So sad to read through the comments. I understand there has to be layoffs. I get it. However, whatever happened to "Human" in "Human Resources?" They should be fighting for the employees. Just do the right thing by these employees. Give them they packages, treat them with dignity, let them leave with their pride. Not helping them with their relocation? Really? Making them apply for their own jobs.. Really? I wonder if the executive who approved this program truly thought it through. Just do the right thing by your employees as you are asking them to apply for their own jobs as you are going to this downsize. Forget the laws and HR . Just do the right thing by employees and maybe when you need them to return, they will.
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,The BU I work in. the HR department sings songs at the beginning of each meeting and makes fun of all of the staff. They are a bunch of 30 year old kindergarteners that think they are superior. When you ask a question they usually don't know or tell you to call the service center. I feel so discriminated against and can't do anything.
None of HRBP's know how to run a report, they all push it off on someone else. What a bunch of incompetent folks.
— Anonymous144365 thanks for the advice. As I will move myself back most likely an recoup the costs. My wife works in the DA's office and he recommended the attorney. So you would expect him to be well versed. But who knows.
Anon144359, stand up for your rights, but do it right. If your lawyer has sufficient experience in these cases, take his advise and don't alert Chevron to your plans. The attorney may advise you to sign the severance papers and get things rolling first. You really have one year to file the lawsuit (even though the papers you will be signing says you have absolutely no claim on Chevron). If you have a relocation contract and the time has not lapsed, then you may have a case. If you move back sooner than the lawsuit can be settled, keep all receipts and a log of all your expenses, no matter how small. Good luck.
I talked with a lawyer and he has already filed a motion to get me what was promised. I was told that I would be moved even after I signed the severance. Then no return calls and after at least a dozen they said Chevron would not be moving anyone?????? By signing the moving agreement 18 months ago it was considered a contract on both sides. My move included the 24 month relocation. I had to laugh as I was told Chevron could not help and it would not be a good idea to fight Chevron "As bad things can happen." Chevron "The Bull" Gravano, are they going to whack me....lol at "Bad things can happen."
@Take It From Me - I feel the same as you in that my loyalty and respect for Chevron is permanently damaged. I am in middle management and worked hard for 16 years to get to this position. I hope to continue on for another 10 or 15 years and advance further up the command. My view of the company now has changed a lot. I've seen terrible decisions made that have affected good workers. I've made up my mind to burn the career of anyone who I believe should have been let go in these layoffs. I'm not going to tolerate slackers. I have the power to ruin the career of anyone who crosses me.
The last poster comes clean with us. He has 2 direct reports that moved to their current location less than two years ago and Chevron wants to go back on their agreement (written contract) to relocate them back to where they came from. I'm sorry, but "not having cash to afford it" is not going to work for Chevron. Unfortunately, Chevron will make these two employees sign off on an agreement not to sue the company for any reason, before they see a dime of any severance pay and other severance benefits like unemployment. Is this The Chevron Way that some dork mentioned in a previous post? My lack of respect for this company has gone beyond the point of redemption. I will continue to work here until I feel it's time to go, but this company has lost my loyalty forever. It's me first and ALWAYS.
Chevron is refusing to relocate anyone back per the 24 month policy. I am not affected by this at the moment but 2 of my direct reports are. My boss said Chevron does not have the cash and is refusing on that ground. But we both agree it was a contract and can and will be enforced legally. But now I tell my employee that was forced to move here with his wife and 5 kids that Chevron changed their mind? I will get my ass kicked!
You are not necessarily correct, Anon144081 in saying "the company doesn't owe anyone a relocation package". That is a blanket statement you are making. It's possible that recent relocated employees (moved in the last 24 months) may not be eligible for relocation back to their previous city, but perhaps they are legally entitled to it. I am an employee who got transferred from New Orleans to Houston in 1999 during a major downsizing. I remember very well the company stipulated in my relocation papers that I would be relocated back to my original location (if I wanted to) in the event my job was terminated before 2 years were up. I cannot vouch for any changes in the company policy since 1999, but if an employee was recently relocated and they are being terminated, I would suggested they refer back to their relocation papers. If at that time, it was the company's agreement to move them back to their original city, then Chevron would have to honor their contract, and I'm sure they will.
Sounds like now is the time hr will earn their paycheck. Like when a deng has a well control issue. It's part of the oilfield. Buck-up HR and get your job done.
GL with ROM's.
You are missing the point. I came from the chemical industry and yes the HE professionals were a puppet of management. But at least they were competent. Just like EVERYTHING else in The Ron I have to talk to an IT person that magically became an HRBP. No one is competent. I call back to my old company to get answers.
Your HR business partner is working 18 hours a day on the ROM, doing paperwork and trying to do the regular job duties. Blame them if you want but it's not their fault that they're not getting back to you. Answering your question which you could probably get the answer to yourself or you've already gotten it yourself but you don't like it so you're looking for a different answer is not the top priority they have right now. And to add insult to injury after they're finished dealing with everybody else's bellyaching they have to go through their own ROM and 25% of them will be laid off. So before you bitch some more stop and think.
The company doesn't owe anyone a relocation package. I don't know it makes people on here think it does. There is no legal requirement to relocate you much less you severance. You got paid a paycheck for the work you did and for most of you it was a pretty good one and far more than you would make driving a truck or working in a warehouse or waiting tables. Unless you have some truly specialized skill labor gets paid generously at Chevron. Don't get me wrong I think Chevron is seriously screwed up in many ways but how they're treating exiting employees financially is not one of them at the moment. They're paying severance and offering outplacement. Every employee wants to think they're special but they're not. Neither you nor I is irreplaceable. Yes this sucks but it's a fact of the economy. The company is a buyer and we are sellers. Right now they're not buying what we're selling.
HR is difficult enough to deal with as an employee, but when you are one of the layoff crowd, they are impossible. The service center is of no help at all, they refer you to your HR "Business partner" who never bothers to answer their phone, return a call or respond to an email.
you will learn in this business:
HR exists to carry out the legal requirements of the corporation
The "company" owes you nothing, and should you be replaceable, or a non-competitive fit.... you can be replaced.
You are better off changing jobs every 2-5 yrs unless you are one of the hi-pots...... as you will be put into a pigeon hole and told "no raise this year" as the hi-pots need to be take care of.
GL to all.
The former HR Manager (retired) is so right. You'll learn this lesson again when you retire and you call the Human Resource Service Center to ask questions. They won't help you that much, only read you what is written in the PDF documents on the website. The Retirement Case Administrator they assign to you is not even a Chevron employee. In the event you have a complaint about anything, the company can always fall back on excusing themselves because it wasn't a company employee that told you that.
As a former HR manager (retired), employees need to recognize that HR does not exist to help employees. HR exists to protect the Company and its leaders and executives and their goals. If you look to your HR rep to help you in these circumstances, you will devastated by their lack of response and genuine help My heart goes out to all Chevron employees who are being treated so disrespectfully. It is agonizing to observe it from the outside.
The purpose of HR is to protect the company. It is not their purpose to protect you, much less "fight for you."
Just like the company owns mineral resources, we the employees are the human resources that the company manages. Make no mistake, HR is not in place to look after you the employee!
Dude, if you ever thought HR is working for the employees, you need to wake up. HR is simply the puppy of management.