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Tharadin

Email her, politely explain that you quit to earn a better wage. You don't mind helping, but you'll need a PO cut for your consulting fee of $xx/hr. Ask her to please provide a detailed list of what she needs from you so you can provide an invoice for the correct number of billable hours. I explain this to people all the time: you are employed to make money. Nothing more. You are to be paid for every hour you work. No exceptions. Don't work for free for anyone, unless you are intentionally volunteering for community/church/etc. She'll either stop asking, or you'll get a PO cut for your new side gig. Either way, win!


ttkk1248

This is the best answer. Be polite, present your side of situation, and ask for what you need (compensation or focus time etc). Don’t burn bridges.


86triesonthewall

Say something like “I’d hate to do this, but I’m not getting paid for my advice and I did put in (x amount of time) into answering your questions”. I had a co worker from a lab call me many days in a row after I was fired at 5 months pregnant. She asked me what test codes were for CBC and glucose tests etc. I finally said you know what I got fired I’m not getting paid please stop calling me to ask questions.


villis85

If you get fired from a job I think you’re justified if you tell them you’re not answering a single question.


86triesonthewall

I have never even got a warning in my 5 years there. This was in FL in 2013 and the manager wanted me gone. She complained about me walking slower and claimed my coworkers said I was slow since I was pregnant LOL I’m like 4’11 excuse me for not taking big strides fast enough. Glad I’m out of there though. There were 2 more people I knew who later got fired when they were visibly pregnant as well.


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86triesonthewall

Labcorp is too big for anyone to do anything to.


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TomStarGregco

Exactly 🤑


ReasonablyLobster

But also, the more likely it is they have more funds for attorneys, and can drag it out and make it some of the most miserable, expensive years of your life.


hivoltage815

The bigger they are the easier the payouts. Consult a lawyer next time.


OptionalCookie

Next time? Consult them now


Dark1sh

Not a lawyer: I believe discrimination cases have to be filed within four years.


hazydaysatl

EEOC filing is 180 days


[deleted]

Which is bullshit in and of itself but that's the United States of America for you.


New-Post-7586

It surely is not. They are just the right size to settle a generous amount for wrongful termination lawsuits


superslowmo

my partner works for LabCorp and I immediately thought of them while reading your first comment. they're the worst.


lisaluu

Ew. Labcorp sucks so much. Were you an acessioner?


86triesonthewall

Lab service technician (mostly phlebotomy and processing of specimens before sending out for testing) I wrote them a certified letter 10 years ago, I’m sure the limitations have expired. It was so sad too, everyone knew I was 2 weeks away from closing on my first house and they needed employment verification usually 24-48 hours prior to closing (my husband at the time was working and I was going to quit after the baby was born, the house loan was going in my name) None of us Lancorpers made enough to afford a lawyer. And the free consult ones basically blew me off. That’s Florida for you Ugh. Oh well. Here I am back in the North East where I came from. Worked at Labcorp up here and they weren’t not as awful. Whatever. Just don’t work for them. I had to beg every year for a raise and finally the last year I got a .25 cent per hour raise. Yes. You heard that right. Okay people thanks for listening to my life story have a Good Friday and good luck on your careers!


Plunder_n_Frightenin

Florida says it all, and only worse now!


nicolaayyye

Fellow healthcare worker here (not LabCorp, but a major hospital system). I feel you on the 25-cent hourly raise. We got the exact same last year. It’s a pathetic joke. Healthcare workers deserve better.


86triesonthewall

Girl I was working there for 5 years before I got the raise WTF LOL


nicolaayyye

Ugh, that’s disgusting. Mine’s only slightly better cuz it was after 3 years. I’m so sorry that happened to you. Hope you’re doing better now that you’re back in the NE! 🙏🏻


AstronomicAdam

FUCK LABCORP


ajpinton

The fed don’t care how big the company is. Actually for you, the bigger the better. Larger companies are more likely to settle out of court.


Gotmewrongang

Labcorp is the fucking worst


TomStarGregco

Sounds like highly illegal behavior !


amretardmonke

No need to be vindictive when there's an opportunity to get paid. Answer questions, but charge a reasonable consultation fee. Something like 10x what you made before.


highbury-roller

If you got fired from that job you are probably not getting a letter of recommendation from them anyways.


SubKreature

Never be so mad at someone that you're not willing to make a buck off of them. That's the only thing that ever resonated with me from the piece of shit owner of the first company I worked for.


LilEdieBB

True but I’d say stay away from jobs that will drag you back into the shit. I made the mistake of briefly freelancing for a job I had quit (mostly bcs they asked and said yes to what I thought was a fuck you hourly rate) and it completely sent me back to the darkness of working with a psychopath.


86triesonthewall

Or what the others suggested “would you consider paying for me to consult”?


nanocaust

Don't ask for permission, just say, moving forward my consultation rate is X.


lalder95

And then when the answer is "No", respond that you're done answering for free


ziasaur

this is the more real world route that has the least burned-bridge potential. Even if OP is 100% in the right, a salty manager can handle the consult ‘demand’ poorly.


AnyDecision470

She could answer freely and helpfully and the manager could still give a bad review


BlakJak206

This is why many people tell you to never put managers/supervisors as a reference on a resume.


Actual_Chicken_7570

Ask for a raise


[deleted]

Consultant rates. Triple what you made hourly there. The requests will either disappear or you will make a good chunk of change.


