A Parting Shot

To begin, let me make sure everyone understands that I am a self employed software consultant and project manager so although I cannot technically be "laid off" we realize that we are owed no unemployment compensation if we suddenly find ourselves on the bench as we like to call it. I was under contract since January of 1995 to a large international insurance company that just received a large dose of government aid and usually is just referred by 3 letters. On December 1 I was summarily told that my contract had just ended without warning. OK, it's a little abrupt but I have to admit I was surprised considering what I was in charge of for this company, but they're up to their hubcaps in problems and I guess it could happen. I have been attempting to find something else but between the economy and the holidays things are moving a bit slowly out there which comes as no surprise. However last week I received a Christmas card in the mail from, oddly enough, the guy that told me I was all done a couple of weeks before. I opened the card and realized it was pretty generic and actually was signed by his wife, not him. However there was a computer printed, very festive looking letter folded inside. That letter went on to tell people receiving their cards that they would be stopping after this year because 'with so many people having trouble meeting day to day expenses and more people needing help with basic necessities like food ... that they will donate the money normally spent on cards to a local food pantry'. However we all would remain in their thoughts in the future. Hmmm. Do they realize that they sent these cards to the people that they just terminated without warning 3 weeks before Christmas? Is receiving and reading this card supposed to make everything OK? I don't think so. Now I can't speak for any of the others that were sent packing the day I was, and I'm not ready to have to start looking for a bridge to move my family under, but I found this to be completely inappropriate. At 42 cents postage each they should have saved the $2.10 this year and kept those cards. Sometimes the less you say the better off you are. I think this was one of those times. We all know how to close our mouths, the secret is in knowing when!