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HR sent around updated contracts asking everyone to sign them since the company changed its name, fair enough.

In the contract it stated "Your normal place of work will be X" - only X was many miles away, and I'd never worked there, never planned too. Assumed it was a mistake, sent it back. HR refused to change it, stating that the "normal place of work does not need to be the place where you normally work."

A lot of back and forth entailed, I refused to sign, I was reprimanded for not doing so, I was asked what my problem was as it made no material difference, and then I eventually replied with:

"Angela, I'm refusing to sign this as it's factually incorrect. No further explanation is required. I'll maybe consider signing this if you sign a piece of paper declaring you believe the moon is made of cheese, and you're the cow the milk came from to make it."

A very strongly worded email came back about how this was going on my record, I needed to offer a formal apology, etc. - all cc'd to my manager. I replied back, again copying my manager in, stating that this was ok, as I couldn't remain at a company who forced employees to sign dodgy contracts anyway.

Problem was (for them), I was a *massive* single point of failure for them at this point owing to some others leaving with no handover - hence I knew I wasn't going to be the casualty here. My manager flipped the lid at HR, got the CEO involved on threat of *him* leaving, and the whole thing massively blew up. Happy ending in that the HR person in question was fired, everyone else's contracts also had to be redone (I assumed everyone else just signed without looking which is worrying), and I actually got a pay rise out of it when higher ups realised the massive single point of failure I was.

But damn, I would've walked over crap like that. Walked pretty soon after anyway!

Comments
  • 35
    I am proud of you mate really. HR peasants should be put in their place. And threatening/demanding apology? Such nerve...
  • 7
    What the.........
  • 8
  • 8
    proud of you. Doing something like you did is on my dream wish list
  • 5
    You are an example to all of us.
  • 6
    Lemme correct something here.

    This was not stupidity. It might have been a mistake - but the moment HR refused to cooperate, it became a legal problem.

    I've always stressed in full mama voice and with dead stare eyes to all apprentices that if someone wants them to sign something they should fucking read it, make a fucking copy of it and put in a filing system - and if they are a tiny but unsure, seek legal advice.

    This might be a lil thing for HR, maybe for tax reasons, maybe for sheer incompetence / lazyness...

    But depending on country, this could open a whole pandora's box full of bureaucratic and legal issues if you signed it

    Reason I emphasize this is because many people do not read what they have signed or belittle it (that doesn't mean anything at all...)... Which can end badly.
  • 0
    @aviophile i think you mean pedants. But i agree either way
  • 3
    @dev-job-hunting no, peasants. As in dirty hr peasants.
  • 2
    @JustThat ah. Misinterpreted, had a grumpy day yesterday.

    Sorry ;)
  • 2
    10/10 story, enjoyed it very much
  • 1
    Enjoyed the read. It is good you took your stand. Most of the ambiguities are mostly later used in disciplinary considering you put your signature to the document.
  • 0
    HR is actually the scum of the corporate world.
  • 0
    @JustThat well shit. You cracked it wide open.
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