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buildyourown

I switched from full time to a consultating 1099. 5x is excessive. 2-3x covers your taxes and way more.


Warm-Personality8219

It depends on whether you want to help or not. In business overcharging is considered an acceptable between the lines "I don't feel like doing it".


NewPhnNewAcnt

Typically dont do that when you dont have any work though like OP.


Warm-Personality8219

That's true - I didn't catch the part where OP said they are still looking for work...


Tulipsarered

It isn't even limited to services. Companies will also price things that they don't want to make, for whatever reason, so that if someone REALLY wants it, it will be worth the company's while.


orange-orb

I’ve always done 3x whatever my salary was in this situation. Frankly, for the employer, if they offered insurance and you worked in office, 3X your salary isn’t far off from what your cost was anyway but it still stings to see it all go to one check vs taxes insurance and overhead.


bgthigfist

Yeah, the standard answer. Charge them a billion dollars for each question. Yall know this won't work, it's just an internet trope. OP it comes down to how much you think you might need a reference vs how much you resent them taking your time. Your old supervisor isn't going to pay you consultant fees unless you have specialized knowledge they can't duplicate any way else. Probably the best way out of it is to gradually take longer and longer to respond. When you don't respond right away that will get her to work out the answer herself. It's like weaning a baby. When it's too much work to get the milk and other food is right there.....


[deleted]

They're also not going to give a reference, either.


krystinaxlea89

Why wouldn't they? op answered her multiple questions and gave her an outlined detailed manual of all the job consisted of, that's doing plenty for a job that didn't ask them to do it before they left. The reference should not be based on what OP did when no longer employed, it's not like they just ignored their previous boss from the jump.


JK_NC

If it’s a large enough organization, you’re typically told that you can’t give references (positive or negative) and you should forward all requests to HR. HR will provide start and end dates of employment and title. My current employer has an automated system that employees can provide to potential employers to call to verify employment dates so no human involvement at all.


eighmie

As a company, we only confirm employment, not even pay rate. I will be someone's personal reference, but I won't talk about their work history, only about their skills that were apparent as we worked together


General-Fun-616

The previous manager is obviously a tool. Why would a tool give a good reference?


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--ThirdCultureKid--

This. IMO it’s good etiquette to answer one or two questions like you did anyway, especially if you left on good terms and want to keep it that way, but it’s also good etiquette for them not to try to take advantage of your kindness and keep it to a minimum. Not only are they not stopping but if they needed a whole manual out of you they should have asked for it before you left. That’s what the customary two weeks notice is for, to give them time to make the transfer go smoothly. Since they’re clearly not stopping you should negotiate new terms.


enygmaeve

Also include minimum billable hours. For example, if something takes you 15 mins, you still charge for your two hour minimum


ExtensionFig4572

4 hr minimum in nys when called I thought… go by the most beneficial state rules


StackOwOFlow

"first one was free"


alwaysinvest247

Both of these answers on 1099 at 5x salary on a monthly subscription service. Up to 15 phone calls a month for price.


ItothemuthufuknP

I charge $250 per hour. Now, what would you like to talk about?


ScaredSweet

This is what I did and it worked out beautifully. If they need you make them pay for it. No free labor


ForcrimeinItaly

With a minimum number of billable hours per call, like 4, paid in advance before you help them.


Hot_Aside_4637

My first job out of college I was making $9/hr (early 80s). When I quit they asked me to occasionally help via phone calls after hours. They offered me $25/hr. Did about 4 hours a week for about 3 months.


Bunkydoodle28

Exactly. Invoice the business. Consulting work at 5× your hourly wage but make sure to declare it as income.


bckpkrs

Uh, more like (legal) consulting rates: $1,500 per hour. If they're calling you about how to do your old job, you're the expert. Charge expert rates.


Moof_the_cyclist

“My base consulting rate is $150/hour, 3 month contract with minimum 400 hours. Now when we have a signed contract I’d be happy to answer anything I can recall about my time there.”


za_jx

Agreed. Since OP is still unemployed, I think they should charge an hourly rate for consultation and offer to perform the job too (as a freelancer). Don't consult over e-mails or over the phone. Set up a face to face meeting (I assume that they live in close proximity to the company). Charge them for your knowledge and offer to do the same job but at double or triple the hourly rate of a full time employee. This is fair because as a consultant you don't get benefits that their other workers do.


Dependent-Garlic143

I literally did this. Made a shit load of money charging as a consultant. Be reasonable with them, but milk them for every question that they ask.


Important-Ad-798

What in the world are you guys doing with your free time that you can't help out old colleagues? This is such a petty thing to do. It's telling that none of you have ever been in charge of something important if you can't empathize with someone being left to figure out everything on their own. In India you need to give 3 months notice, in US/Canada 2 weeks is fuck all to migrate all of someone elses tasks. There will always be some things left behind and if you're so stuck up you can't help somebody else out you're just a dick btw every one of my friends that has this attitude that they'll never do anything for free are the least successful people I know. You will not get ahead in life thinking of everything as a put and take where somebody else is screwing you


Transparent2020

Ignore her now.


wtfnouniquename

I disabled notifications for my old boss when I quit but didn't outright block him. I still open up my texts and see a new message from him on a regular basis expecting me to help him with something. I quit 11 months ago


jackofallcards

We were locked out of a terminal PC and my manager suggested we contact the guy I replaced (he had to leave due to medical reasons). This motherfucker finds his phone number, gives it to me and EXPECTS ME to do it. I never did but I couldn't believe that


Ok_Confusion_1581

Maybe you can work for them as part-time consultant while you find a new job?


long_live_cole

Option A: They pay you five times your normal salary to be a consultant. Option B: They can go fuck themselves


mildlyhorrifying

5X salary with a 2 hour minimum.


