I got let go for admitting I returned computer items from over 3 years prior. Repurchased but eBay goes back only 3 years and PayPal 2 years. Don't think it would of mattered even if I could get them. If you are called into investigation by internal director, I highly recommend you say nothing and tell them you want to discuss with your legal council. you may be let go any way but at least you can force their hand. They may have got records from the stores without your consent which is better to show if it goes to court.
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You may think this is crazy, but your first email should be to President of the United States:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Then follow it up with a Tweet to his Twitter handle @realDonaldTrump. This is an atrocity, he should be at least briefed that hundreds of great people are now unemployed and severely crippled from gaining future employment because of this #WitchHunt. If there is anyone that can spread a message, it is him. If enough people reach out, he may respond with a Tweet.
As far as other reporters, I would try and get the story into the hands of the "Today" show editors. Something on TV and not behind a paywall on the internet. Their Twitter handle is @TODAYshow. I think now with a clear picture, the story is much easier to report.
Are there specific journalists we can all contact/email with the full story? The threads here paint a pretty comprehensive picture that the b---s--- WSJ-type articles failed to convey.
A company with trillions in AUM turns a blind eye to s-xual harassment but calls the moral turpitude of 200 plus into question over computers and fit bits they didn’t even buy, but reimbursed a percentage of? And they were for personal use?
The wage works form states this exactly (obviously of importance since someone took the liberty of removing the link to the terms, but I saved my forms)
“By completing this form. I certify that the information on this page is true and I maintain ownership of the purchased item(s). I understand that the reimbursement I receive from the company is taxable under irs regulations and that I will be subject to appropriate witholdings. In the event of overpayment, I hereby agree to promptly reimburse the Company for these amounts.”
That’s it. No info for exchanges, refunds, nothing. Just at the time you submit the documtation you’re in ownership of the items. No specifics on duration just the word “maintain”. Is that until after submission of documentation or just forever? You could never rid yourself of the equipment because they gave you 20 percent of it?
All you journalists out there, you went school to be great at what you do just like all of us. Imagine you woke up one day with a lifestyle you were comfortable with, you get to work and out of nowhere you are fired from your job because of a piece of gym equipment or a computer you exchanged WHERE THERE IS NO POLICY ON HOW TO HANDLE THESE TRANSACTIONS (FROM 5 YEARS AGO!). But not only that, you are fired in a way that no other legitimate media outlet will even consider you for any type of employment. Even if you switch industries, it comes up in a background check. How are you going to provide for your family? Want to remove the scarlet fraud marking on license, cough up $25k for a chance of having it removed battling Fidelity in arbitration. Ask yourself, how would you feel? Do you think the WSJ piece is real journalism? I think not, write the real story, make people believe in the press again as not being "owned" by advertisers and "fake". I believe in you guys. Do the right thing!
Fidelity has blown this way out of proportion in a very bad way...time will tell what comes of it. But here’s the story...
Everything started with a rep in Jacksonville - he helped others get the reimbursement and they split the profit (abusing the system). Certainly some discipline is warranted for that. He was ultimately caught and fired. But he threatened to sue for being singled out and being the only one let go...scared of a legitimate suit, Fidelity starts the audits.
There’s a small group discovered who all submitted the same receipt. Clearly ill intent and again, discipline is warranted. But Fidelity has to cover its a-- and the audits continue. Suddenly everything must be looked at...and it’s not about trying to catch “fraud” anymore. It’s simply about finding anyone who no longer has the computer/device listed on the original receipt submitted for reimbursement.
Did you buy something and then later take it back and exchange for something else? And you didn’t send back the reimbursement money, redo the paperwork, and collect the reimbursement again? You are now guilty. You have violated the (unwritten) policy and you will now be punished.
