[geeks] Anybody here have experience working for HP

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: "James Fogg" <James at jdfogg.com>
" 
" Does anyone here have any experience working for HP? Or know someone who
" does?
" 
" My company got sold to HP and I'm wondering what it's like to work for
" them.

i do.  i worked two contracts in the late '90s.  i don't know
firsthand how they treat employees - though i get the impression it
was pretty well - but contractors aren't so lucky - supposedly because
a very-long-term contractor once tried to sue for retirement benefits.

this was pre-fiorina, pre-breakup.  the division i worked at went with
agilent, then was sold to phillips.  somewhere in the agilent years
manufacturing was moved from the building complex to the far east, but
engineering, sales, and customer support remained.

my contracts were both for a year, but both times i was abruptly
terminated after 5 months by a phone call at home, after i'd left
work on friday.  the first time was for budget reasons, after i'd
specifically asked my boss if i was at risk and was told no.  the
second time was for backtalking a spammer, and for contractors that's
summary cause.

one of the contracts ran over christmas/new year's.  when i asked
about the offsite christmas party i was told contractors were not
allowed to attend, supposedly for liability reasons.  okay i said,
i'll just take off early instead and entertain myself.  oh no, you
can't do that, we're counting on you to hold the fort while we're at
the party...
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought