info here:

http://www.babycenter.ca/a538833/wha...d-ei-in-canada

Also, when you go on leave, your employer MUST hold your position for that amount of time. Since you told them you are not coming back, they no longer have to retain your position.

[1899b]

You screwed yourself bud. Hope you don't raise your kids to be as gullible...

[New Hunter Okotoks]

Originally Posted by 1899b

You screwed yourself bud. Hope you don't raise your kids to be as gullible...

Wow.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by JBE

I never could understand why the male needed paternity leave. If you are female Artg please disregard

Because in todays day and age, some women demand it of their spouse to do so....

[1899b]

Originally Posted by New Hunter Okotoks

Wow.

Well how else do you see it?

[New Hunter Okotoks]

Originally Posted by 1899b

Well how else do you see it?

Why not say something like "live and learn" or something like that? That was very disrespectful to tell him how, or how not to raise his children.

By the way, some Fathers want to raise their Children; not because some women "demand" it from them.

[morinj]

That just proves that good deeds don't go unpunished!

[HoytCRX32]

Originally Posted by New Hunter Okotoks

Even though they don't legally have to do it for him, they could have if they wanted to help him out; the same way he helped them out.

How did he "help them out"? By coming to work, doing a job at an agreed upon wage/rate? Why does this simple concept seem for foreign these days? You work, I pay you...or...I work, you pay me...or...I quit work, you don't pay me.
Somehow, "I quit work, you keep paying me" doesn't sound quite right.
He wasn't terminated with or without cause.