Real Example: An employee bought a computer and got the reimbursement. Five years later (2018) he gets questioned about his purchase. “Do you have this specific computer still (specific computer and serial number listed on original receipt)?” asks the investigator. Rep answers, “No because I ended up exchanging it for an upgraded model a week after I bought it.” Investigator (somehow) has the return receipt of the original computer. Rep submits verifiable evidence that he did in fact return and exchange for an upgraded model like he said he did (cost more than original purchase). Does it matter? Not at all. He had no chance - once you’re called for questioning you are done. Rep asks employee relations why he was fired. They say, “Did you buy a computer, get a reimbursement, return the device, and not refund the reimbursement to Fidelity?” “Yes but I bought something a little more expensive, I even submitted verifiable proof! And I don’t remember there being any reimbursement procedure for a return/exchange.” Employee relations answer - “You returned the device. That is against the policy. Therefore, we decided to let you go.”
There are many examples like this one. And that “policy?” Yeah, doesn’t exist in writing. But that doesn’t seem to matter. You can ask Fidelity to send you the policy and they say they will but it never comes through. Again, this isn’t about finding those reps who legitimately tried to cheat the system. Fidelity could care less - it’s all about covering their a--. If you made any sort of return then circumstances didn’t matter - you were considered guilty and were terminated.
But here’s the worst part. For those reps terminated, that was only the beginning. After termination Fidelity files the U5 with FINRA and marks “fraud or wrongful taking of property.” Now you have this permanent black mark on your record. Want to get another job in the industry? You'll have to convince other firms to hire you despite that negative mark (assuming you even get the opportunity to interview and make it that far). But that’s not all. Shortly after the U5 filing, FINRA comes knocking. You are now under investigation. You either comply with their demands and complete the potentially rigorous investigation, or you don’t and will likely be barred from the industry.
So this is what it’s come down to. Hundreds of Fidelity employees - some innocent and some not so innocent - all lumped together and fired with not a care in the world by Fidelity. I’m sure Fidelity has its (selfish) reasons, but one thing is clear - the lives and future careers of the many employees caught up in this (some who’ve given many years at Fidelity and performed extremely well) mean absolutely nothing.
If you quit before you are questioned, you should fine. It seems through previous posts that Fidelity notifies FIRNA a week before you are fired that you are under investigation. If you quit in-between Fidelity notifying FIRNA and them actually questioning you, you are probably screwed. If you quit and give two weeks, I am not sure if they can spot audit you in those 2 weeks. Once you are out, you are good, I mean, unless it was real fraud and not this complete #WitchHunt. What triggers the FINRA audit is the U-5 which the employer has to fill out stating why you left. If you leave on your own, no big deal. If they cat walk you out because you exchanged your Fitbit for a different model without redoing paperwork, your career is pretty much over. How jacked up is that? One day this #WitchHunt is going to be a case study in a business class on how not to run a company.
Are they going to put FINRA violations on records of ex-employees? If you resign now, can you avoid a FINRA violation?
I had 2 co-workers fired the same week in September of 2017. One was computer through Best Buy and one was fitness through d---s sporting goods. Fast forward 8 months and another co-worker was let go 2 weeks ago for computer. Fitness has been going on just as long as the computer.
I highly doubt they are keeping this going. There absolutely will be a lawsuit. I can’t imagine they would create additional potential damages until they know for sure what has been done would hold up under legal scrutiny.
Fitness reimbursement is such low dollar value that it might cost the firm more to track and process.
Fitness reimbursement would be much harder to track because it is spread over so many companies. Also, both are through acclaris, it makes no sense to do one at a time.
You would do both at the same time to lower cost.
Roumor is computer review is done and now onto the fitness reimbursement review.
Has the firing now stopped?
Possibly the company realized that they have created much more disruption than value by firing for this infraction.
This was posted on a sperate thread:
Say what you will about the employees who "stole"... Fidelity mishandled this. These people are humans who make mistakes. For Fidelity to terminate everyone like this was heartless. There were instances that were unintentional and inconsistent with who they were. They have families to support and many wouldn't gamble for a couple hundred dollars. I personally am ok if that place burns to the ground. People dedicated themselves for years and years and the way that the internal investigators treated some of the employees was embarrassing. Fidelity dropped the ball themselves by not monitoring their own damn programs and as soon as they do, they lay the hammer. Thats just not how it should be. I can say for a fact there were people that actually did pay it back before they were brought in by the investigators but still were terminated because it wasn't in a timely manner. So it just goes to show you that their intentions was always to terminate.
