Wow

I'm still in a bit of a daze about the whole LW thing. Don't get me wrong. We, the providers, knew that there was going to be a change but this wasn't the change we were told about. While our jobs as providers were up in the air and we didn't know one way or the other, we were assured that the jobs of the experts were just fine. No change in job function. No change in rate of pay. In fact, no immediate changes at all, other than the logo on the website changing.

I started to get a bit wary when last week Thursday, I requested a new link. I was told they were working on it. We had been told there were over 250,000 queries left, so waiting for a link seemed a bit odd. Usually when we have that many, I request a new link around 1500, and we usually get it by the end of the night.

Friday came, and no link. I sent the request again. One of the other teams received their link later that night. I sent another request. And emailed them several times a day for an entire week. No link. No response.

A couple of days into that week, I started questioning whether I in particular was being let go or not. After all, I requested the new link before the other team did, and they got one where as we did not. I also wasn't getting any responses. At no time during that week did I think my workforce would not have jobs, just me.

Then, Wednesday morning I start getting emails about LW shutting down. We had been told before that for legal reasons, we couldn't say anything about the company change over because the legal department was working on the letter for you guys. And from what we were told, and understood, LW wasn't shutting down, just changing hands. I'm used to rumors flying wildly during downtimes. People have always panicked during downtimes, so I thought that was occurring this time as well.

I replied back with "At this time, I have heard nothing of LW shutting down. When we have a new link, I'll send it out." I confess that I felt more than just a twinge of guilt over that. While it was true, it wasn't the full truth. I've always promised honesty to my teams, but this time, I thought that the full truth would cause an unneessary panic and we'd wind up losing too many people for a smooth transition.

Then I found the posts on the CafeMoms website. I forwarded the information up the chain to give them a head's up. A statement about the change over would need to be made and soon, but for now, we would just keep saying the same thing.

I had asked for an update about work, and the change over this afternoon. When I returned from my children's school events, I came back to a message from one of my team members. She said she was sorry to hear what happnened, and did I know of any other work. I had to go through several pages of emails to find the one from LW about shutting down.

And yes, I was shocked. And very mad. First, they didn't tell us before hand that the email was going out as they said they would. Second, from the sounds of the email, the project, the workforce, everything is shutting down completely and not just changing hands.

I came to terms with the possibility of losing my job last week. My family has made the necessary cut backs to ensure that we can still make it without the LW paycheck. In all honesty, that paycheck mostly went for our extras anyway. It's what I used to spoil the family with. I loved the job, but it was more of a hobby than a job.

I am sorry that I didn't have the chance to help you guys come to terms with it before it happened.

Does this mean our project is done for? Honestly, I can't say either way. I can say LW is done for. I don't know if the sale went through or if it didn't. If it did, then maybe those promises that were made to us last week will be kept. If the project is done though, then I am at a loss for words. I know that each of you will land on your feet.

I mean, you guys worked SO hard. Some of you earned several hundred dollars per team, on several teams even, every single pay period. The kind of effort and energy that you guys put into your work here, for not nearly enough money, goes to show that no matter what you do or where you go, you will succeed.

I had a teacher back in college long ago. He used to bend the rules, and sometimes just outright defy authority when he felt morally obligated to do so. I would constantly tell him he was going to be fired if he kept it up. And each time, he'd look at me and say "Dana, I was looking for a job when I found this one."

You guys were looking for work when you found this. You'll find something again that you love and maybe even that pays more! Yes, your money will be tight for a short while, but you'll adjust where you need to, and you'll do what is necessary to keep yourselves afloat. But in time, you will find another job that you like just as much if not more.

It was an extreme pleasure to lead this team. It was an honor for me to be able to serve you guys. I hope that one day, I get the chance to serve you again. I don't know where this path will lead, but I can only believe that it will lead us to great and wonderful things in our future!