Former employer won't let me go!

[Rustic23]

cut the hours at least in half, double or even triple the proposed per hour rate, and amend there clause 'to except any assignment' to 'refuse any assignment', then send it back to them. You are not an independent contractor and you have the right to work, and charge anything you like.

 

[Kabekew]

cut the hours at least in half, double or even triple the proposed per hour rate, and amend there clause 'to except any assignment' to 'refuse any assignment', then send it back to them. You are not an independent contractor and you have the right to work, and charge anything you like.

Except I'm retired! That means I don't work! No work! No meetings, no emails, no business cases, no presentations, no invoices, no nothing! I'm done!

 

[LoftyNotions]

Except I'm retired! That means I don't work! No work! No meetings, no emails, no business cases, no presentations, no invoices, no nothing! I'm done!

Congratulations on your retirement. Isn't it nice to KNOW the hell you went through there is over?

 

[Rustic23]

Then I think you just answered you question. Don't answer any emails, or phone calls.

 

[audreyh1]

You did every thing you could do to leave on good terms. You documented your job, trained others, so there is no need to feel you owe them anything. Just ignore them at this point.

Enjoy your retirement.

DITTO!

You were extremely conscientious in how you exited the company. A year of training is incredible and well beyond the call of duty. You can ignore them with a clean conscience. If they call or email and you have a ready answer with minimal effort - fine. But if they try to suck you in to any kind of commitment - IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM - you are under no obligation.

Sounds to me like these strong arm tactics are an attempt to force you to commit to the company. But they have no teeth! It's all bark.

Audrey

 

[mews]

I told the contracting person they misunderstood, I said I'd just answer a question here and there. They said I can't do that, I have to agree to the non-disclosure and non-compete and carry insurance and agree to be tasked with things and this and that.

Oh, this made my day!!

I'm so glad you adjusted their reality!!

Aren't bookstores fun?

ta,
mew

 

[clifp]

You sir sound like you are ready for retirement. Congratulations.

Still I'd be tempted tell the contract guy. Sure I'll sign your contract providing you add a zero to my hourly rate... Or couldn't you even work there at 10x your pay?

 

[ziggy29]

See, this whole thread demonstrates the beauty of being FI, whether you actually retire or not. Suddenly the "boss" and the employer no longer have all the leverage...

 

[Darryl]

Wow great post these jokers are totally out of control. Pretty easy to see why you wanted out.

Two months notice with good coaching and recordkeeping on the way out is certainly sporting on your part.

The responses that followed your post were all so good I had trouble deciding which was best.

If you're never going to work again I would not reply to anyone in this company on anything for fear these guys would come after me (they seem a bit deranged).

If you think you might want some more money at some point I would counter offer their consultant contract starting at triple your old rate of pay and anything putting obligations on you (specifically the noncompete) as a deal breaker "goodbye and good luck".

 

[Sarah in SC]

I love your stand, Kabekew! That is fantastic. The no-leverage feeling is such a great one! Even for aspiring FIREes like myself, knowing that we can tell our bosses to shove it is so liberating!
But I'd have to get another job...and YOU DON'T! YAY!

 

[Milton]

I had given my boss two months notice, though he ignored it until last Thursday when he assigned me a three month long project and told me I had to finish it before I could leave (he wasn't kidding, either... just one of those jerks).

What is he smoking?!

That's crazy. It would be one thing if they merely asked you if you'd consider staying there for a while longer, doing contractor/consulting work at the going rate. It's quite another to play this game.

Absolutely. This is one of the most bizarre stories I have heard in quite a while.

If you let them bully you into signing a contract against your will, imagine how you will be treated after the contract is signed.

EXACTLY.

Doing work for them as a consultant at the same hourly rate as when you were an employee would be highly unusual. They are giving you no benefits at this point. I'd guess 25% - 40% more than your previous rate would be about right. You DO want to wean them away from you, right? And you DON'T want to be doing mind-numbing admin duties, right? The best way to make those things happen is with an hourly rate that appropriately values your experience.

In the circumstances, I'd guess 300%-500% more than your previous rate would be about right.

 

[FUEGO]

Would you go back on a limited basis for 20x your former hourly rate? We're all whores, it's just a matter of negotiating the price...

Were I in your shoes, I'd privately email or speak with one or two friendly coworkers on the team/in the division and let them know if they ever want to send you a quick email or phone call, up to 30 minutes is free. More than that will cost them a beer, and anything over an hour will cost them a lunch or dinner. If you have any friends there anyway.

I'm the "friend" to the half of my department that was laid off. If something comes up on projects the laid off folks worked on, I will privately contact them and get filled in on the project. But that is due to actual friendship, not mere loose coworker-coworker "association".

 

[skyline]

I'm in agreement with all the prior posts, so I won't rehash any of that, but I did want to mention for the OP's benefit (and for anyone else in a similar situation) that there are other options than becoming a contractor. Most companies don't like to do this, but if you have them over a barrel, they will agree to hire you as an hourly W2 employee w/ no minimum hours. You still have to procure your own health insurance, but your taxes will work pretty much like they always did, you don't have to incorporate or setup invoicing, etc. And you still get to name your own hourly rate.

