Two weeks notice?

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 09:11 AM

There is an old tradition in this country, to give two weeks notice upon quitting a job.

Have you not also noticed that it is rare employers give two weeks notice of termination either by cause or reduction in force? What they forget is that for the two weeks notice by the employee the employers used to pay a two week severance pay if they put you out the door without two weeks notice.

I worked for one firm that asked for two weeks notice. When given the notice they fired the locator on the spot thinking that the employee would do poor work over the next two weeks.

**sprayandpray** · June 6th, 2010, 07:31 PM

No use doing that at USIC - their new policy is not to re-hire anyone period.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

No use doing that at USIC - their new policy is not to re-hire anyone period.

I find this prevalent with firms that have problems retaining good employees. It is used as an intimidation factor rather than treating their employees in a way where they will want to work at that firm. As a rule any firm that does this has problems.

Has anyone heard USIC has problems retaining locators?

(I am going to have to duck after that one)

**yahoo** · June 6th, 2010, 09:38 PM

2 weeks notice is respectable.......no matter how mad the company may make me before quitting! I am subject to have a change of heart if my company ever did that to anyone that did not deserve it!!!! everyone that has been terminated on the spot with no notice at all .......very much deserved what was coming to them!!! that's not counting people who were laid off at christmas time like my buddy scap!

**6feetunder** · June 6th, 2010, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by ProfessionalLocator

I find this prevalent with firms that have problems retaining good employees. It is used as an intimidation factor rather than treating their employees in a way where they will want to work at that firm. As a rule any firm that does this has problems.

Has anyone heard USIC has problems retaining locators?

(I am going to have to duck after that one)

LOL , nice shot. Yeah we have lost many over here just recently. I fear it's just the beginning as many many more already got both feet out the door. Some are leaving due to finding better paying jobs with a heck of a lot less stress, but I think most of what we've seen is people just saying F U I'm out come and get your junk. Some are getting to the point where they simply cannot take anymore abuse.

**big boots mcghee** · June 6th, 2010, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

No use doing that at USIC - their new policy is not to re-hire anyone period.

Is this actual policy or just grapevine rumors? I have a hard time believing that they'd pass on anyone with locating experience, especially during crunch time.

**mattm211** · June 6th, 2010, 11:53 PM

UtiliQuest has been letting people go right away if they say they want to put in their two weeks. Just like USIC now They also do not hire any former employees unless you have super special permission from like the president or some junk.

**mattm211** · June 6th, 2010, 11:56 PM

i used to work for SM&P. i left and they switched to USIC and when i wanted to come back i was officially told that USIC's policy is to not hire back ANY former employees. (even though when i left under SM&P they said they'd love to have me back) ...the reasoning explained to me was to prevent job hopping back and forth for higher pay.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 7th, 2010, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by mattm211

UtiliQuest has been letting people go right away if they say they want to put in their two weeks. Just like USIC now They also do not hire any former employees unless you have super special permission from like the president or some junk.

My thought was to give a written two weeks notice which is actually a notice of intention to quit, not actually quitting. If they terminate you immediately then give a written retraction of the intent to quit and claim unemployment, even if only for two weeks. If you are quitting just becasue you are fed up, and who could be fed up with Utiliquest, and have no job to go to you may have unemployment benefits for as long as they are allowed.

**Shadowcat** · June 7th, 2010, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by mattm211

i used to work for SM&P. i left and they switched to USIC and when i wanted to come back i was officially told that USIC's policy is to not hire back ANY former employees. (even though when i left under SM&P they said they'd love to have me back) ...the reasoning explained to me was to prevent job hopping back and forth for higher pay.

Actually it is no where in the policy....maybe they just didn't like you getting a different job. Anyway, I think they are trying to see how few locators they can employ before we all go postal on the corporate office. In the past 3 years on my team we have lost 6 techs and just now got our first replacement. Now it's going to take another year before this noob is worth his weight. As far as I am concerned, with as hard as my team is working, we could stand to lose some of these corporate micro-managing assholes and bring back our raises and maybe a respectable damage prevention bonus program.

**sprayandpray** · June 7th, 2010, 06:48 AM

6 Techs in 3 years? Good Lord, that wouldn't even be noticed down here. One group has lost 18 Techs , over 80%, in 1 1/2 years. Hell, they have guys volunteering for active duty in lieu of continuing to work here!

**Mke** · June 7th, 2010, 09:39 AM

One time I put a two weeks notice in, and my boss was PISSED! He told me he was busy and will talk to me later. Imediately I got a call from his wife. She told me, in one conversation, that I was one of the best employees they ever had and they hate to see me go...... and that they would never re-hire me again, and she followed that up with... "2weeks is just too short of a notice, the least you could do is give us 4-5weeks".

Not once was I offered anything to stay. My boss asked why I was changing jobs, and I told him "benefits", and he never tried to keep me.

Go Figure

**locator00566** · June 7th, 2010, 01:28 PM

I cannot wait until the day comes when I can put in my 2 weeks notice. I hate this job and I hate USIC for the policies they are applying. I use to tell people , I had the best job in the world. Thats before all this bull sh-t coming from coporate started. 10 years and all I have to show is regret. Should of jumped ship long ago.

USIC=USUK

**Shadowcat** · June 7th, 2010, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

6 Techs in 3 years? Good Lord, that wouldn't even be noticed down here. One group has lost 18 Techs , over 80%, in 1 1/2 years. Hell, they have guys volunteering for active duty in lieu of continuing to work here!

Well when you only have 12 techs to start with....it's very noticeable, especially when we have up to 10 way areas here in KC. And that's just my immediate team....doesn't account for how many we have lost district wide.

**yahoo** · June 7th, 2010, 08:26 PM

I tell you what........with that ratio.......that must be a good office to work for !!!!!?????

Originally Posted by Shadowcat

Actually it is no where in the policy....maybe they just didn't like you getting a different job. Anyway, I think they are trying to see how few locators they can employ before we all go postal on the corporate office. In the past 3 years on my team we have lost 6 techs and just now got our first replacement. Now it's going to take another year before this noob is worth his weight. As far as I am concerned, with as hard as my team is working, we could stand to lose some of these corporate micro-managing assholes and bring back our raises and maybe a respectable damage prevention bonus program.