Have you been ReAd or terminated by IBM Canada. Do you need advise to understand your true options including engaging a lawyer. I have been through this process and have learned so much through my personal experience and spending over 200 hours interviewing other former IBMers that have been through a termination and in researching cases through the legal system.
I have been advising other IBMer friends going through this and willing to advise other former IBM Canada employees looking for help.
Please reach out to me at the following email address : FormerIBMerAdvisingIBMers@shaw.ca.
I am here to give you advise so you are informed as you get through this process
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Is software license management with this NewCo company now? Have they let more Canadians go from asset management? Just wondering. Thanks.
I will try to provide some additional info and pointers as requested.
Deciding to fight it out after an RA is very dependant on each IBMer’s situation. Years of service, size of package , where one is in his career etc. are all factors to take into account.
You don’t have to hire a lawyer to get more. I know a number of people that asked more and outlined their reasoning in a note to Case Management and got more. But you need to know what you are entitled to under common law for them to take you seriously.
In rare cases you might get closer to common law that it is not worth fighting for the extra few months.
If you decide to take them on and hire a lawyer, you will always get more in most of the cases . ÏBM packages are amongst the lowest in the a country.
There are a ton of employment lawyers in this country. Not all of them are good.
You need a good lawyer for ÏBM to come to the table. Most good lawyers will assess your case and will only take it on if they can improve on your package. These lawyers charge between 20 to 24% ( depending on potential payout ) of the difference between the package you received and the extra dollars they will get you on top of that initial amount. And they work on retainers (you pay no money upfront). They collect their share when you collect.
If you decide to file a claim with lawyer do it with a lawyer in Toronto ( regardless of which province you reside in). Filing in Toronto means you have to get to Mediation within 6 months at most from when the claim is filed. Very few cases do not settle at mediation. That means you should be done in 7 to 8 months.
Note that if you end up finding a job during that 7 months period, your package will be reduced. And you have to show you have been looking for work.
There are a lot more consideration depending on the individual.
What I recommend every IBMer to do is to prepare.
Here are some ways to prepare
1- print your medical benefits summary from Sunlife for the last three years plus the Yearly Pay signup info that you do every Fall.
2- print your promotions and pay increases from Workday since you joined ÏBM
3- print your position summary from Workday since you joined ÏBM
4- print your Checkpoint for the last three years
5- get a Salary letter from your manager ( keep one updated every year)
6- Print your last pay stubs of the year for the last three years and any pay stubs where you had a raise in the last three years
7- if you are a commissioned employee, print your last commission statement for every 6 months period for the last three years
All of this is important and will keep your options open.
Good luck.
In Canada, I've know the package IBM offers varies greatly, depending on what Band you are.
In Canada, I know that if you challenge the RA package, IBM will eventually pay up, however they will drag it out over a almost a year until you see a single dime. If you can afford to wait it out, you will most likely end up with more, how much depends on many factors.
I understand law firms can retain 20-35% of the settlement for their fees.
I personally know of one band 8 that fought, it took 10 months and he netted an additional 37k.
Yes would be nice if you could highlight some pointers here.
Thanks,
Can you outline some of your advice here? I'd rather stay anonymous for now. I haven't been RA'd yet, but would like to understand what others have done, and hear what has/hasn't worked.