After over 40 mins in the hold queue, the HR rep was incredibly rude as soon as he found out I was impacted by the layoffs and needed to ask about the separation plan. And he gave incorrect information. It’s traumatizing enough to be laid off without a rude attitude from those who are supposed to help you separate.
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File an inappropriate behavior report to HR.
Most of HR, especially the phone reps and case workers, are outsourced to Xerox. Who knew Xerox branched out into HR services.
Yes, HR isn't your friend and is interested in protecting the company, but the HR reps that handle benefits questions aren't against you. By misleading or lying to you about your benefits, they're putting the company at risk.
But, for any other issue other than payroll and benefits, I would not talk to HR. I made the mistake of telling our Director in front of witnesses that I didn't know what he expected of me because he'd given multiple, conflicting directions recently. Next thing I knew, he was scheduling a meeting between us mediated by HR. 6 months later, I was LR'd and the as----e took the ER package, but negotiated to stay another quarter while they found his replacement. If he was going to take the ER package, why was it necessary to fire me for his sh---y leadership? Anyway, jokes on him because he's gone and I'm back. That 6-mo severance was about the same amount of 6 yrs worth of bonuses. And I had a new job with in 30 days.
HR gets a kick out of doing stuff like this. They are not your mates.
Don't even bother expecting anyone internal will help. No HR, No manager's manager, No Director, No VP will be on your side. They just don't care. No one will help you at Cisco. The only person or org you can trust is a lawyer.
Write a letter to Board if Directors! Trust me they are more than likely unaware of the ELT behavior...they all think they are movie stars...wasting money and taking pictures of selves and promoting. They are more worried about personal brands than company. AR, CMO for webex is a master at self promotion! Sickening!
I had real HR issues and I swear the person handling the case was either super smart and manipulative or a completely unintelligent dolt. She lied multiple times and got caught in multiple traps. Like they say, the only way you “win” is if the company is legally exposed, but even when you win that battle you’ve violated corporate taboo and you’re fu---d anyway.
Like most people, you misunderstand HR's role in the organization. HR is there to protect the company. Nothing more and nothing less.
They will help if, and only if, your complaint exposes the organization to legal liability.
Someone's comment recap everything you ought to know:
I was advised to open a case via ServiceNow like an IT issue, in order to report to Employee Relations and Ethics team. So I did, waited and waited day after day, but no one contacted me to discuss. And shockingly, the case has been closed within a week.
I totally felt struck and heartbroken.
Neither Employee Relations or Ethics team exists. There is no one who can listen. HR and the company are always for anyone who is in a higher/managerial position even if he/she is wrong or doing anything illegal.
You should look for someone external or any related institution.
Very true. I'm aware that I'm a lot of employees, especially those joined from other companies, are experiencing discrimination or harassment from their boss in all regions, including US, UK, Japan and Australia, every day, but even if they report to somewhere internally, most of them know that they will never be protected, and the company and HR will always be on their bosses' side despite those bosses should be punished and removed from the org. It's pretty sad, but that's the reality at Cisco. That's how things work at Cisco.
Cisco started sinking since all of those roles and responsibilities that should properly and attentively and sensitively be handled by responsible perm employees were handed over to vendors like Wipro or CapGem in China or India who are tissue of neglects.
Any serious, sensitive, or urgent HR-related issue is just lightly handled by your IT issues by opening a case via ServiceNow or Siebel.
I have good experience with HR rep, she answered my COBRA health insurance questions professionally , she even said she is sorry that I being laid off . so it is depend who is rep , may be OP's rep has a bad day
Probably outsource/contractors. Like most things at Cisco - IT, customer service, etc.