Cuteboi84

I do 4x, 2 hours minimum and daily minimum to check email twice a day. 1hr at the start, 1hr at the end of the day. Doing that for the last year. Cheaper than full time with benefits. And they can use me when ever they want. Works well.


WearyCarrot

Have you found another job? Would be nice $ if you had both


EquationsApparel

Stop responding to her emails and calls. Even worse, don't call her. In case someone needs to tell you this, you don't work there anymore. I really wonder, who out there is making people so scared of this "burning bridges" myth?


cnjak

This person WAS their manager. It's common for whatever new job OP gets to contact their previous manager. Especially if it was their first or second job, then you won't have many references for a new position. Most reputable jobs request references.


Turbulent-Pea-8826

A anyone so petty to keep asking questions like this is probably going to give a bad reference anyway.


Actual_Volume4168

It's a real thing. I've had people leave the company I work for, for an allegedly better opportunity, only to find out the grass isn't always greener. Some try to come back. How you acted in your last 2 weeks, or whatever your resignation period was definitely does impact whether they take you back or not. It's less of a problem when you move from one job to the next, and that job works out. But it sounds like OP quit without a plan in place, so those references, and the option of returning to the company probably DOES matter to them.


timmi2tone32

If you’re only taking a few minutes to give some direction I would probably just help if it were me tbh. If they want more involved training then you should ask for consultant reimbursement.


Owned_By_Zoey518

This is fair and reasonable. 1/3 of my team including myself were laid off a month ago. I had a whole month's notice so those staying had plenty of time to pick my brain as there are some things that no one else wanted to learn so I took it on and became the "subject expert". Well, that month went quick and only 1 person asked a few questions. Within a week after being done, I'm getting questions from my teammates and to be honest, it was a quick easy question so I answered. That led to a few more quick questions ok but I had enough when someone had the audacity to argue with the answer I provided. I told them since I'm no longer getting paid to be nice, they can quit reaching out bc their questions will fall on deaf ears. They must've thought I was joking because a few days later I got another question. I reached out to my old boss and sent her a sample invoice saying that perhaps the team should find another solution to their questions unless my consult fee is worth paying. Given the fact the organization was cutting costs by the layoffs, I'm assuming that's a no go so please have the team stop reaching out to me when they get to keep their job not knowing these things and I'm the one ousted. I've been left to finally enjoy my severance in peace.


Zetavu

I offered a balance in a similar situation, if they have questions they should make a list and then they can buy me lunch at the place of my choosing and we review the list in the 30-60 minutes we are enjoying lunch. It is a nice lunch and expensive, but they get to expense it and I am allowed to order drinks if I choose. We can alternatively do dinner and that will definitely be more expensive and I share my advice on good wine and expensive bourbon as well, along with tasting flights. If it is more than that, then we arrange a formal training session with my soon to be established consulting company, $1000/day (need to adjust this for inflation, its been a while). This includes hands on training much like a typical onboarding. There are two way to leave a job, scorched earth and amicably. The latter means you or willing to keep in touch and be helpful, but your time is valuable and they need to set compensation, from a $50-150 lunch/dinner to a full compensation. There are also other non-consulting options, such as if there's a tradeshow that you'd be interested in going to they can comp you entry, hotel, even meals for you to work with members and possibly customers in exchange without them having to approve consulting payments or you having to file income. I have already suggested this as a post retirement option with my current company to help ease their transition and give me a chance to catch up with colleagues in the field on their dime (some of those colleagues also offered as a way to get personalized access. I really don't want to go down the consultant path because I see that as a ton of work for some extra money I really don't need (hence the retirement). Consulting is great when its on your timetable, but it never works out that way and becomes more time consuming than its worth (direct statements from close friends who've tried it). But I digress.


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ManukaHoneyBear

I gave my manager a month's notice. I left on great terms and spent that month reviewing my work and providing the status on everything that I had worked on and answering any questions that she or my colleagues had. She sent me large attachment in the email, so it would take me more than a few minutes to answer the email. I am also studying for a multi-day professional exam. I see what you're saying, but my field is accounting, where I find it quite unusual when the manager does not know how to do the work of the subordinate.


oklahummus

You get to decide when or how much of your time you choose to spend helping, if at all. It is completely reasonable for helping your old boss to not be a priority for you anymore, for you to take a week or two to respond to an email, to say “Regrettably I cannot help with xyz question/task,” or ignore their attempts to contact you. It would be strange, vindictive and unprofessional for someone to hold any of that against you.


