• (cs)

    Well, that was fun. Was work that hard to find? I'd have been out of there the first day.

    And... fist!

  • Annie Nymous (unregistered)

    And they still had staff?

    I'm amazed at how much people can put up with.

  • (cs)

    At least he didn't "Punch Out".

  • B-Rad (unregistered) in reply to Annie Nymous

    You have obviously never worked as a Government contractor at a military facility.

  • ChiefCrazyTalk (unregistered) in reply to Code Dependent

    I call fake. I would have quit that job the first 5 minutes - after checking first to see if I was on Candid Camera or Punk'd

  • (cs) in reply to ChiefCrazyTalk

    I hope you remembered to punch out while checking to see if you were on Candid Camera!

  • (cs)

    Wow. I had a job in retail (Canadian Tire, woohoo!) that had better policies than that. 1 hour lunch (punched out, though) and TWO fifteen minute breaks on the clock. Sure we had to do all kinds of heavy lifting and dealing with boxes and tape, while wearing our work uniforms, but at least the company paid for those (and 50% of the cost of the steel-toed safety shoes we had to wear).

    To punch in or out, they had palm scanners. I remember the first day I started work, I accidentally cut myself in the warehouse (on a nail protruding through one of the wooden shelves). When I trained the scanner with my palm, it must have taken the band-aid on my finger into account, because three days later, when I came in to work with no band-aids on, it refused to recognize my handprint, and I had to train it again.

    Quitting that place wasn't the easiest, either. Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.

  • (cs)

    Personally, I would have began looking for a new job after the first five minutes. But there's no way I would have worn a suit while climbing through a warehouse, and if someone had said something to me, I would have spit in his face and walked out.

    Q. How long did it take him to find a new gig, and did it turn out to be good?

    Oh, and can we please get a description of Todd's anatomically impossible suggestion?

  • (cs)

    You always want to take a tour of where you are going to work to see what your cube will be look and also to get a feel for the morale of the company. I remember one place where I interviewed it looked like all the developers were depressed. When I got the lowball salary offer which included 1 week of vacation that you had to be there a year to use, I had a feeling why.

  • Darrin (unregistered)

    Yikes. The moment the time clock was mentioned, I would have walked out. If the job is exempt, it should also be exempt from punching in/out.

    Of course, that assumes I would have showed up in the first place. I don't do ties. Not for church, weddings, or my boss. I once had a boss that suggested I wear a tie. I sat there, listened to his suggestion, nodded my head, and left his office without any intention of actually doing it. Several months later I had a new job, better benefits, more pay, and no dress code.

  • (cs) in reply to Salami
    Salami:
    You always want to take a tour of where you are going to work to see what your cube will be look and also to get a feel for the morale of the company. I remember one place where I interviewed it looked like all the developers were depressed. When I got the lowball salary offer which included 1 week of vacation that you had to be there a year to use, I had a feeling why.
    I had an interview a few years back. Six developers spoke with me, each more dejected than the last. I was about to walk out when the manager popped back in and cheerily asked me what I thought. I told him that his staff wants to die, and why in hell would I want to work for him. Then I just walked away in silence.
  • ChiefCrazyTalk (unregistered) in reply to WhiskeyJack
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
  • (cs) in reply to Annie Nymous
    Annie Nymous:
    And they still had staff?

    I'm amazed at how much people can put up with.

    Probably pulled in a bunch of entry level guys that they knew wouldn't be able to find another job very easily, there's always those guys to go around.

  • daniel (unregistered) in reply to Code Dependent
    Code Dependent:
    And... fist!

    According to my collection of German pornography, that isn't anatomically impossible.

  • Ashen (unregistered)

    I wouldn't have lasted long there. These people have the wrong attitude about employment. Unfortanetly, people let them. They hire a person to provide them a service. It's a simple business contract. For software support you will provide so much compensation. Business shall not dictate your friends, what is done on your free time etc. If they cannot work out the process to get you a pen, then you can do nothing all day with pay or leave, their choice.

    Reminds me of a John Wayne quote, "I don't give jobs, I hire men."

  • (cs) in reply to ChiefCrazyTalk
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
    Unless, of course, he needed the money, didn't yet have another job, and/or his start date was a ways off, in which case his boss inadvertently did him a favor.
  • (cs) in reply to snoofle
    snoofle:
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
    Unless, of course, he needed the money, didn't yet have another job, and/or his start date was a ways off, in which case his boss inadvertently did him a favor.

    He talks the reason! WITCH WITCH WITCH!

  • (cs) in reply to snoofle

    Rectal-cranial inversion? :o)

  • jtl (unregistered)

    This is why you need to tour the work area during your interview, and be sure to discuss specifics such as dress code, time flexibility, etc.

    You are interviewing them as much as they are you.

