Thread regarding Hertz layoffs

Lol so people who believe in a mystical being believe in Hertz?

Keep the faith.

(You’re all screwed)

@2wlyy Perhaps you should read the article again. Actually, God’s representatives on Earth were betting (via the CDS) that Hertz would NOT default on its debts, and were therefore betting AGAINST the company failing. Unlike you, who want to put the boot in at any opportunity.

Vatican used charity funds to buy Hertz credit derivatives

https://www.ft.com/content/f966e8b4-945a-45d0-8391-a305b3d8f7f5

Even Gods representatives on Earth think Hertz is going to fail.

The AB retention scheme?

More like how to F your employees because you can afford to pay them what they are owed and you know after Dec it’s finished.

Do not agree to this, it’s a con and won’t end well. You may get your pay until Dec but after that it’s Nothing force them to make you redundant now or come back full time,
DO NOT AGREE.

Hertz UK / HEL employees,

The company is about to try to implement their own version of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, by extending the current arrangements for a further two months. When announced they will try to implement within 24 hours.

THEY ARE DOING THIS EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS ENDING THIS SCHEME ON 31 OCT 2020.

THEY MUST GET OUR AGREEMENT TO DO THIS.

To quote the letter we received in April:
Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the UK Government has indicated that companies will be eligible to claim a grant of up to 80 per cent of wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500, for each employee who is placed on temporary furlough.

And...

Start and Finish
There continues to be a lot of uncertainty and we don’t know the duration and impact Coronavirus will ultimately have on our business so, for now, we are following the Government’s timeline. We will begin our temporary furloughs 5th April 2020 and will continue until 31st May 2020, which is the date the government grant is expected to stop. However, we may end the arrangement before that or extend it, if the Government Scheme is extended.

I REPEAT - THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME ENDS ON 31 OCTOBER.

Therefore the agreement that we were hoodwinked into accepting will be over - we agreed to this scheme and nothing more.

Hertz - as a decent, ethical, transparent and law abiding employer - has a duty to obtain our agreement to this new arrangement mentioned in the previous post.

I will not be agreeing.

Ask yourselves this...

Why the two month timeframe?
Why, when (successful) companies are making redundancies are Hertz doing this very specific thing?

I will tell you...

There is no money for redundancy - they are buying time whilst continuing to protect their own privileged positions.

I will be saying no, and if I am not given the choice then I will be taking legal action on the basis of breach of my contract of employment following the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

PAY ME IN FULL OR MAKE ME REDUNDANT. THAT IS ALL.

wait for it, update is imminent.
preview for all audiences: company will try to push through two month furlough extension.
not linked to any government scheme, out of pocket.
if you have been paying any attention to your rights and reading up on the plethora of information already posted, this is your chance to say NO. you get full pay starting nov 1, doesn’t matter whether the company has work for you.
your job can be and already is at risk. make your educated choice whether you want to stick around for 2 months on 80% or would rather take redundancy while there is still some cash left.
come easter, all of us will be let go with just statutory redundancy. choose wisely.

Your not missing any updates just silence as usual.
This is like the death of a thousand cuts.

Anyone know what’s going to happen at the end of the month when furlough ends? I think I’m missing the updates?

It’s fair to say the end is near and I am going slightly mad.
International waivers secured, but at what cost? A level of tracking accuracy that we rarely achieve, and once again without alignment across the business.
Well done leadership team and Hertz Europe ‘leads’ - you may well have just made a bad situation worse.
For the rest, if you weren’t already looking for another job (why not?), you should really start. For those that are looking, try harder.
Pessimistic view - dead by Christmas.
Optimistic view - dead by Easter.

And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friends, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the byway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way
I've loved, laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of loosing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh no, no, not me
I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say all the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows, I took the blows
But I did it my way

Some more news from the US. Previous threads comparing us to The Titanic come to mind.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hertz-cfo-steps-down-after-less-than-two-months-11601331774?fbclid=IwAR0QRzb2sQr0MhsRd7p_ZZQ7wdjhW_JC-engz0XlV8PFWJMaQoCz-Y4kexU

Last time I checked Gehlan and her cronies were responsible for why we are I this mess right now - she was in charge before Brav arrived to put the icing on the cake.

