Does anyone know of any firms or attorneys pursuing this? HR is hoping that people fall in line and start driving 50-100 miles ea way to work. If someone is classified with approved Remote Worker status, not just random WFH history, I wouldn't think they could change it without offering severance. Regardless of distance, they're changing the terms of employment and you should have an option to accept or decline those new terms. If they don't offer severance, then employees don't sign waivers, which opens up the opportunity for CAL. I'm surprised if no one is already pursuing... thought I'd see if anyone reading this has leads??
33 replies (most recent on top)
@3ijk. Whatever the actual story is, the bottom line is Dave Cote got mad seeing empty cubicles. If it happened at 4:57 on a day so many came in early for a meeting, it seems there would be many empty cubicles simply because people got off earlier than 4:57. Not due to RIFs and outsourced jobs (as you stated). Not that those wouldn't also account for empty space too.
And really- 'get it right'- seriously-
@3qth - get it right - he showed up at Sarasota (not Clearwater) at 4:57 on a Friday afternoon when people had gone home, after they had been in before 7am for an important customer meeting. Most of the cubes were empty due to RIFS and outsourced jobs.
The lawsuit should be how the policy is not enforced equyally across all businesses and groups. Many people, especially M&PM still work from Home and remotely even when not traveling.
@2lel. Dave Cote visited the Clearwater site and noticed 1/3 (approx) of the cubicles were empty. He asked where everyone was and was told, they work from home. He blew a gasket and that's why WFH was immediately rescinded.
CEO of Honeywell could not see the efficiency and intelligence of having a large WFH workforce.
And that explains a lot, doesn't it?!
I too have the approvals needed and being told to drive 80+ miles to a honeywell facility.
I am a 35+ years with Honeywell.
If there is such litigation, please pass along.
Well, I am curious how many true full time WFH, long distance (> 50 miles commute to any HW facility) are long term employees. This sure seems like a move to not have to pay severance. I volunteered for the RIF to try to avoid this situation and was denied. Now I am looking at either drive > 200 miles each way to any HW facility or lose my job with no severance. People seem to joke on here about how it will just be irritating. This is much worse than that. I lost 20 weeks of severance and one week later informed that I am going to lose my job with nothing. Personally, I have a teleworking contract and was hired as a full time teleworker. I also wondered if there is going to be a class action with the WFH.
I heard some VP visited a site where EVERYBODY was WFH.
Nice Job, clever use of the system I may call it?
Think about all the publicity Honeywell will get if it fires former WFH employees with no severance. I am sure there are some real hardship stories out there. Share yours!
Listened to someone over the cube talk to someone else about life for almost 90 minutes. "Collaboration".
I'll continue to drive the hours and continue to Put money in the bank. I'll do 2/3 of the work I used to due to my drive but take sick days one day at a time do they can't say a word. I'll schedule vacation as often as I think I can get away with and play the game.
They may fire me but I don't care. I'm close enough to retire and go with wife's benifits.
This could be a good thing as I'm not stressed at all and not doing nrarly the work I used too but hey, that's what they wanted.
To 1mkt- you're reading my mind and I like it! Well, all but the two hour drive each way to get the opportunity to chat to all my coworkers that I have nothing in common regarding honeyhell to talk about,
Yes schedule this sick days and vacation days as you never know when thet tap on the shoulder is coming.
I'm looking forward to going back into the office and talking about sports teams all day, who might be sleeping with who, what was in someones kids diaper, everywhere we've traveled and where our next vacations are planned, and what cars everyone is thinking about buying. I'm also looking forward to talking for an hour about where we're going to go for our two hour lunch. I'm extremely excited to finally make eye contact with that one guy and tell him to sit down and stay for a while, you know, that guy that needs to retire and wanders the halls all day with coffee until it's time to badge out! I can't wait to actually use my 56 sick days now that I'll be catching whatever people I don't work bring to the office. However, I am very upset that I'll be cutting into my productive work day to drive 2 hours each way, or talk about what that 2 hour commute was like or will be. I apologize in advance to the people and teams I support that will suffer from my inability to have open calls and the unlimited skype distractions, but the need to collaborate in person is extremely important and I hope you understand.
Chances are they'll never find you one, let it ride. Good to know Honeywell would rather turn their EPS into wasted office space. They probably need to clean up the WFH so that they can more easily sell off a few of the new businesses they've just defined!?
By end of Hsnuary, I must be in the office, I have all the signatures needed for WFH but now I have to go into an office as soon as they find me a cube. I was told NLT end of January.
So if people are now being notified that their exemptions were denied - do they have to comply immediately or was there a date provided? Wondering when they are going to start monitoring who is still WFH?
The Honeywell ship is sinking faster every day.
While most states have "at will" employment laws which would mean the employees could be terminated for not driving to a new facility, @1cje makes a good point. The new WFH policy was announced and was supposed to have been completely implemented by the end of October prior to the VRIF self nomination deadline. That might become the basis for a suit or forced settlement for employees who are not able to commute and had prior agreements, both written and verbal.
I am affected. The closest facility is over 200 miles.
I find it odd I was notified 2 days after the RIF notifications. why would the company not work the WFH issue first then give those that can't or won't comply the option to volunteer for the RIF? At least we would get a severance package.
If terminated for failure to show up at an assigned facility, that is termination with cause. In that case we not only lose all severance benefits, but most states will disallow unemployment benefits. It is as if we are being punished or made an example of.
Perhaps enough critical talent will exit with this latest edict, or exit if the pension rumor proves true, and the demise of aerospace will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The re-organization disorganization will expose the knowledge gaps.
If you started your job working at Honeywell from home 100% of the time OR if you have it in writing that it was OK to work from home 100% of the time, then I think you might have a case. In these instances, Honeywell has, in effect, changed your contract.. At the very least, they should lay you off with severance if you're not willing to comply.
Not exactly the same, but check out the IBM Layoff site. People are being told to re-locate or else.
I guess you'll have to edit to see how they think on whether it is or not. It's not our call or we'd still be WFH
Good luck and let us know the outcome
nearly 200 miles each way is not relative.
Near them is relative and per corporate, distance is no reason to get WFH privileges that's what I was told when I got my denial
Many remote workers being denied don't have any type of Honeywell office facility near them.
You should go locate the closest location even if not part of your business i.e. Aero, security, other business units and pick the closest to your current location. That should be the one
I also asked HR about severance if I choose not to drive to the site they assign me to. I asked three HR people, they all avoided answering. I have been told I can no longer have remote worker status but they can't identify a location for me to be assigned. Love how they can give me a definitive answer on something they have no information about.
I have put the question to my Go To HR today. I will let you know what he says. This is regarding severance if I choose not to drive to the site I've been assigned.
People here are confusing the Telecommuting Agreement with designated Remote Workers in HR Direct. Some have both, but there's a difference. I believe that Honeywell could still terminate that status because many are employed at will, but without the severance waiver that seems like a risky move on Honeywell's part. They're relying on employees doing as they're told. I wish more employees would tell them to pound sand. I wouldn't drive one mile without knowing if I was entitled to severance as an alternative. HR won't give you anything unless you ask for it!
I had all signatures but yes it can be terminated at any time and resigned every year,l like the idea of severance.
Any more rumors on that front? That would be the decent thing to do. I'm being told to drive 80 miles one way.
I have had an agreement but it specifically states that Honeywell can terminate the agreement at any time. So there is no case.
Honeywell employees in Brno, India and China work from home to support people in the States too. Think about that before taking about WFH again
Hahahaha. Hahahahahaha.
Thanks, needed a good laugh on a Monday.