We’re RGIS and You Suck

Our district has finally gotten around to distributing the March  2009 Team Member Handbook.  In order to continue my employment with RGIS, I have to sign the “RGIS Team Member Handbook:  Acknowledgement of Receipt” form. The Cliff Note Version: RGIS can do whatever they want and I can’t do a damn thing about it.

Fear and Loathing = Productivity

The form starts out reminding me that I can be fired at any time for any reason or no reason.    New York is an “at will” state so this isn’t really a surprise.  But most employers don’t remind employees that they can be terminated at any time when they distribute a new employee manual.   Since productivity is job one,  someone at RGIS must think that fear & loathing will increase productivity.

Policies and Procedures

Legally even in at will states, one could sue for wrongful termination if one could prove that the employer did not follow their own employment policies and procedures.   Well, RGIS has plugged that loophole.

I understand that RGIS may change, modify, suspend, interpret or cancel, in whole or part, any of the published or unpublished personnel policies or practices, with or without notice, at its sole discretion.

Basically, RGIS has just informed me that I can’t rely on anything I read in the Team Member Handbook. Policies and procedures don’t really mean very much if they can be changed at any time without notice. The power is entirely in the hands of RGIS. And they want you to know it. Perhaps I should admire their honesty. Most employers pretend to be benign even if they aren’t. On the other hand, RGIS says “hi, we just want to make sure that you know that we can screw you over at any time we feel like it and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Apologies to Tesco Vee and the Meatmen for the title of this post