Good for her that she has been able to convince another company to let her have a go at wrecking the joint. Let me guess. How to double your profits in 6 months? IWD will be looking for another ‘favour’ too 😂

Somebody should warn them!

In other news, Gehlan to be President of ICWG International. Yes, washing cars. Lol.

https://www.franchising.com/news/20200805_driven_brands_announces_acquisition_of_international_car_wash_group.html

Rubbish. ACAS haven’t updated their site for JSS.

People, your best resource and friend in the coming weeks will be ACAS

https://www.acas.org.uk/

They will help guide and give clarity .

Good luck

How long does it take HR to come up with a plan re UK JSS?

They must be very anxious about having to get employees to agree to an amended contract of employment.

Just do it! I can't wait to reject the revised terms - then they can either make me redundant or keep paying me full wages.

Either way I have nothing to lose.

Put me down as a definite ‘no thanks’ to a change in employment contract.

I’m still sick at being conned the first time round, and the I’m fed up of being taken for a fool. I’m certainly not falling for any ‘we’re all in this together’ nonsense, because we clearly aren’t!

I’m out, I’m spreading the word. Please do likewise.

Let me get this straight. If I don’t agree to a contractual change to enter JSS, Hertz has two choices:

1. put my job at risk followed by consultation and redundancy
2. pay me full wages regardless of whether there is work, closed stations, offices etc.

If the reported info here about not having enough cash for redundancy is true (and why shouldn’t it be with so much else being accurate and spot on), then Hertz will have to go for 2. Meaning that I get full pay until Hertz finally goes bust!?
Sweet. Bring on JSS.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - CONSIDER THIS VERY CAREFULLY AND UNDERSTAND THE OPTIONS BEFORE GETTING TRAPPED INTO A NEW EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT...

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/921389/Job_Support_Scheme_Factsheet.pdf

6. HMRC checks

• HMRC will check claims. Payments may be withheld or need to be paid back if a claim is found to be fraudulent or based on incorrect information. Grants can only be used as reimbursement for wage costs actually incurred.
• Employers must agree the new short-time working arrangements with their staff, make any changes to the employment contract by agreement, and notify the employee in writing. This agreement must be made available to HMRC on request.
• Our intention is that employees will be informed by HMRC directly of full details of the claim.

THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SAY 'NO' TO A REVISED EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND TAKE REDUNDANCY (OR NOT BE FORCED INTO JSS - IF HERTZ CAN'T AFFORD MASS REDUNDANCY).

THE POWER IS SHIFTING BACK THE EMPLOYEE. THIS COULD BE A CHANCE TO GET OUT.

Here’s my prediction for UK-based employees:

• Hertz is a large company, but will have no issue demonstrating COVID impact to qualify for JSS.
• Hertz doesn’t have the money for redundancies.
• Hertz strategy is to slowly bleed to death, pending a miracle.
• Hertz must keep taking the EU/U.K. government support, no matter how much that support is reduced. They are hoping that in the meantime demand returns (no chance now) and they can somehow emerge from Chapter 11 (unlikely).

In the short term Hertz must refinance US operations (see current news stories) and then address Hertz International finance waivers (NL, Aus, U.K. - deadline 30 Sept, so not long to get something in place!). This is stated in the 10Q filed on 10 August, together with clear warnings on the risks.

On that basis, the only option is to put U.K. employees into JSS and fund it for as long as possible until the money runs out.

The rules of the scheme mean that jobs are protected - an employee cannot be made redundant whilst JSS is being claimed on their behalf.

I’m not clear on how the government will police the requirement that employees are working at least 33% (‘viable jobs’). There simply isn’t the work - per an earlier post, locations are closed and there’s a fraction of the level of demand. Offices are closing as we revert to working from home - what will all these returning Hertz employees do for 33% of the time?

Will Hertz start to implement job sharing? Those who have been working through furlough will rotate with employees coming off furlough? I can’t see that working for office based employees - the risks and loss of continuity would be significant. Plus many furloughed employees have been inactive for 6 months, and you would be surprised how rusty you get in that time. Plus HR aren’t up to managing the complexity.

Of course this could also mean a pay reduction for currently non-furloughed employees. You might say this was fair, and you might also say that it was about time some of the directors and above felt some pain and shared the burden.

