'How do you go a year without these files?': Compliance officer gets laid off, contacted a year later asking for help recovering vital compliance files

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jul 29, 2023 9:00 AM EDT

If you were to be laid off from your job, only to be contacted a year later asking for vital information that it was your job to keep safe, that's pretty much your employer admitting how much they actually needed you in the first place. All we're saying is, make sure to take that into account when you set your new terms, and if they're bringing you back on a temporarily contracted basis, be sure to charge accordingly.

Of course, it's more likely that, if things ended badly enough, you'd prefer not to help them out at all and live on with the satisfaction that you had the last laugh.

This compliance officer was laid off by their workplace along with their entire department after being called into their boss's office at the end of their shift and being told that they didn't need to come in the following day. They transferred essential compliance documents into their boss's care before clearing their work computer and walking away. 

A year later, they were contacted by the company that had moved locations and changed their name in order to distance themselves from the layoffs. It turns out the important compliance documents that it had been the compliance officer's job to manage hadn't been properly managed after their departure from the company. The company seemed to no longer have the files and reached out to the compliance officer, hoping they might still have copies. They—of course—did not.

See their account of events below and the reactions that it prompted when shared with a popular online community. 

Advertisement
  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/mits66 16 hours ago a year after laying me off with 30 minutes notice, my old boss asked if I might have a copy of their entire company's directory on hand I wish I was joking. I was laid off a year ago - 30 minutes before end of shift my entire department was called in and told we didn't have to come the next day. I was pissed, obviously, but I got on with my life because I have to make rent. Last night, I got a text from said boss, asking if I wanted to make some money on th
    via u/mits66
  • 02
    Font - Because apparently, after they moved, they did not SAVE their directory and take it with them. I was their compliance officer, and now they need me to provide proof of compliance in their new state. So they need their old directory to get all of the old compliance records, as well as all of their old documents. I just... how? how? How do you go a year without these files?? How do you not make a backup of your entire company's directory?
    via u/mits66
  • 03
    Font - ETA: I was at work lol I couldn't edit on mobile. I don't have the files, they were just hoping I did. Obviously I deleted them off my computer when I was laid off. They then deleted the account I moved them to for who knows what reason, "accidentally". I asked for 10x my hourly to do the work they asked me to, with full knowledge that what they asked for is not going to be enough to get then under compliance. From there we'll see.
    via u/mits66
  • 04
    Font - louisiervolino 16 hr. ago Tell them it will cost $1M. 9.6k Reply Share mits66 OP 16 hr. ago edited 5 hr. ago If I thought they'd give me that amount I would lol. ETA because yall are blowing up my notifications: I don't even have the files. I deleted them off my device and gave them back admin privileges back when I was laid off. THEY deleted the new admin account on accident when they moved. I asked for 10x my hourly rate while I was working for them and it looks like they're going to sa
    via u/mits66
  • 05
    Rectangle - Vhman123 16 hr. ago If you're not being paid for this, then the answer is simple. No. 3.6k Reply Share mits66 OP 16 hr. ago Oh I will be paid. I told her straight out. "Yeah sure, how are you sending the money?" 3.5k ♡ Reply Share
    via u/mits66
  • 06
    Font - Wonderor 13 hr. ago & 5 More Get everything in writing/part of a contract and have a lawyer who does contract law have a look at it. Give them absolutley nothing until you have either been paid in full or have a legally binding agrement in place. If they are happy to fok you off with 30 minutes notice, they WILL happily fuck you over again. Do NOT allow them to do this. Also extort the shit out of them in terms of how much you charge for this... 8.7k Reply Share
    via u/mits66
  • 07
    Font - ApprehensiveKey1469 15 hr. ago Get paid up front if you intend to do anything. Quote high fee/ hourly rate. E.g. 4k per hour minimum 12 hours. If not then they can pay the fine / get closed down when it doesn't suit them. 1.9k mits66 OP 15 hr. ago Upfront yep, and depending on how many files they need I'll be upping my hours like crazy. I don't care if it's just 2 clicks, that'll be 2 hours please :) 983 Reply Share 589 Reply Share heisenberger_royale - 14 hr. ago If you're sending someth
    via u/mits66
  • 08
    Font - Geminii27 11 hr. ago edited 11 hr. ago "I can recreate that for $50,000." Never admit you have a copy or they'll set lawyers on you to 'retrieve company property'. Say instead that, once paid, you can start recreating (from scratch) a new version of their business-critical asset. Oh, it's not business-critical? Well, they can get along without it, then. And if they come back to you again, the price just went up to $60,000. 381 Reply Share 197 ●●● mits66 OP 6 hr. ago My comment got buried
    via u/mits66
  • 09
    Font - Specialist-Treat-396 · 13 hr. ago. edited 13 hr. ago Find out how much they would have to pay in fines for non-compliance and any additional fees they would also have to pay to get back into compliance and then quote them $100 less than what they are going to lose with that happening. If they balk, just remind them that losing compliance not only means fees and and fines, but it also means loss of revenue because customers will leave for companies that are within compliance because they d
    via u/mits66
  • 10
    Font - norahceh 15 hr. ago . So they want you to admit keeping corporate documents and provide them proof? 227 Reply Share 225 ●●● mits66 OP 15 hr. ago Not in the slightest, I removed all directory files to my boss's account when I was laid off - she just so happened to *deactivate* the account I put them in when they moved states. Like no, ex-boss, I'm not keeping terabytes of data from a company that Od me over a YEAR AGO. So I'll have to see if I can salvage that account and if not they're ju
    via u/mits66
  • 11
    Font - BppnfvbanyOnxre. 13 hr. ago I'd be somewhat wary about admitting I had confidential company information after being given the push. Reply Share 61 90 Limp Sky5 13 hr. ago He doesn't-he said in a comment that he needs them to try to salvage his old admin account first or they're really screwed. 41 ... 11 Reply Share BppnfvbanyOnxre 13 hr. ago Thanks. Didn't see that comment. Reply Share ●●●
    via u/mits66
  • 12
    Font - Background Patience88 · 15 hr. ago They NEED this. They must have it. She probably wanted to contract you for months. Start with a flat fee of $3000. If she says no, simply say you won't do it and you are too busy to waste your time for less. Now is your ONE time to get some payback, and they will try to lowball you and make you feel like the sheep that they fired before and ruined your life for at least a few minutes. Remember how mad you were? lol 108 Reply Share
    via u/mits66
  • 13
    Font - mits66 OP 15 hr. ago . It's actually insane that they are asking me now, because originally the directory files were on my (the administrator's) account. They had to call me 2 weeks after they the laid me off to please give it to the company's owner (why would you not just make her administrator??) I charged them for 5 hours of work that took me roughly 5 minutes. So they laid me off, realized my company account was the one that held their ENTIRE directory, asked me to put the directory o
    via u/mits66

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

employment fired work workplace getting fired workplace-stories
Scroll Down For The Next Article