You mean Student Loan Benefit, not Tuition. The Tuition benefit is hard to defraud. One would have to create a document, on college letterhead, showing your name, grade, date, and class. That’s real fraud if someone is doing that. Highly unlikely Tuition program is abused, and in my opinion, it is because that program has extremely clear policy and procedures why no one abuses. Whereas these other programs’ polices seem to have been drawn up by an intern.
If that’s how the tuition reimbursement works, it was designed to be defrauded
I am sure some new policy is being drawn up in invisible ink to wipe these poor reps out of the industry. If Fidelity drills down deep enough, only robots are going to be left.
The student loan thing is interesting. If you have student loan debt, Fidelity pays $166/mo which is $2k a year directly to the student loan provider in order to help employees pay off loans faster. You are required keep making your normal payment as part of the program. I know tons of people that don’t make their normal payment and just let fidelity make it for them. Are they next??
Next #WitchHunt is an audit of UPS shipments for personal use...
It is still in place, it’s for both new and current employees. I know someone that used it. Question popped up because it’s designed to help pay down student loan debt. But if the employee uses some or all of it to purchase items that were then reimbursed through the computer and fitness programs, where does that leave us?
I didn't have any student debt when I was hired.....How come I didn't get that freebie? Is that discrimination?
Doesn't Fidelity just hand out $10k to employees with student loan debt? If these employees use that to then go and buy gym equipment and a computer, is that fraud?
See what happens when there is a clear policy in place, good people don’t get railroaded for allegeded abuse.
Most college courses allow you to drop a class within the first few weeks for a complete refund. Policy on that program however is much more buttoned up and clear. Reimbursement is not provided unless a final grade is submitted.
What makes you say that? Wouldn’t tuition reimbursement be hard to defraud?
They already have. Fitness reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement is next.
What most of you don’t get is that it’s not over until quota is hit to reduce headcount, and they are not going to announce that. They will just dig into something else if this current witch hunt doesn’t ruin enough lives.
In complete sincerity, HR is the biggest joke in the company. They are a prime culprit for the our culture deteriorating. No one, and I mean no one internally, trusts HR.
Westlake brought in therapy dogs to ease the pain for those that remain....do you think that will work????
my team talked about this yesterday for over an hour... Wish HR would just send an email instead of letting the rumor mill spin out of control. I doubt that they will address though, they prefer to pretend it’s not happening - incredibly stupid approach if this is going to continue to drag on for who knows how much longer.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-03/dark-side-at-fidelity-women-describe-culture-of-bias-revenge
If you believe what Fidelity is going to sell you guys once they pop their heads out of their bunker, then I have some PAS I want to sell you.
Is there anyone who was NOT fired after interview? There is not a single story. Also there is no return policy and no internal communication from Fidelity on this matter. Employees have no clue what is going on. They are scared and frustrated at work and it will negatively impact Fidelity.
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/michigan/miedce/2:2015cv12681/303270/29/
They’ve been accused in the past as well. They just have money and resources to out last the average person in court. If only a huge law firm would take this on contingency.
“You have very few rights unless you were discriminated against because of your race, gender, etc etc which no one is accusing Fidelity of.” They are being accused.
https://www.fidelity.com/mymoney/layoff-tips
Fidelity is not going to allow people escorted off the property to have access to company and/or client information again once walked out. No matter what you produce if sent home. Because then one could come back, get access to company info again, then quit on their own, leaving with said info. Fidelity, to their credit, is very good at protecting both company and client information. No one comes back once escorted out, they may give the illusion that you have some control, but you don’t.
Everyone is fired even if brutally honest. If you are questioned, you are sent packing. Agree with a previous poster that the decision is already made before you are questioned. I’ve never heard of anyone at Fidelity being escorted off property and allowed back in any case. If so it’s a unicorn.
Has any one who has been interviewed/investigated show proof of ownership and return back too work?
There was a post below by an investigator who said if you can show proof of ownership then you can return back to work. Any truth to that? Any one has experience or knowledge of it?
You think there is outrage now? Just wait if FINRA starts baring reps over this. Will be on the front page of every paper. This was not well thought out by Fidelity.