My guess is that they will say employees are doing the 33% of work per JSS, but really they will be doing nothing. Can they really justify JSS and comply with any specific requirements to demonstrate job viability?

Let’s wait and see.

By the way, when The CFO left and they promoted those two guys - they both had their pay increased to $510,000. That’s a million dollars for two people. Whilst the stokers in the engine room are drowning the officers on the bridge are demanding more champagne.

It’s a funny old world.

You Europeans are so bad...

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/16guO45u

So the questions are, my British friends:

• Will Angela want you to work at least 1/3 of your normal hours? Pretty sure the work doesn’t exist for frontline staff with so many locations closed, and they won’t want to invest in the equipment to make working from home possible for the head office employees.
• Can Hertz meet the ‘viable jobs’ requirement? I’m not so sure.
• Are Hertz HR smart enough to work out the scheme requirements? Definitely not. They will have to pay someone external to do this 🤦‍♂️
• Does Hertz have the money to pay the hours worked and a third of the remainder (along with the govt) to make up to at least 77% of pay? Definitely not for everyone currently on furlough.

The end is coming - Rishi Sunak just hammered one more nail into the Hertz UK/HEL coffin. As he said, he can’t save every business, and why would he bother to save something that was loss-making BEFORE COVID-19? I myself would prefer not to waste taxpayers money on a dead duck - good old British expression, no?

Comfort yourselves that your leaders and unnecessary directors will still be ok.

The new scheme only applies to viable businesses and those larger businesses who can demonstrate their turnover has fallen because of the crisis. Where would that put Hertz?

Waiting for the government to give another pile of cash a dying company so that the fat cats at the top can continue to take full salaries at the taxpayers expense.
Disgusting.

Talking Barbie has not yet been invented, unfortunately your expecting miracles, if anyone was in any doubt about her leadership abilities surely the lack of communication with the people is enough. Nothing good is coming and nothing good has happened.

Reckon they are waiting for more handouts from the taxpayer

It’s evident that keeping employees feeling valued and informed is not a priority for AB and her newest Comms Director. Whatever happened to that vision we were promised about the employees being the company’s greatest asset? Laughable.

What’s going on? Update please.

Offensive is the right word. It’s hugely offensive that those at the top award themselves such sums. They didn’t create the pandemic, no, but pursued strategies that left the business exposed and failed to invest, resulting in this Category 1 mess.

It’s a total slap in the face for the rest of us. Each time the US trotted over to Uxbridge and stood up at a Town Hall, high-fiving and banging on about culture and team and getting the right stuff done ... it was all utter horse sh1t.

Good luck to you all. Scrutinise and challenge leadership at every opportunity. Lions led by overpaid donkeys.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/hertz-bonuses-rejected-by-judge-who-calls-them-offensive-1.1495721.amp.html

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/16/us-corporations-file-for-bankruptcy-and-lay-off-workers-why-do-execs-still-get-bonuses?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1

To mix my metaphors, this means that the Uxbridge fat cats will continue to s—le from the teat to of the British and European taxpayers in the name of protecting the income of the employees, whilst the employees remain in limbo at the mercy of the indecisive leadership?

Lovely. So proud of Hertz. Sort of relieved and ashamed at the same time.

We're not getting laid off. They done run out of money, useless bustads.

UK is particularly bad - but then what do you expect when you ask a bunch of hapless leaders to make headcount reductions? They start at the bottom and work up, with a view to protecting their own positions.

It would be a rare day that a Hertz director fessed up and volunteered themselves for the chop.

End result... you end up with a bunch a useless directors, directing useless managers, with one or two employees doing all the work.

You talk about Ops duplication, but don't even get me started on the useless bearded bag of wind that is TB. Director? Don't make me laugh. Utterly useless.

So many people that could be fired AND protect other jobs at the same time - instead Hertz will end up with the most useless bunch of leaders in the industry.

Let's face it, anyone who was good enough to get another job would have left by now, so the inescapable conclusion is that the current bunch are either a). loyal; 2) stupid; c) stupidly loyal; or 5) unemployable.
(I've been in the Hertz - Leaders Learning to Count and Report Performance Course).

It's going to be a slow painful death, but on the upside we are all going down together (picks up copy of Socialist Worker to do the wordsearch).