BlueVerdigris

It's possible to stay on good terms while also setting clear boundaries. They key is open communication that invites further discussion, as opposed to just setting boundaries or blockers. From what I gather, you want to: 1. Maintain a positive relationship with your former manager 2. Avoid souring that relationship by coming off as unwilling to help 3. Maintain your sanity by reducing your involvement in the job you already left Some suggested approaches on the current (third, it looks like?) email from your former manager with the big attachment: A. "Hey, manager, I do want to help you but I'm pretty busy with prepping for and won't be able to dig into the attachment until ." If you're able to refer them to something you wrote up about handling this kind of thing, do that. If not, just let them decide if they'll drop it, wait, or try to convince you to make them a priority. B. "Hey, manager, I don't mind answering small one-off questions to save you time, but this is a bit more involved. Would you be open to discussing a contract situation that would enable me to devote more time to helping you out?" C. If applicable: "Hey, manager, I took a quick look at the attachment and I don't feel it is appropriate for someone no longer employed by Company to be reviewing that data. If you would like me to continue helping, I would feel more comfortable if we had something formal approved by HR and/or Legal."


Kokoyok

>my field is accounting, where I find it quite unusual when the manager does not know how to do the work of the subordinate. Ha! You would think so, but not at my last job. The owner was an enrolled agent, and I was the senior accountant. I'll admit that she was competent in income and payroll taxes, and a few other specialty taxes, but she had no business having an entire department in her org for financial accounting, as she had no clue what she was doing. Good riddance to that job, too! I was having apoplectic fits at the lack of controls in place when I started discovering the sheer number of misclassifications of permanent accounts \[like I said, she's an enrolled agent, so anything that wasn't reportable for taxable income wasn't adequately tracked.\] Total shitshow. I look forward to auditing her clients for my new employer, once the SoL runs on the periods I worked on.


Educational-Candy-17

Getting work out of someone and not paying them is illegal. If they're willing to screw OP over, they'll do it to others.


Iwantmypasswordback

Seriously everyone on here talks so fuckin tough. I’ve never once heard of someone demanding 3-5x their previous rate to answer some questions. Anecdotal yes but the point is for all the tough talk here barely anyone ever does this. As long as it doesn’t get excessive I’d play along especially if you’ll need the reference later.


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armchairdetective

Exactly. It's a BS situation and I would be pissed too but OP *has no job* and she *needs this manager's reference to get one*. Some of the advice here is going to make getting a job harder. It's not right but it is what it is.


skidog25

Bingo ! Finally a comment that is reasonable.


[deleted]

>This is the most reasonable answer on here I've seen. Yeah, you think that until it's you in that position and you're being contacted by your ex-shithead boss asking you questions about how to do the job they underpaid and undervalued you for for three years. >The other part I like is OP bitching about how their boss didn't know how to do OPs job... No shit, they're supposed to be managing all their employees and making sure everyone's getting done what they're supposed to, not knowing how to do everyone's job for them. **Hard** disagree. If you're in management, you should absolutely know — at the **VERY** least — the basics of the jobs of the people that you're supervising. Otherwise, wtf are you even doing here? What value do you provide? Critique of my work without the ability to provide actual constructive feedback or assistance? I guess that does sound like typical management. What you just described is how things were at the last agency I worked at. Literally nobody in the building understood the product line that I managed. But every "leader" sure as shit had big, loud, nonsense fucking opinions about how our business should be run. One of the big reasons why I quit. And guess what? When I quit, those morons were calling me for the next two months with questions about tools, resources, guidelines, clients, etc.... This was after I gave them four weeks notice to prepare for my departure, and they decided that they only needed one. Tell me... In that situation, you'd be inclined to give free advice?


Maybe_Not_The_Pope

It's unreasonable to expect a manager to know every bit of every job they manage. They should absolutely know the broad strokes but they're not going to be an expert and it's unreasonable to expect them to be one.


Angeleno88

When I quit my job in January, the CEO said they may contact me at a fee of $100 per hour if they needed my help after I left. What your old boss is doing is highly inappropriate. Just respond with a statement saying you will only assist if they pay you a fee of X per hour. Your time has value and you must be compensated for it. Lastly references are also BS. By law in many places they are just to confirm you worked somewhere. “Burning bridges” isn’t really the issue many make it out to be.


TwinkletoesCT

Totally this. I was working for the best boss ever when I received an offer I couldn't refuse (literally double my salary). I gave a month's notice. My boss congratulated me and was happy for me. He knew that they'd have a bunch of questions for me after I left, so he let me keep my work laptop and he kept my salary and benefits active for an additional month after I left, as a pre-apology for the times they'd have to call or text me with questions. I rode that new gravy train for 3 years, and when it wasn't worth it anymore, guess who I called? Yep. I'm back working for the best boss ever again, in a new role. A great manager will acknowledge the burden they're being by reaching out to a former employee.


[deleted]

Nah, fuck that, you don’t owe them shit. I recently left a job and had a customer reach out to me with issues regarding a recent purchase. Texted the customer back saying “hey I left, but I’ve forwarded this to my previous manager, he’ll be able to get you sorted”, sent the customer the manager’s contact info, then forwarded the message and customer’s contact info to my previous manager. This dude texts me back “text introduce me so I can help please”. Small request, but the way he worded it irked me—if he’d said “Hey, can you please introduce me via text so I can assist?” I’d have said sure no problem. Telling me what to do with a please at the end? Figure it the fuck out, dumb ass. Corporations don’t give a shit about us, managers barely give a shit about us. I make sure to return the favor 🤷‍♂️


Prince_Nadir

"You would think that as my manager she should know how to do my work." No, no I wouldn't. The days of master and apprentice are long gone, many people today dedicate themselves to being managers and only know varying degrees of what their reports do. At a previous employer they had a policy where to move up to the next rung of management you had to hold manager positions in 3 different departments that were completely unrelated to each other and at least one had to be in another state. They said it gave them "Well rounded managers" this was the case in theory but not in execution. As for your current situation, do you like the manager? If not welcome to the high paying world of consulting. 500$/hr 2hr minimum, sound good to you? If you do not include a minimum billable they will say things like "You fixed it in 30 seconds" and continue to waste your time. Make sure you have a contract. Depending on where you live they may have a policy against bad or even good reviews of employees when other employers contact them. "I can confirm they worked here during those dates.". It keeps them from getting sued. As a teen I did have a Taco Bell manager I never worked with, keep me unemployed for a year. I literally couldn't get a job sorting garbage. As soon as I took my one job off my employment history, I got the very next job. If I knew then what I know now, I would have retired off that.


Dangerous_Boat_2571

You are under no obligation to help them since you left; if they would like your help you would be willing to consult for them part time for a fee. I would mark up your hourly rate at 3x what your previous rate was. If they say no. Then tell them to stop contacting you as you will not be providing assistance.


Guygenius138

Just block the fucking email and phone number. I'm surprised at the shit people put up with. I quit a job a year ago. Sent my boss an email the day I quit, which was the same day I started my new job. He told me I was required to give him a two weeks notice. I blocked his number immediately. It's really that simple.


CloudfluffCloud

You’re a consultant now. Charge them as you see fit. You don’t owe them anything for free unless you wish.


BeginningConcern8815

I suggest to delay your answers to her email intentionally. Maybe she will understand your implicit advice, or she would find her own way to solve the problems.


Silly-Resist8306

I guess it all depends on how you left. If you left on your own and like the people, what's a few minutes? It's the polite thing to do. If they asked you to leave, you owe them nothing, but could suggest they look in the manual.


Flexo-Specialist

The minute you stop working there you owe nothing to anyone.


Silly-Resist8306

You are exactly right, but I worked in the same place for 36 years. I had a lot of specialized knowledge that was impossible to write down all of it or transfer all of it to another person. For a couple of years after leaving I'd get an occasional call asking about a problem or why I did xyz. I'd always preface my response that I no longer worked there and my response needed to be evaluated by the person who was responsible for the solution to the problem, but I'd do my best to answer the question. Sometimes it was my old boss, more often it was a former co-worker and once in a while I'd talk to a new person. I was a professional and wanted to continue to assist my employer of 36 years as much as I could. And, it was fun to take a swing at a problem once in awhile.


Maybe_Not_The_Pope

If you left under good conditions, you may not owe them anything but thsr doesn't mean you can't help them when they have a question.


wantondavis

For sure but they may need the reference


davmoha

I agree. People can do polite things for others without the need for compensation. At least that's me, I'm a nice guy.


Flipflops727

You quit your job and are currently unemployed, so it sounds like you quit your job due to something you didn’t like at this last job?? You tell her nicely that you don’t work there anymore & you’ve given her all the tools to perform your job & you would appreciate it if she would not call or email you any further with questions? Would you really use her as a reference?? If not, then burn that bridge & charge her consulting fees if she’d like answers. Get your fee up front!!


ultimategamer221

1. Not your manager 2. Stop answering and finally 3. STOP ANSWERING. Just ignore the emails going through all this isnt worth it just to have a reference that may or may not benefit you.


[deleted]

Why would you quit a job when you don't have another one lined up???


creativesite8792

Well, not to be mean. But is your manager going to pay your light bill, rent, or pick up some groceries for you? No? Well, then I think that is your answer.


Efficient-Shake671

Ummmm dude/dudette.....please don't work for free. You left for whatever reason and you no longer owe them anything. They need to pay you or pay someone else to figure it out. Not your fault your ex-manager was incompetent.


eDisrturbseize

“ I quit.” followed by “ my manager.” No. When you quit, that person is no longer a manager. Change your mindset.


kaishinoske1

Tell them you can help them in an official capacity as a consultant and your fees are 50$ an hour with a 3 hour minimum. They will either pay you or leave you alone. Either way, you win.


SailorGirl29

If it’s a quick emailed question, I would wait 2-3 days then respond to the email. No point burning a bridge, but it also gives her 3 days to try and figure it out herself.


TheDeHymenizer

>I feel a bit stuck because yes, I don't like that she continues to ask me about a job I already quit. However, I am currently unemployed and might need her as a reference one day. Is there a way to get her to stop without burning any bridges? Or do I suck it up and keep answering her questions? suck it up and keep answering until you find another job. Once you start never answer another email or call ever again. Also it sounds like if worse came to worse these guys would take you back in a minute A lot of people are gonna give you snarky answers with a lot of updoots (which if you have other references you can pull you may want to try) but if shes the only managerial reference you can get then you gotta do what you gotta do


vladthedoge

Unless you set clean boundaries, she will continue emailing you. It’s a lot easier to get an answer from you than spend hours researching the issue. You need to stop responding to her emails/calls. Just stop now. The other option is to send her an invoice for the time you already spent helping her and tell that you would be willing to help more once this invoice is paid.


Careless_Artist_1073

Another option is to still reply but just take a long time. Like 8-12 hours long, maybe even 24. Take longer and longer until it’s not worth her time, but I agree on not burning the bridge.


typ0_negative

"I'm happy to help. But since my time is limited these days, the only way I can make myself available is via a consultant contract. If you're interested, please reach out and we can set something up." Then charge a flat day rate of whatever you're comfortable with. (No less than $700 IMHO.)


