By a profession I am a computer programmer, but for the past 3 years did small IT projects and supported my family as a security guard working the night shift, while looking after my 7-year-old daughter during the after-school hours. Until my inquiry for a position returned an offer of employment, 3+ months contract with Symantec Corp. (the maker of Norton Anti Virus software). The company offered to pay enough for me to travel from South Florida to Springfield, Oregon and stay there for the duration of the project.

I signed a contract, resigned my job, bought a ticket, rented a car, hotel room and boarded the plane, as the company needed me there immediately. Like in so many companies, when you start, the computer isn’t there yet, but I had plenty of documentation to go through, and there were number of co-workers helping me to get acquainted with the company and the project.

As I showed up on the second day, one of the managers, while escorting me into the building, even my ID has not been prepared, said that I might be going home for a few days; some ‘link in the chain’ has to approve my computer and the identification card. Most people around me could not understand it, neither could I. But as the day progressed and I participated in the number of meetings, the feeling of this threat somewhat diminished.

When the time came towards the end of the day-shift, the manager, whom I met that morning, came with a bright smile, that some usually reserve for the Christmas-Day greeting, and announced: “Yes! You are going home for a few days.” Even a woman, sitting next to me in the cubicle, asked with a complete and genuine innocence: “Didn’t you rent a car, a hotel room, made plans?” But the manager, with a similar innocent-happy look on his face, begun to walk away, apparently not realizing that he was representing the values and the principals of Symantec Company. Realizing that I needed some help, I stopped the manager and asked him if the company could help me with the return ticket? To which he replied that I have to contact my travel agent and walked away.

I’m not going to describe the look on the woman’s face, probably similar to what I was feeling on the inside: realizing that she was working for a company that is choosing to ignore the basic principals of responsibility. But, unlike the Symantec, she helped me, using her PC, to get my return ticket. Especially in such a moment, I could not be more amazed at the goodness of individuals we meet.

I’m sure (with sadness) you’ve heard the saying that most of us are about 2 paychecks away from the poverty. Well, after breaking the limit of my debit card and plunging into the overdraft, I came home.
Poverty is nothing new to me, but this time I had a family, bills, responsibilities...
I called my agent and explained the final details of the ordeal, as I kept him up to date till that point. I requested in writing that Symantec pays for 4 weeks in helping me to recover over a thousand dollars in travel expenses, leaving my job and the time lost.

Working in the industry for over 12 years, I’m not new to someone making a mistake – we all make mistakes. However, some of us accept responsibility! But not at Symantec! The response from the company was: They’ll pay for the 2 days I spent in the office and my expenses, if I have receipts.

Even if I did something wrong and they realized that they hired the wrong guy, which is not the case here, wouldn’t it be right for Symantec Corp. to accept the part of responsibility and offer to pay me for the 2 weeks and expenses? Not because it is I, but because the company has to be accountable for dragging someone from one corner of the land to the next with promises of employment.

If we put this little (long) story in the right perspective, it probably should not even be mentioned, in view of everything else that happens around us. But if we don’t speak of evil, point our finger and let them know that we see them for what they are, they will continue with such practice. And as inconspicuous or little their misdeeds might seem – it is evil.

The End - 12/12/05
Finally, after 2 months of e-mails, I received my pay: 1 week plus expenses.