Is there a way to sue the company for what was said during the hiring process and then changed to the opposite within months of being hired? I left a decent remote job to start working here thinking I would remain remote. I know the answer is probably no since there is no written record of what's been said but I'm desperate to do something. I can't believe they can do this and just get away with it.
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Wouldn’t promissory estoppel be a factor?
They are pushing RTO because they want you to quit. Not sure why this is hard to grasp. It’s a tougher hiring market right now (not the worst I’ve seen by any means) but remote positions are drying up..Many things go into this such as cities threatening to pull tax subsidies for no RTO. If you feel your job can be done from home you are essentially admitting your job can be done by anyone, anywhere in the world.
So tired of the generational thing. Soon the Alphas are coming to dethrone Gen Z and all of you will sound like Millennials defending their side parts and skinny jeans. You have around seven years so enjoy wisely.
In Texas no, I can't speak for other states. There is no way to sue for what was said during the recruiting/hire process, nor can you sue if they change you from remote to hybrid which is what is happening now if you live with 60 miles of a USAA office. Texas is an at-will state; your option is to accept the change in work conditions or resign.
A little less conversation, a little more arbitration, please 🤣🤣🤣
We could always unionize….
Short answer: No.
Longer answer: Maybe?
We all signed arbitration agreements upon hire and are "at will" employees. That means that our manager could fire us because we wore yellow and that really sets her off. That's obviously an extreme example, but at will essentially means no promises, no guarantees, and no "rights" outside of what the company is willing to agree to on the honor system. The only real "rights" we have are related to protected characteristics like age, s-x, religion, etc.
And what's so frustrating is that the majority of us don't have any qualms with office work in general. We just want the flexibility to work from where we want, when we want. We want that for everyone. If someone works better in an office, great, let them do that. If someone wants to work from home, let them.
The idea of being chained to an office desk again for many of us sounds like something out of a dystopian nightmare. I have plenty of reasons why I want to work from home. I'm more productive there, I have superior mental health at home, and I take fewer days off. I can work with a slight cold or allergies or some other minor ailment that might otherwise make me want to take a day off if I had to commute in and risk spreading it to coworkers. I spend less time chit-chatting with Debra from accounting and pretending to care about her kid's dance recital. I can take a break between meetings and start a load of laundry. I can make a grocery run and get frozen foods on my lunch instead of after work. I could write a hundred examples.
Our Boomer overlords can't comprehend that the world is changing. Or, rather, they can comprehend it but aren't willing to let it happen under their reign. They were fine with every new perk that benefited them when they were working their way up, but the addition of anything new for the younger generation is "not how we do things" or "not how we run a healthy business." They could make that argument about any of our benefits or perks. They saw a steady increase in benefits, pay, retirement, and the like when they were at the bottom, but now that they are in charge, it's a race to the bottom.
- What's the least we can pay and not lose everyone?
- What is the risk/benefit of cutting X employee benefit?
- If we lose X number of people by enforcing RTO, is it worth the Y tax break and lower headcount?
- How much will our bonus increase if we eliminate X?
All things considered, USAA is still above average in terms of benefits and work/life balance. 401k match, PTO, the "pension," and other perks do very much set USAA apart. I worry that under Wayne, though, anything that sets us apart in a good way is going to be next on the chopping block.
RTO is not a problem unique to USAA, but it pains me to see our "leaders" be such followers. They had a real chance to set themselves apart and send a message to employees and members alike that we are capable of great things even while being geographically dispersed. We are essentially a remote-only bank. We serve members overseas with no brick and mortar banks or insurance centers. Geographical separation and reliance on technology is in our DNA.
It's frustrating beyond belief to be gaslighted by our employer when we're told that we're returning for the culture or any of the other PR-approved lines. Just get up on stage and tell us "You know what, the City of San Antonio threatened to fine us if we didn't get so many heads in the building to help boost the local economy" or "The mayor offered USAA a tax break if we RTO'd" or whatever the real reason is.
USAA has turned into an abusive lover under Wayne's leadership. They'll slap you in the face and tell you it's what's best for you, they'll promise you one thing then break that promise with no remorse, and they'll lie straight to your face if it benefits them. I sincerely hope it's not too late for the company to make a turnaround under the next CEO, but it looks to me like the Wayne is setting USAA up to be "just another company" before his golden parachute deploys.
As someone in the Gen Z generation, is there any point in staying here? I’m so bored technically and not inspired by any leaders here. There’s so much more interesting things to learn externally, but I’m waiting to vest and because I drank the Kool-Aid of being the best for the military, especially due to being from a family that adores USAA.
Gen X are still afraid to challenge status quo because At-Will is frequently used to enforce obedience to the mighty CEO. This was largely because we were a minority since we came up with boomers that made these rules. However, I am excited abut new generations that are not afraid to demand workers' rights. I personally remember the times we were asked to "plan sick days in advance", require doctor's note for 3 sick days that were usually unpaid (which also meant you had to spend money to see dr for things like flu when OTC meds and rest is all you need), flexibility meant working 45 hrs/wk, taking more than 2 consecutive weeks vacation was seen as "not taking your job seriously", and unused vacation and sick days were "accomplishments".
I am thankful to millenials that helped us change these things, and can't wait for Gen Z to redefine flexibility (f..k "hybrid" we need "work from anywhere") and work-life balance. Excited about future generations flipping tables. And no, the economy will not suffer if we get collective bargaining rights - WE have been suffering in this economy that is rigged not to work for people with W2 income. People who gave 20+ years to this and many other companies are pushed out because "positioning for the next 100 years??????" What a load of bullcr-p.
https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/at-will-employment-overview