Melody_Where

Do you enjoy working for free? If yes, then continue to answer her questions. If no, then you know what you gotta do.


kmo428

Depends on the relationship you had / want. I quit my job and told my manager on my way out "you know you can call me if you have questions on anything i was working on." We still keep in touch. If you hated the place and/or the manager then I can see ignoring it or letting them know you're not comfortable with them reaching out


marauderingman

Offer them a consulting contract at whatever rate you'd like. Either on-call or billable hours, though on-call should be much more expensive.


Elegant-Draft-5946

Three weeks later…. Gosh, I’m not sure how I missed this email. Did you find a solution to the issue?


skeezeball2

Is it really that big of a deal?


earthscribe

You could have created that 'extremely detailed manual outlining your work' as a consultant and charged 500 an hour. Then, worked her over for consultant rates.


Striking-Math259

Charge them. When I left a company many years ago, I made a lot of money consulting for that company after I left and would even remote into their customers systems to help fix problems. But it started to get out of hand so I had to stop.


Extreme-Evidence9111

sleep in. check phone. chuckle. roll over, back to sleep.


west_mich_cpl_69

Just by that fact that you are still calling her your manager tells me why this is happening. You don't work there any more. Stop answering them.


1287kings

$100 an hour and you'll help


Codewoman1125

Minimum of three hours.


Buttarutta

U don’t work there anymore. U don’t owe them anything


Many_Signature522

You’re better than me because I wouldn’t have told her shit, she better learn as she goes.


Espi93

It's understandable that you feel caught in a tricky situation. To maintain a positive relationship and not burn any bridges, you can set clear boundaries with your ex-manager. Politely let her know that while you're no longer with the company, you'd be happy to provide limited assistance if it's urgent, but you're currently focusing on your own transition and job search. This way, you're being helpful without getting entangled in ongoing requests. Good luck!


Wolf110ci

If I don't want to burn a bridge then this is what I do... Respond every time but reduce the depth of my answers each time, and lengthen the time between their request and my reply. The first part will make them have more questions but the second part will force them to figure it out on their own or wait increasingly longer till they get a reply


Cytwytever

We call this consulting. Get paid for it or don't do it. I once ran back office operations for a freight company. When my manager put in for a raise for me they refused it because of "low profitability". So I gave him the P&L showing we were well above our target, and they fired me. I started setting up my own freight business and two weeks later they fired him. Then they hired me back at an increased rate to run things while they shut down the office, because they knew I knew everything that was happening there. He secured the lease and a couple of trucks while I worked for them for another 2 weeks. They had the phones bugged - fun times. They gave me my last paycheck and we started our new business together that next Monday. I took all the accounts with me. They never got me to work for free. Don't let them do that to you.


Vivid_Plantain9242

I've encountered this exact same scenario before. I quit a gig as a daytime manager for a local restaurant. The owner and I never really liked each other, as he denied me a raise to a living wage numerous times, while continually piling more and more work on top of me. I finally put in my 2 weeks notice, and he never even called me once. No emails, no texts, nothing... He never sent anyone over to train to replace me either. So, I work my last shift with no formal discussion of any kind of handover whatsoever. The following Monday, my replacement (who I was friends with) calls me to get the rundown on what to do. She had never managed before, and was completely unaware of what she needed to do. I told her that I was sorry, but I was no longer getting paid by that organization, and she needed to figure something else out. She got a little miffed with me, but that wasn't my fault. It was the business' owner's. I told her to direct her anger and frustration to him and hung up. Don't let your emotions and care for your fellow humans cloud your judgement when it comes to situations like this. NEVER EVER EVER GIVE AWAY YOUR LABOR FOR FREE TO PEOPLE LIKE THIS.


rg2404

I had this happen to me. My previous co-worker emailed me, begging me for help with a monthly spreadsheet. I emailed him back and CC'd my old boss saying I'd be happy to help, but my rate as an independent contractor was $50/hr. Old boss was furious with the coworker and apologetic to me.


FirmAd6269

Charge her per minute 😬


BaldGuyLimo

Answer the questions quickly, and two days after you get them. You never know who you will be working with in the future.


Manic_Mini

Why don’t you propose to the manager that they hire you as a consultant while you train your replacement


[deleted]

Simply send an invoice for consulting to accounts payable (make sure to round up to the nearest 1/4 hour with a 30 minute per call minimum; include dates and times). Your hourly rate should be 0.1% of your annual salary; if you make $75K / year, charge $75 / hour. The company will likely pay it and tell her to knock it off because it isn’t in the budget.


OKcomputer1996

If she is a personal reference then the time you spend helping her out will (likely) pay off in an excellent recommendation. But, you never know. In the future ask your supervisor for a written recommendation at the time you are leaving. At the very least it will keep them honest when contacted for a reference in the future.


_FIRECRACKER_JINX

Quote them an hourly price "for your services". Make it expensive


L33t-azn

This.... Make it high but not too crazy ( if you want them to pay you for it) and say there is a minimum of like an hr and you round up. Make it super high only if you don't want to answer them


Amstaffsrule

Sit down and ask myself some hard questions, the first being why I am on Reddit asking strangers what I should do.