I just don’t get the below when hardworking employees on low salaries are going to lose their job. Why are we hiring a country manager for France when it is just another in-country Ops Director on a whopping great big package? 🙈🙈🙈🙈

I cannot talk for France personally (I can only speculate) but I do wonder in the UK why we have three operations lead positions in country particularly now when so many locations are closed or on their knees due to lack of volume: a country manager (or VP Ops) position, a director of ops position AND a head of van ops position.

It is all very depressing when we have other departments that can add revenue either no longer existing or very low on actual worker bees.

Absolute madness!

So many questions about the appointment of the French GM - 'god is with us of the bedroom'.

1. Why couldn't they just let RG carry on - what else is he doing right now? Surely he was doing a great job, because he's based in France, speaks French as has been telling Country Managers how to do their jobs for years. You would therefore expect that he would be really good at leading the country, not to mention that this is the best use of his highly expensive talents as his previous role is basically redundant? Now what does RG do? Sit in his home office and hold 'grumpy calls' all day?

2. GEFCO, the very definition of a French bureaucratic dinosaur - just the kind of background he needs to deal with Hertz (potentially) emerging from the ruins of the post-COVID world. Give me a sharp, entrepreneurial, tech-savvy and hungry mobility professional every day of the week.

3. The package... golden 'hello', salary, incentives and of course the all-important golden parachute for when it all goes wrong. And it will go wrong. They will have paid him a ton of euros - why else would such a 'high flyer' jump on the Hertz life raft? Would you unless they paid you handsomely? Basically we are just continuing to set fire to what little money we have left. Does our leadership seriously think (end of sentence).

4. All that being said, if he is half as good as he thinks he is, and Angela hopes he is, then the current crop of cupcakes in the French leadership team better look out. Arnold in particular needs to pull his stupidly coiffeured head out of his trou du cul.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

So Hertz is parading around there new GM of France, another highly paid exec, who has apparently left his job to take on a bankrupt country France, in a bankrupt company?

I would say he’s not smart given that decision not to mention he met AB and thought that she was a dynamic leader and wanted to work for her, I guess at least that’s one person..🤮🤮🤮

I would rather no one be on furlough or laid off but I do sadly agree with the comment below regarding ‘the number of highly paid and highly ineffectual individuals that remain active’. It just does not make sense who the UK and HEL decided to furlough as I can’t see one high earner that was and the company would have saved more much needed money.

Can I also flag to UK employees who are fortunate enough to be working and will probably retain 'a' job that it is incredibly insensitive to tell a furloughed employee that they are now doing their job. I am aware of three different managers (all of whom earn considerable more money and have company cars etc.) who say that they are doing my role. Again, I know that there are some managers who are doing multiple jobs and are unfortunately appallingly stressed, but the people doing my work are doing it because there role is no longer busy due to COVID (and they are not even in my department!). Talk of kicking someone when they are already down (:

I completely get for Hertz to survive employees needed to be furloughed or be made redundant but it just stinks of favouritism. It would help the situation slightly if I knew the process is fair. Plus, it seems that Hertz will end up even more top heavy with managers on very nice packages.

Finally to all UK employees on furlough, I hope you are keeping well and good luck for when we finally know what is going to happen post-furlough. I for one am awfully stressed and have made myself sick with worry (the silence doesn’t help) but have been trying to influence my own future by looking for new opportunities. It’s a shame as I actually loved my job at Hertz and managed to rise above all the politics.

Has anyone heard anything yet?

"One sentence you hope UK adopts employee protection and the next you hope people are fired.
Just end the pain and sell all of europe."

I personally hope senior leadership are fired, but at the same time I hope employees are helped. It's pretty obvious what the previous post was about, and the clue is in the words 'highly paid'. Also it's clear from the BBC story that not all countries abandon employees. The UK seems to be in the worst shape.

You must be Hertz senior leadership not to get that. Tim? Nayan? Is that you?

• and sell all of Europe?!?!?!

Why would anyone be mad enough to buy Hertz as is? Again, evidence that you are one of our leaders, looking for a payoff?

The only thing of any value is the brand, and frankly anyone smart enough to be in a position to buy that knows that they have to allow the current entity to go bankrupt to get rid of the current leadership. Otherwise they would end up acquiring the collection of poisonous windbags that are currently driving the ship onto the rocks.