Pretty brutal take from a topic below:
Genuinely cannot believe that it has been an entire year already. Myself and everyone who I still keep in touch with who were laid off are in better places – both personally and professionally. Pembina isn't life. As tough as it was, being let go from Pembina was a blessing in disguise as it forced me to re–evaluate priorities and what is actually important in this one life we have. Dedicating yourself to a faceless corporation and making this job your identity is absurd. Don't fall into this trap. You don't owe Pembina anything. There is a ton of family talk, but you are nothing but a number, Put in your 8.5 hours and go home/log off. If there are current Pembina employees, family members, or prospective employees who see this.. Below is what happened during Pembinas botched layoff process with me. If you still work there and think you are special and will get a huge cheque, think again friends. Maybe they will eventually get the process right!
- Pembina paid out the absolute bare minimum in severance. Not a penny more. It was a kick you while you are down move but not surprising given how cheap the company is. There was zero negotiation and a quiet "try us/shut up and be happy you are getting anything" mentality from my HR business "partner"
- Pembina gave us two weeks of additional benefit coverage and acted like they were doing us a favour. During a global pandemic. HR told us to "use up everything while you can!!".. I can't go to the dentist, chiro, massage, etc. Seriously, how disingenuous are these people?
- Pembina couldn't even be bothered to provide us with extended Employee Assistance Plan coverage outside of the two weeks, and guess what, EAP was booked solid! Being laid off can be brutal and there is only so much family and friends can say to you. Additional professional help over Zoom would have been nice
- A few days after providing the severance package paperwork, Pembina sent out a revised payout schedule where if you wanted the severance amount directed to your RRSP, they requested a signed letter from your bank with all your account information. During a global pandemic. Most of us had mere days to get that done and a few couldn't do it in time and had to take the hit taking the severance as a cash payout
- It took Pembina just over a month direct the severance payout to RRSP
- Canned responses from HR. We all compared the replies from our HR Business Partner together and it was obvious she had a word document open and copy/pasted the same replies to each of us
- For the old timers, Pembina nickle and dimed the 20–30 year employees. People who dedicated their lives to the company. This was confirmed during a Cenera Zoom meeting from a former irritated company man. Pembina has zero loyalty to you
- Returning of personal belongings. We were asked what was still in our offices and that it would be returned via courier. I had an item that was never returned. Hopefully someone used it
- Getting the Teams call from an inebriated manager and the career transition coach at noon–ish on a Thursday