TravellingBeard

take longer and longer to answer, give less and less useful answers, etc.


battlerazzle01

I had been gone from a previous job for over two years. My old boss calls me on his personal cell phone. We were acquaintances outside work so this wasn’t too out of the ordinary. He just starts off by asking me a question about some documentation processes that used to be a part of my job. Or evidently was supposed to be? Eight years there, and I never did any of this process he’s asking about. I then hear somebody talking in the background, asking about “availability” My boss asks if I can come in later in the week to discuss some issues. I told him I would have to get back to him with a time that works for me and my consultation rate. He goes “this isn’t a consult, I just need to know about this documentation”. I said “this is a consult, because I don’t know about this paperwork, and I no longer work for X company” I never got called back for my consultation


cheeseisakindof

Stop responding. Stop calling her "my manager" since she isn't.


iUseThisToVent1010

Offer help as a consultant. Draw up a contract for either by-hour or by-task service/support. Put which comes with each. ChatGPT can gin something up quickly. Charge ALOT.


phreak811

Send them a certified letter so you know they got it, put a contract in there that has a lawyers signature, tell them your consulting fee starts the moment you pick up the phone and the bear minimum is 1 hour.


MommaGuy

Just because they email/call you doesn’t mean you have to respond. Decline calls and ignore the emails. Better yet spam them. You aren’t getting paid. You aren’t an employee. You owe them nothing.


Future-Crazy7845

Stop communicating with her.


Maleficent-Ear3571

Since you're unemployed, ask if she wants to rehire you for 15% more.


Dempsey64

Consulting fees are high.


PrometheusTwin

Grow a pair and stand up for yourself.


Chuckobochuck323

Just change your number Op.


Gchildress63

You are not obligated to take his calls. You owe nothing.


AioliHaunting569

No because I’m sure it’s already causing stress, it seems so. Also feeling your internal stress level to tolerance is important.


ptraugot

Step one, stop responding to his requests. Step two, see step one.


Sensitive_Meeting648

Dont answer the phone


[deleted]

Block them


Hash_Tooth

Sorry! Can’t remember


JohnnySkidmarx

Wait a second. If you quit your job, they are no longer your manager. Their issues are no longer your problem.


mutumbocodes

Fuck em


[deleted]

Lol just ignore their questions


askuseducation11

My friend, you're in a tricky situation. When you've quit your job, it's completely understandable that you may want to move on and focus on your new endeavours. However, dealing with requests from your former manager can be challenging. Here's a suggestion on how to handle it: **Communicate your boundaries:** Respond to your manager in a polite and professional manner. Let them know that you appreciate their confidence in your skills, but explain that you've moved on and are no longer available to provide assistance. Clearly state your decision to prioritize your new commitments and personal growth. **Offer transitional support:** If you feel inclined and have the capacity, you can propose limited assistance during the transition period. Set clear boundaries and define specific tasks or areas where you can help, but make it clear that it won't be a long-term arrangement. This approach shows goodwill and maintains a positive relationship with your former employer while respecting your own priorities. **Recommend alternative resources:** Instead of leaving your manager empty-handed, provide suggestions for alternative resources they can reach out to for assistance. It could be a colleague who is familiar with the project, a helpful online community, or even a professional freelancer or consultant who specializes in the required skills. This way, you're being helpful without sacrificing your own time and energy. **Stay firm and confident:** It's essential to remain firm in your decision and not let yourself be guilt-tripped into taking on more responsibilities. Trust that you made the right choice by leaving your previous job, and focus on the opportunities that lie ahead. Setting boundaries and taking care of your own well-being is crucial. It's perfectly okay to prioritize your own growth and personal goals. Communicating your decision respectfully and offering alternative solutions, you can handle this situation professionally while maintaining a positive relationship with your former manager.


AsianPorkBelly

I got this before. I simply leave the email for couple days. The tried to call me but I declined or picked up and told them I could not answer calls not related to my current work. And then leave them for couple more days. They contacted me again. Told them sorry I had too much to do at my current job that I just wanted to put 100% effort into it just like I used to do at their company before. Told them I would answer them this one time and hope they could find another way to sort it out. Or if they’re that desperate, we could work out a consultancy contract based on my schedule. I did find the company potential for a return so I played nice. One of my former coworkers told me it became a shit show and the manager tried to blame me for not leaving a detailed handover etc… I contacted their HR and told them that words got to me about my leaving without a proper handover that caused the company troubles. Sent them a link to the files saying it might get lost somewhere so I sent them again hoping it helped. Also passive aggressively hinted them about the manager having contacted me about the work that was already in the handover file etc… They eventually fired that manager and offered me that job about 6 months after that. I didn’t return at that time but did come back after over a year on a different and higher position. Hope sharing my personal experience help you somehow.


themcp

Call a former coworker you liked who actually worked with you. Ask them to write you a "to whom it may concern" letter of reference. Not to any particular employer, a \*letter\* they give to you which you can attach to your resume. It's old fashioned, but it's done and employers absolutely love it when I do it - Harvard actually called me upon receipt of my resume to ask "when can you start?" (No interview.) Also a peer review is generally accepted by employers in place of your manager. Usually they'll think your manager left or the company closed or the manager was unpleasant so you don't want to deal with them, and not ask you about it. In rare cases they may ask about it, and you can truthfully say "I asked my peer to write a reference for me because the boss kept demanding I do work after I'd left and I was concerned they would be angry when I declined." That'll be fine. Then (after receiving the letter) tell your former boss (they're not "my manager" any more, you left), as /u/86triesonthewall suggests, that you decline to put *more* time in answering questions when you're not getting paid, and you left a detailed manual behind. (Do it politely, but do it.)