Most companies in this situation will push hard to get to you sign up as a contractor instead, but you can simply tell them that you don't expect to put in enough hours to make it worth your while - it's take it or leave it, and they'll generally cave quickly if you were really a critical cog...

 

[dm]

Wow. Your old boss is a jerk. When I retired I was also asked if I would help out if needed. I worked half time the last 6 months so I knew that my replacement would have no problems. Then the guy that took over my old job wanted to take a vacation and didn't have anyone up to speed to take over for him. I worked a week and charged them 3X my old salary. I'm still on good terms with everyone and still drop in from time to time for lunch, or a ball game. But they have never asked me to work again, and I don't want to.

 

[RunningBum]

I don't get most of these posts. The OP said he didn't want to go back at all. And people keep telling him how much he should charge as a contractor! He doesn't want to do that!

Kabekew, no wonder you hated the job with a clueless boss like that. I think you handled it well. They'll survive.

 

[freebird5825]

3 words...RUN LIKE H*LL

Congrats on your retirement.
Your freedom is the most important thing - away from this former boss' bowl of very twisted up spaghetti between his ears.

 

[donheff]

Congrats on the retirement. I can't believe people can be as dumb as your boss. After the treatment you received you should not "answer an email or two." But, ss others said, everything is negotiable. If you want the option of making a few bucks you could craft your own agreement at double your former hourly rate and then contact the boss and tell him/her that you are not available for projects/lengthy assignments but are available to consult on problems that come up in your former area. But insist that the consultations be under your terms.

 

[ziggy29]

Congrats on the retirement. I can't believe people can be as dumb as your boss. After the treatment you received you should not "answer an email or two."

No kidding. I guess some managers just can't wrap their heads around the fact that not everyone can be controlled through fear and need of a paycheck.

 

[W2R]

I don't get most of these posts. The OP said he didn't want to go back at all. And people keep telling him how much he should charge as a contractor! He doesn't want to do that!

Kabekew, no wonder you hated the job with a clueless boss like that. I think you handled it well. They'll survive.

I agree - - I think that many posting here lost track of the fact that Kabekew doesn't want to consult.

As for the idea that everybody has a price, a salary at which they would return to work after FIRE, think twice!! Time=money. There is a point in life at which many feel they have enough stuff, and would much prefer the option of having additional free time to the option of having additional money.

Kabekew, there is a silver lining to this cloud, to be considered here. Namely, now you know that retiring was an even better decision than you previously thought. There are few things worse than working for a clueless jerk. What are you doing today? Enjoying life, I hope.

 

[ziggy29]

I agree - - I think that many posting here lost track of the fact that Kabekew doesn't want to consult.

It may not always be a matter of "losing track" of that. It may be case of filing the phrase "never say never" in the back of your head. Even if someone has no desire to do it now, you never know if a few months down the road, assuming someone can be paid fairly and largely dictate their own terms, they may have a change of heart. It may seem far-fetched now, but I've learned that you don't burn bridges that don't absolutely *need* to be burned.

Having said that, I have to imagine the environment must have been at least somewhat toxic if the boss has this kind of arrogant, control-freak attitude even with the people they can no longer control. I would think that even if someone had a little bit of inclination to consider consulting in the future, that attitude would certainly make me a LOT less likely to want to set foot in that place again.

 

[Rustic23]

I went back an reread the OP's post. It seems like the firm is looking for a consultant, and the OP makes it clear that is not him. I agree with the post that you contact one or two close associates and let them know you are available to answer a question, i.e. 'where did I leave the coffee filters' but only if they are friends you feel you would like a continued relationship with.

The idea of setting outrageous conditions on your time is to do what many contractors do when they really don't want the job. They don't tell you no, they just bid it at such a ridiculous price no one would except it, and if they did, they are really going to laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[kyounge1956]

Your old boss must be related to thefed's dentist

Congratulations on your retirement!!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I went back an reread the OP's post. It seems like the firm is looking for a consultant, and the OP makes it clear that is not him. I agree with the post that you contact one or two close associates and let them know you are available to answer a question, i.e. 'where did I leave the coffee filters' but only if they are friends you feel you would like a continued relationship with.

The idea of setting outrageous conditions on your time is to do what many contractors do when they really don't want the job. They don't tell you no, they just bid it at such a ridiculous price no one would except it, and if they did, they are really going to laugh all the way to the bank.

We don't have all of the info here. But I suspect that there is more to this story than an overbearing boss and poor planning.

Reading between the lines I get that the OP sold his small software company to MegaCorp, agreed to work there for some time thereafter. Completed any contractual obligations for such. Has issues with cultural differences between Megacorp and running his own small independent company. Evidently the OP did well selling off the company and needn't work anymore.

The OP may have unique experience keeping "the product" up and running and is therefore a very valuable asset.

 

[rescueme]

Time=money. There is a point in life at which many feel they have enough stuff, and would much prefer the option of having additional free time to the option of having additional money.

One of my favorite refrerences:

 

[easysurfer]

Reading the original post, now I don't feel so paranoid about being a bit guarded after receiving a Happy Birthday email from former co-w*rkers

Congrats on your retirement!