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Where is the original poster ? I hate it when I get caught up in these kinds of threads. I am usually into them before I realize that though the subject may be somewhat interesting, it seems to be just a topic someone thought up, posted, left and never returned, under that nic anyway.
I initially was working for this company at a different division and different state as a contractor. In February/March I applied for a position at their Corporate facility in Indiana. Had the on site interview, etc. and was told after the interview they would be offering the position to me.
I continued to work as a contractor at the other division, waiting for the "official offer".
The signed offer letter and all conversations I had with HR and the hiring Manager never stated a set date that I needed to be in Indiana.
There's most likely a start date somewhere in the paperwork, even if not in the offer letter. Especially if it's from a decent-sized company (making assumptions here since it has divisions in at least two states).
HR and Accounting need a start date for payroll, orientation/on-boarding, any mandatory briefings (ethics, safety, etc) and for benefits to start (accrue vacation/sick, 401K, health plan). Probably need Admin to be informed for keys, keycards, photo IDs made up. IT needs to set up new employee profile, email, intranet/internet access privileges, and maybe a computer if OP's job requires one.
Doesn't make sense at all that the company failed to provide a firm start date. I don't think it's something they'd overlook.
Last edited by mclarlm; 09-03-2014 at 11:10 PM..
Reason: Clarity
Anytime it takes 6 weeks after getting the signed offer without an agreement that would take 6 weeks, to move to a new area and take a job, you can figure that any company is going to give up on you. Any intelligent person as you claim to be, would while waiting to get the written offer, have found how to get your things moved to Indiana, not waited till you were ready to move to check things like that out. And when it took you 2 weeks travel time, it was pointed out to them that you were not a reliable employee, ready and able to perform your work duties. You kept having problems throughout the trip, and kept just sending them excuse after excuse why you could not get there. This all ads up to the fact, that if you would act this way while getting to the new job, they could only figure you would not be a reliable employee that would be at work every day.
It is your own fault, that the job offer was cancelled. You cancelled it yourself, by just taking a very long extended period to show up for work.
Anytime it takes 6 weeks after getting the signed offer without an agreement that would take 6 weeks, to move to a new area and take a job, you can figure that any company is going to give up on you. Any intelligent person as you claim to be, would while waiting to get the written offer, have found how to get your things moved to Indiana, not waited till you were ready to move to check things like that out. And when it took you 2 weeks travel time, it was pointed out to them that you were not a reliable employee, ready and able to perform your work duties. You kept having problems throughout the trip, and kept just sending them excuse after excuse why you could not get there. This all ads up to the fact, that if you would act this way while getting to the new job, they could only figure you would not be a reliable employee that would be at work every day.
It is your own fault, that the job offer was cancelled. You cancelled it yourself, by just taking a very long extended period to show up for work.
Yeah, but she didn't know when exactly she was supposed to be there, because they didn't give her a start date (her words).
I don't understand it either.
I just hope the OP is okay healthwise since the last time she posted this. It really is sad that she had to go through all of this by herself right after a major surgery.
I know a lot of people who have re-located for jobs, and then were laid off immediately after their move was complete. That's why it makes no sense to me. I wouldn't move unless the job paid 100K or more, because it wouldn't be worth the hassle for me.
Also, if you are move away from an area where the jobs are more plentiful, to take a job in a location of the US where jobs are more scarce, its doubly risky. Because if you are laid off, you are then stuck with far fewer job options immediately available to you.
I have taken job offers with starts dates well into the future. For one job, it was 2 months because it would require relocation and for another job it was 4 months because my employer really wanted me to stay on for long time. These situations were fine because it was well communicated in advance with my new employer so expectations were set and agreed upon.
If my new employer said "no way, we really need you sooner than that" then I would have gone back and discussed a different transtion plan, etc.
It makes absolutely no sense to not have any kind of start date. I suppose if the company knew when the employee was going to drive over from CA they might have assumed a start date of "sometime next week" but even that is highly unlikely and just not how things are done.
CA to IN is a long drive and obviously I don't know the finances of the OP but it was obviously too far to drive.
Severla years ago, I was living in Virginia and took a job in California. I started work 3 weeks after my offer. I was able to complete my relocation after having started work. It can be done. However, I did not have any health issues and I had my car shipped.
When I returned to Virginia, the time frame was essentially the same for my relocation.
Fortunately, both times the employer relocated me so it cut down on a lot of the hassle, though I still had to find a place to live, etc.
Regardless of anything else, IF the OP failed to provide the employer with regular, reasonable updates on what was happening, and the date(s) the OP expected to be available to begin the new job, THEN the silence would look, to the employer, like the OP had "abandoned" the job. Therefore the employer would naturally and rightly begin looking for another suitable candidate.
The OP did not state that he or she had been in regular communication with the employer throughout this most difficult of transitions. I'm not saying said communication did not occur; I'm only saying that the OP did not mention it. If he/she did and I missed it, please direct me to the specific post.
It also needs to be said that the age of the OP/applicant does not automatically impart wisdom, experience, intelligence or even common sense. I say this from my own age-related viewpoint -- I'm 68. (In other words, OP, do not try to play the Age Card with me -- it has no value in THIS game.)
-- Nighteyes
PS: This does not let the employer off the hook. A specific start date (day, month, year) should always be part of any offer letter. So should a specific point (day, month, year, time-of-day) at which the offer will expire. This is basic American contract law.
Last edited by Nighteyes; 09-04-2014 at 05:44 PM..
Based on what the OP said, this was essentially a transfer in the middle of OP having cancer treatment.
Transfer across country, no start date, no relocation costs, and when the OP arrives, the job is gone....
And the OP's insurance coverage with it. Feels like dirty pool to save a bundle on health insurance costs.
Based on what OP said, she was a contractor, contract ended, and then she accepted a formal offer for permanent employment. This is not a transfer because she was not an employee of the company before the move.
I don't think this saves any health insurance cost for the company.
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