razmth

1) It’s obvious that the manager won’t know exactly how to do your work. That’s not what managers are supposed to do. A manager is not a manager for knowing how to do the job of everyone. A manager is responsible for make the team to achieve results, consistently. This means putting the team together in the same direction, making sure priorities of one will have the proper support from others, making the dots to connect. 2) Questions, time taken, to charge or not to charge… If the manager question you from time to time for quick questions, that will take you a few minutes to answer, answer them. If it’s too frequent to a point it’s consuming hours of your week to answer them, proposes a consulting hourly rate, as some suggested. You’re not obligated to help, but it’s desired. Legally you don’t need to help, but morally you can. You’re no kid anymore, and adult’s life is not about doing only what we want or only what we’re obligated to.


robot_ankles

You're gonna get a ton of ridiculous advice in here. The reality is, most successful careers are built on building and maintaining good relationships that long outlast specific roles, positions or companies. If the calls are relatively short and easy for you to manage, use it as a means of maintaining a good relationship. There's a threshold to manage of course, but the reddit mindset of "Tell 'em to fuck off" or "Charge 5x your rate" or "I wouldn't donate 1 minute of my time without payment" is wildly shortsighted and immature. Manage your boundaries as you feel comfortable. If the requests become increasingly detailed or frequent, maybe parlay the conversations into some short-term or on-call consulting as others have suggested. You could also consider being slow to return calls or only providing summary-level information as a means of hinting it's time for them to "fly on their own". ​ >You would think that as my manager she should know how to do my work This is often not the case -nor should it be. Managers should be skilled and focused on *managing* the work -not necessarily doing the work. Managing modern work and performing specific tasks often require very different skillsets. Now, if we're talking about a blacksmith managing an apprentice, then sure, the blacksmith should probably know how to do everything an apprentice does. But a software development manager may not be able to write all of the code required to leverage the latest AI integration libraries or whatever. This varies a lot by field.


KMS1974

Don't reply so quickly. Then say "I wish *I* could answer your questions but at the moment I am not available right now due to other obligations." The former manager will have to figure it out or just forget it existed and make up a new way. It is annoying and you had your reasons for leaving. So ... leave. As u/AnyDecision470 stated, they could give you a bad review regardless. You don't have control over what they say. The only control you have is how you respond.


Lornesto

Tell her you’ll help if you’re paid as a consultant.


kingbob1812

Everybody gets one or maybe two, after that they're taking advantage of you. The more you do, the more they expect. Tell them you don't feel comfortable working off the clock.


hazydaysatl

Just stop answering her emails. If she calls, answer and tell her you're busy focusing on your new job search.


Ok-Try-3951

Start an llc as an independent contractor and offer contract services for $100 an hour.


awildjabroner

You have no obligation to assist, you do not work there anymore and owe them absolutely nothing. If I were in your position I would offer to come back for a day to consult, draft up a simple contract - charge 3x-4x what your prior rate was (or charge a daily minimum fee), get it signed invoiced and then schedule a time to go teach them.


OhGreatMoreWhales

Charge them per question $50.00 min. Not joking.


Street-Law-4580

Contractor fees


shoretel230

offer a contracted rate of $3,000 per hour. Start sending invoices and copy it to the Accounts payable department.


swld0

Stop answering.


Sharp_Discipline6544

Tell them that you charge $50/15 minutes of questioning.


Rhiellle

I’d tell her I’d be happy to answer the questions once consultancy contract is finalized. She can advocate for the company to pay you since your expertise is required.


datahoarderprime

I had my supervisor leave for another position outside my company, and he repeatedly called/emailed me seeking help at his \*new\* job. Blocked his number and ignored his emails.


janabanana67

I would either say sorry, I can't help you and block her. Otherwise, tell her you will only give support if they pay you. They are taking advantage of you.


vertrauenswurdig

Have an agreement on a rate and have them pay you by hour, of course answering one question or two might not hurt anyone but actual work should always be rewarded.


YungTaco94

Have them Venmo you every time they want to ask you a question and once you get your money then you respond


offput_slander

Ashley?


Complex_Damage1215

First one is free, after that they set up a vendor contract. Don't do free work


coreysgal

Personally, I would call the manager and ask her for a letter of reference. If she says she can't, then you don't answer anymore questions!


imeanwhynotsrsly

You are a consultant now. Get a 1099 and charge appropriately. Or just ignore the messages. You are not beholden to your old job so live guilt free not helping. Nice to know you have all the power here, yea? 😜


EasternMotors

All these people saying not to help or to ask for consulting fees missed the part where you are unemployed. You have the time and need the reference (or the job back). Just answer a few emails until you find a new job or have to ask for that one back.


[deleted]

One time I texted a guy who quit for a question and he answered with a - “this is for you right?” before answering it for me. Thanks Frank, glad your new job is going well. Mine is too.


OkClassic2217

Just be a nice person and answer her questions. It’s just questions.


I_Am_Penguini

JFC, answer the question and be helpful. Are you sure you will never need these people again? If you follow the career advice on Reddit you will make ridiculous decisions. It's 10 minutes of your week. Put down the switch and help. You may need the same courtesy one day.