ATTENTION: If you are still working for West Corporation, or debating whether to leave the company for a better career please read my story. This is the first time I’ve come forward with what West has done to me, but I feel the need to make others aware so you can run while you can before you end up in my situation. I worked out of the Appleton, Wi location for West for almost 4 years. I had a situation arise that occurred after the management left for the day. In the event a direct Manager was unavailable Employees at West were directed to consult with the Senior Management on the floor, which I did. I did exactly what I was directed to do when I consulted with Senior Management regarding my situation at hand, and I was wrongfully terminated for doing what I was told, and given permission to do. Prior to my Termination I had a squeaky clean record with West with no pins, or prior warnings of any kind. I was an employee with an outstanding work ethic, I was very knowledgeable regarding the Products/Services I Provided not only to my customers, but to my fellow employees as well, I loved helping others, and took pride in my job always working to my fullest potential, I always was open minded taking constructive criticism with a grain of salt, and always implemented what I had learned from others to improve where I needed it most to be the best Sales Associate I could be, and was always looking to succeed with a very strong determination to go above, and beyond my set goals always being an overachiever. With no prior warnings of any kind, after trusting in what Senior Management had said to do I believed I was abiding company policy as the Senior Management in charge at the time should’ve known how to handle my situation. The day proceeded I handled my situation as I was told to nothing further was said, and I went home for the day.The following day on my day off I received a phone call from West. I was completely blindsided as to why West was contacting me because in the almost 4 years of working at West there had never been an instance that West had reached out to me outside of work especially on my day off. When I answered my phone West told me that I was terminated for doing what Senior Management had told me to do. West gave me no room to justify myself, and explain in my words my reasoning behind what had occurred (quite frankly I don’t think they cared). Due to West’s lack of training that they gave their Senior Management, and the Senior being undereducated as to how to handle situations effectively my situation was handled inappropriately. I was terminated due to being misinformed which in all odds wasn’t my fault, but became my mess to clean up in the long haul even though it shouldn’t have been. It was not my place nor my position to inform management how to affectively handle a situation nor appropriately train an employee. The only mistake I made was believing that what I was told by who I was supposed to confide in was accurate, and addressed in the appropriate manor. In return I’ve had to suffer the consequences as a result of West’s error. I shouldn’t be paying for West being wrong on their end, and West’s lack of effort. I was looking to advance within the company myself into a Leadership role, and was working extremely hard at getting myself to that level. With how determined I was to succeed in my career, I wouldn't jeopardize my reputation with the company for anything.I'd like to describe my prior background with West before I was wrongfully terminated from the company to better broadcast my dedication, and commitment I had to my job. I worked under one program since I started in 2014 for 3 1/2 years in which I advanced quickly through all the segments of the program reaching my highest peak being promoted, and trusted to work directly one on one with one of West’s clients at a corporate level representing West as a whole. Sadly the client looked into other venues, and the program had come to an end in which I was then placed on another sales team loosing my rank, and having to start over in a totally different kind of sale dealing with a totally different type of product/service. I was ranked one of the top 10 sales associates on that team out of 200. Determined to succeed in something new without much hesitation I ranked 3rd on the team out of 200 people my first month. Now with some of my past responsibilities at West being put on the table, and my track record I had which was clean throughout the almost 4 years that I was with the company you be the judge whether my Termination was fair??? In addition to receiving a phone call from West on my day off in which they called me numerous times (at least 5 times within 1 hour leaving no voicemail) I was terminated right before a paid holiday in which I fully believe they didn’t want to pay me for (hence the urgency to get a hold of me by phone on my day off on a Friday afternoon when the paid holiday was on that upcoming Monday, and make sure I was terminated). Why would West not wait to terminate me in person face to face which normally is how someone is terminated? Why would they not have enough respect toward me being a tenured employee, and my dedication not only to my work, but to my fellow employees success as well to treat me like a human being??What do You think??? Is firing someone over the phone even legal?? In addition West fought me on my unemployment, and took me to an unemployment hearing to try to deny me unemployment that should’ve been granted no questions asked. Needless to say West didn’t know there a from their head, and looked/sounded totally incompetent in front of the unemployment judge I ended up winning, and being granted my unemployment. Why would West stoop that low to bring me to court to try, and make things up just to make me look bad instead of humane, and fair??? If that isn’t enough for You to breathe in West had granted me my PTO on my anniversary at the beginning of 2017 8 months prior to my Termination. The PTO I was granted I rightfully earned, and at the time of my Termination I still had 70 hours remaining to use ( PTO that was granted 8 months prior). At the time of my Termination I tried to collect my remaining PTO as it was earned, and West told me that “I left on wrongful terms”, and refused to pay out my remaining PTO (Per my conversation directly with the Human Resources/ Benefits department at West’s HQ in Omaha.) As those of you that currently work, or have worked for west know all benefits are stored, and available to use on an in-house system in which you only have access to if your an employee, and only on your work computer at work. I’ve contacted my lawyer on my PTO to get assistance in collecting what I was robbed ( Approximately $1,000). My lawyer stated in order to fight for my PTO I rightfully earned I needed proof of my PTO I had available ( No proof due to not being able to access my benefits information = total loss for me.) It is completely disgusting to me to this day how I was treated, and the thanks that I received for all my hard work, and efforts when I was with West. I tried to appeal my case in writing with a detailed description of the situation at hand to the VP of HR ( My appeal was numerous pages long stating the truth word for word as to what occurred) trying to get my job back as I should have had no problems with my track record with the company. My appeal that I spent a lot of time, and put a lot of effort into was later denied by the VP in which my Termination remained irreconcilable. West will treat you like royalty until they don’t want you anymore regardless of your status with the company, or how good of employee you are. They will rob you of everything you deserve, and ruin your reputation making it impossible to find a decent job with a good company simply because of the fact “No reputable company wants to hire someone with Termination listed on their job history”. To a reputable company regardless of if the Termination is wrongful, or not it doesn’t matter it still looks bad. Don’t be like me, and still be lost trying to clean up the mess West made, and having to rebuild your reputation so you can hopefully have a shot at some point of getting into a good company again. Again get the He out of dodge why you can!!!! There are so many companies out there with way better potential, and way better pay that will be good to you. Always be the best you can be, and never settle for something less than what you deserve, or be stuck in a situation that destroys the option to advance into better opportunities you deserve!!
4 replies (most recent on top)
So were you one of those people fired because of the expense report debacle?
It is a hell hole . Let people go they know nothing about when they acquire a company . Lie about how long your insurance will last once you are let go. Wish them nothing but the worst.
I've had nothing but bad experiences with West's HR in Omaha. They're rude and incompetent. Other people at my company (subsidiary) said the same thing. I've never experienced an HR department like this. Epically bad.
I'm pretty sure they flat out lied to me about parts of an FMLA claim that I had a few years ago. The person spoke so fast on the phone that it was hard to understand her. It seemed like she wanted to get off the line ASAP. Their provider FMLA forms were 5 pages long. No one I've spoken to has every heard of one that long. It was a blatant attempt to frustrate providers and hurt my FMLA chances.
When my PTO was cut the next year and I wanted to do the math, HR told me "your hours on are on ADP" which would mean that I'd have to total up a year of statements. Do they really think that I don't know that, with a little effort, they could have found the total in the system?
Our onsite HR was only for recruiting and putting up informational signs. I guess if there was a conflict but with anything else, they had no idea. Oh, an HR person is now responding to negative Glassdoor reviews with flowery B.S. and "we won a fake award!" drivel, so I guess there's that.
So sorry to hear this - all the best to you a d God bless. I left W in 2017 on my own - in my case, the grass is greener