  • SomeCoder (unregistered) in reply to mark11727
    He'd be going from a big software company to a more progressive publishing company with a software department;

    This is where the WTF begins. I'm sure some of you have had better experiences with it, but for me, when the company specializes in one thing and has a software development department because times have forced them to have one, it's no fun. The developers get treated like a necessary evil rather than something that keeps the business afloat and you can imagine how fun working in that environment is.

  • (cs)

    So... do you have to punch out to have a sip of coffee?

  • bob (unregistered) in reply to snoofle
    snoofle:
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
    Unless, of course, he needed the money, didn't yet have another job, and/or his start date was a ways off, in which case his boss inadvertently did him a favor.
    In Canada you have to give two weeks notice and are required to work those two weeks. Also the company is required to pay for two weeks if they fire you. That's why he was scheduled for the next week after quitting.
  • (cs)

    I've never understood the concept of wearing a coat in summer when it's broiling outside nor nooses. Oh wait, the noose is so the boss can strangle you at will. I wonder what OSHA would say about that one....

  • ell0bo (unregistered) in reply to daniel

    nor my ex...

  • (cs) in reply to mark11727
    mark11727:
    Rectal-cranial inversion? :o)
    I was thinking he meant being both parties in a copulative maneuver.
  • Triscopic (unregistered) in reply to DazP
    DazP:
    He talks the reason! WITCH WITCH WITCH!

    Yes! He turned me into a newt!

    ...

    I got better.

    BURN HIM anyway! BURN! BURN! BURN HIM!

  • Dude (unregistered)

    I woud give a bill to my boss for a new suit. And i woud start yelling back at boss, that work condition is so bad, that i am impressed so many people works

  • Former Junior Programmer (unregistered)

    Did you have to punch out in order to walk over to the punch out machine to punch out?

    CATCH-22!

  • Foo (unregistered) in reply to ChiefCrazyTalk
    I call fake. I would have quit that job the first 5 minutes - after checking first to see if I was on Candid Camera or Punk'd
    Actually, I sort of believe it. If you were fresh out of college from a no-name university and had no professional work references and then managed to have the bad luck to get trapped in this job as your first work experience... you might stick out something like this for a surprisingly long time. I'd also believe that a developer that had a bad reference from "big software company" might try and stick out a job like that for a bit.
  • ahgano (unregistered)

    First Red Flag: Boss' son on payroll Second Red Flag: Boss' wife on the payroll

    NEVER work for a "family" business, unless you're a BLOOD reletive of the "family", everyone else falls under the heading of "identured servant".

    Also, if you're salaried, and they start telling you to "punch out" to go to the bathroom, head for the door and don't look back.

  • (cs)

    I think I speak for all of us here when I say that a dress code at a programming job is a showstopper.

    Suits and ties are for bankers and lawyers only.

  • (cs)

    Let's see. He should have:

    A) Reported them to the department of labor. If someone is on salary and you make them clock in/out like an hourly employee, they can be forced to reclassify you as hourly since you're being treated hourly.

    B) Reported them to OSHA, since developers are not trained to do warehouse work. If this fucktard of a boss is breaking OSHA rules, I'm sure they'd like to have a word with the company.

    C) Told them to fuck off the second he heard the "You must clock out to use the restroom" line.

    At least he told them to FOAD.

  • my name is missing (unregistered)

    Any place where developers punch in and out and have to wear suits should be punched out at once.

  • Cyan (unregistered) in reply to bob

    Uh, what? There's no such requirement in Canada. You're allowed to walk out whenever you want, for whatever reasons you want. The amount of notice you're required to give is exactly zero.

    It's too bad that so many employers have their employees thinking that there is some kind of 'give notice' law on the books when there really isn't.

  • (cs) in reply to Code Dependent
    Code Dependent:
    mark11727:
    Rectal-cranial inversion? :o)
    I was thinking he meant being both parties in a copulative maneuver.
    Lick your elbow ?
  • bshock (unregistered)

    Todd's a lot more understanding than I am. I would've started looking for a new job the second they said anything about wearing a tie.

  • (cs)

    Wearing a coat and tie is silly in a company that doesn't have face to face "customer contact". And even then, the customers don't usually come in contact with the developers.

    If no one but the owners can see what you're wearing, who are you supposed to "impress" with your coat and tie?

    The purpose of good programmers is to write good code, not to look like they are on their way to a fancy social occasion.

  • (cs) in reply to bob
    bob:
    snoofle:
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
    Unless, of course, he needed the money, didn't yet have another job, and/or his start date was a ways off, in which case his boss inadvertently did him a favor.
    In Canada you have to give two weeks notice and are required to work those two weeks. Also the company is required to pay for two weeks if they fire you. That's why he was scheduled for the next week after quitting.

    And when you don't show up? Not sure how this law would be enforced...

