Rumors are for high schoolers

[blas]

I'm almost through with my 2 week layoff from work.....and yet the rumors are still haunting me.

Here is proof that even though you may have a factory where you must be 18 or older to work there, it doesn't mean the under 18 (scratch that, under 10) behavior won't stop.

We had the month long layoff, and then it was announced that we'd have another layoff for two weeks, only this one was voluntary. No one would be forced to take it, it was just recommended that 1/4 of the factory take it.

That plan backfired. After all the drama and chaos of the first layoff, nearly everyone applied for the second layoff. Somehow, the stars aligned properly and lady luck was on my side.

I was told in confidence by my supervisor that I'd gotten it.

People who didn't get the layoff started rumors that NO ONE was getting the layoff, and that we were all going to be told the next day that they'd changed their minds. These, of course, were the angry jealous people that couldn't get the layoff because their work areas are too shortstaffed as is.

Another rumor going around was that anyone who volunteered for the 2nd layoff would NOT return, as it would be a permanent layoff.

I didn't believe any of those rumors, as I know how the people I work with can be. They are all teenagers at heart.

So early last week, a maintenance man I work with messaged me online (maintenance men and supervisors could not take the layoff) and said to be ready to come back, because business all of a sudden picked back up. I asked him "Who told you that?". He said his boss was talking to the big wigs, and that they would be calling people back to work that day or the next day.

Guess what? Didn't happen. I called him on it the next day online, and he said give it another day. I told him to stop making shit up because he was jealous that he couldn't get the layoff, and that big wigs don't associate with any of us peons, so don't lie to me.

Guess what? This last Monday he started it up again, saying I'd be called back probably that very day. Didn't happen.

Seriously, rumors are for kids. In the midst of a layoff, it only adds to the chaos and unfamiliarity when people start making shit up and spreading it around like wildfire.

[TNT]

Trust me... it happens everywhere.

Late in 2005, it was announced that the small cable company I work for had been sold a much larger company. It takes six months to complete the sale of a cable company... so for half a year, there was a seemingly unlimited supply of new rumors to digest. Everything from "we could be fired at any time" to "we're all going to the new company and getting hefty raises in the process."

Ultimately, we all hired by the new company, at the same pay rate. Good, right?

But that's when things really got weird.

The existing company, which we'll call SmallCable, was going out of business, so they had to send us letters saying we'd be terminated as of midnight on the day the sale closed. It was just a formality... at 12:01am, we'd go on the payroll of new company. (People who worked overnights that day were on SmallCable's payroll until midnight, and BigCable's after midnight. Simple as that.)

The two local newspapers and the TV news in the area got the first half of the story. I came home to a bunch of voicemails and emails from friends saying basically, "I heard you're losing your job. That sucks."

The next day, both local newspapers had big headlines, "All SmallCable employees to be terminated."

They never did print the real story... not only were we rehired, but we've hired a ton of new people. My department is four times bigger than it was back then, and we have three new hire training classes going on at any given time. Almost a year later, we have people from MyTown calling:

Caller: Whereabouts are you located?
Me: MyTown, just like always.
Caller: I read in the newspapers where you guys closed.

And not long ago, a local paper published a list of recent job losses in MyTown and we were still on it.

[myswtghst]

I work for a world wide communications company. Thankfully I know my call center will never be outsourced, as we do work for the US Gov't, but that doesn't stop the rumours. We get everything from Corporate level rumours on down to our call center, and they always spread like wildfire.

In my call center, I adore most of my coworkers. They're generally good people, and we have a fantastic time goofing off and going drinking after work and such, and all know how to act like adults while still having fun. We do have a number of people who like to run their mouths and gossip, though, so I just try to stay out of it as much as possible.

The biggest rumour recently actually turned out to likely be true. We have two call centers that are seperate departments, but under one division, sharing the same hiring and training staff. They posted a job req for a new trainer when one left, and went through with interviews, but didn't hire anyone. Word on the floor was that the agent(s) they wanted to hire didn't apply. Not a few weeks later, the req was reposted, and two people were hired almost immediately. I was ticked, for several reasons, since I applied the first time around but was turned down. As it was, I was overqualified for the job--more so than the two who were hired, as I've worked in both call centers-almost a year spent in each, and been through all but one available training. I was also annoyed because they now have no one on the training staff who has ever worked in the call center I'm in now, only agents from the other call center.

Anyways, /end rant. But I do feel for you Blas, as my coworkers can be much the same way.

[Knightmare]

The biggest rumor at my place of work was when I was hired. They told me that I would make a livable wage, work full time and have benefits in 3 months. A year later, I'm still hearing that rumor. HA HA!

But when I was working at RadioShack, I'd hear rumors all the time about:
what associate was sleeping with what manager
who got fired for stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise
corporate actually raising commission rates and spiffs
etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum, ad nausea

[Jpurple]

Bah- highschoolers have nothing on their teachers! you want gossip, malicious rumors, outright fabications- check out a teacher's lounge!

[powerboy]

The biggest rumor at my place of work was when I was hired. They told me that I would make a livable wage, work full time and have benefits in 3 months. A year later, I'm still hearing that rumor. HA HA!

Same here. I was making great pay, but since the accountant is farking it up, I am not. And the owners are not understanding why I am wanting my own business.