  • Bernie (unregistered) in reply to ChiefCrazyTalk
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    I call fake.
    I'm inclined to second that. It just doesn't feel real. (Or, perhaps, too many of the details were changed to protect the guilty.)
  • (cs)

    and they probably still claim low attrition. because on the books he probably was fired or laid off. People without ethics are more common than you think.

  • Mr. Not Sure (unregistered)

    So, who's the author of this third person tale. You can tell it's not that company or Todd. Maybe some fly on every wall where Todd goes. But 17 people commented as if it could be true. Anyone who thinks this is a true tale is too stupid to have a job. And, you can bet they read the article from their job.

    I unfortunately read all sent to me. And, it makes me wonder how a paid employee has time to find this crap; and, send it to me, at my job, as if I don't have a full and productive schedule.

  • SirWired (unregistered) in reply to SomeCoder
    SomeCoder:
    He'd be going from a big software company to a more progressive publishing company with a software department;

    This is where the WTF begins. I'm sure some of you have had better experiences with it, but for me, when the company specializes in one thing and has a software development department because times have forced them to have one, it's no fun. The developers get treated like a necessary evil rather than something that keeps the business afloat and you can imagine how fun working in that environment is.

    Most programmers don't work for software companies, most of them do indeed work for corporate IT departments.

    SirWired

  • (cs) in reply to Code Dependent
    Code Dependent:
    I was thinking he meant being both parties in a copulative maneuver.
    A quick GIS with Safe Search off will show you that this is not anatomically impossible.

    Warning: what has been seen, cannot be un-seen!

  • SomeCoder (unregistered) in reply to SirWired
    SirWired:
    SomeCoder:
    He'd be going from a big software company to a more progressive publishing company with a software department;

    This is where the WTF begins. I'm sure some of you have had better experiences with it, but for me, when the company specializes in one thing and has a software development department because times have forced them to have one, it's no fun. The developers get treated like a necessary evil rather than something that keeps the business afloat and you can imagine how fun working in that environment is.

    Most programmers don't work for software companies, most of them do indeed work for corporate IT departments.

    SirWired

    That hasn't been my experience. Almost all programmers I know work for companies that are software companies.

    I'm sure there are a lot of non-software company programmers out there but my experiences with such jobs are that you are viewed as a nuisance rather than a solution or helper.

  • J_Random_Hacker (unregistered)

    All of you who would just swear at the boss and quit if you found out you had to wear a tie are such wusses. I would have pulled out a bazooka and killed that m#therfucker right there and then the moment the word was out of his mouth.

    Because clothes are REALLY IMPORTANT!

  • Joe Random Canuck (unregistered) in reply to bob
    bob:
    snoofle:
    ChiefCrazyTalk:
    WhiskeyJack:
    Even after I'd given my formal notice, I found that my boss had scheduled me in for the following week. The nice guy that I am, I came in and worked it anyway.
    And that, ladies and gentlement, is the REAL WTF.
    Unless, of course, he needed the money, didn't yet have another job, and/or his start date was a ways off, in which case his boss inadvertently did him a favor.
    In Canada you have to give two weeks notice and are required to work those two weeks. Also the company is required to pay for two weeks if they fire you. That's why he was scheduled for the next week after quitting.

    Well first of all, you can't generalize to all of Canada - labour law is under provincial jurisdiction.

    In Ontario at least, unless you signed an employment contract where you committed to giving notice, then you have absolutely no legal obligation to give any notice at all. (Of course, that definitely falls into the burning bridges category, but that's a different story.)

    The employer IS required to give notice and/or pay severance amounts that vary with length of employment among other things. Depending on circumstances, you can get fired and still take anywhere from 0 to 34 weeks pay out the door with you.

  • jfruh (unregistered)

    I call bullshit on at least one aspect of this: unless we're talking about fancy New York book publishers (and probably even then), the publishing industry is notorious for having some of the laxes dress codes around. An editor told that he or she had to wear a suit to work would be just as shocked as programmer.

  • TwoWeekPolice (unregistered) in reply to bob

    Samsonite...way off.

  • Brewster (unregistered)

    What is a tie ?

  • (cs) in reply to Mr. Not Sure
    Mr. Not Sure:
    So, who's the author of this third person tale. You can tell it's not that company or Todd. Maybe some fly on every wall where Todd goes. But 17 people commented as if it could be true. Anyone who thinks this is a true tale is too stupid to have a job. And, you can bet they read the article from their job.

    I unfortunately read all sent to me. And, it makes me wonder how a paid employee has time to find this crap; and, send it to me, at my job, as if I don't have a full and productive schedule.

    So you're chewing out the author of this tale because you're sitting there, on the clock, reading everything that comes down the RSS pipe to you, and you're too busy with your work and schedule and what-all to waste your time on bad stories? Wow... just, wow.

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