These corporate fuckers make me sick. It's all about making the rich more rich. They make it sound like it's for good of the company and the employee's, but its all BULL SHIT! And if I worked there I would be looking for new place to work. If the employee's now were older that would of been them. I think Embark is right up there with Walmart when it comes to benefits for the ones that are out there working there asses off!!! While some fucker's in suits are sitting around a 5 star dinner plotting another way to screw the little guys!!!!!!!

Sarah,
Pull your skirt down...your ignorance is showing! Embarq is a mere blip on the radar screen. This trend of "downsizing" benefits and perks for retirees and employees began shortly after the .com bust in 2000. Right or wrong, if a company (especially a telcom) wants to remain in biz, let alone stay competitive, costs have to cut and those cuts have to be painful. I'm surprised Embarq didn't do this the minute they split from Sprint/Nextel. I don't think they went far enough. They need to cut their payroll costs and that means more layoffs so you know those are coming as well. And yes, it's always the little guy that is asked to do the bending over. But, the last time I checked these companies operate in the FREE MARKET! And, btw, so do the employees so, to your point, they can (and some will) seek better alternatives elsewhere. And for the record, my dad's old company cut off his insurance about five years ago....and the old guy is doing just fine! Grow up, get an education, get a job and you won't be so bitter!

"But, the last time I checked these companies operate in the FREE MARKET! And, btw, so do the employees so, to your point, they can (and some will) seek better alternatives elsewhere. And for the record, my dad's old company cut off his insurance about five years ago....and the old guy is doing just fine! Grow up, get an education, get a job and you won't be so bitter"!

Oh yawn...another FREE MARKET cures all asswipe. I got mine (or in this case my Dad has his, so eff everyone else) so screw everyone else.

We all know how the FREE MARKET has helped health care and the Airline and the cable/telecom industries in this once great country. That's why Japan has broadband speeds 10 times faster than the US and with lower costs. That's why TIME- WARNER is such a great company with such wonderful customer service.

Alan must be just another right wing, fascist, selfish, 28%'er who has no problem with CEO's making 600 times what the average employee makes. And when the stock drops, does the CEO get a pay cut? NO. The employees, all hard-working, get screwed and the CEO get's a pay increase.

Wonderful system you worship there Alan.

That's why we're the Flintstones while the rest of advanced civilizations are the Jetsons.

Take your FREE MARKET matra and preach it somewhere else. I have friends that have worked their entire lives for Sprint and Embarq and now they get hosed for a couple of upticks on the big board.

What a clown.

Last night my mother called me in tears. Not with tears of sadness but with tears of rage.

She received a letter yesterday (7/30) telling her that the company that took over the company that she worked at for 25 years is stopping almost all of her retirement benefits.

To see the basic facts check out: http://blogs.pitch.com/plog/2007/07/embarq_retirees_lose_health_in.php

Now at 70 years old this tough woman who worked almost every day of her life, never taking a dime from anyone is upset and enraged. She raised two children on her own after her divorce and at 37 years of age became one of the first femaile telephone lineman in Michigan (1974) later moving to and working in Florida.

She worked all those years, for the most part, to build retirement benefits that she could depend upon and that would provide the security she had been promised by the American way of life.

During her retirement years she has watched her peers turn over property and monies to their children so that they could claim poverty and collect more assistance from the government and to avoid loosing property when it comes time to move into a retirement home. She considers this cheating and never considered it.

Now, with her small 401K (that lost over 100,000 a few years ago) and social security) she makes too much for additional medical benefits that others who did not work or that collected welfare can easily get. The margin of error here? About $100 she says.

To say she is angry is an understatement. There is no way that I know of to get other persons affected by this decision to join together than to somehow get some type of exposure to what has happened. Who will fight the system for these folks who, even if they could start some type of legal action, will probably be dead before anything is decided?

Talk about disenfranchised seniors!

I retired after 25 years service with Carolina Telephone, now 72 years old, I cannot get (or afford) to replace these benefits. Alan says grow up,get a job, I had a job and was successful, believed in the company etc., getting screwed now, though.

Companies may need to make some 'tough decisions' in order to remain competitive or remain in business. But I find it sickening that most companies make cuts that affect every employee EXCEPT the CEO, etc.

Embarq ex-official in line for millions

By JASON GERTZEN
The Kansas City Star, 310/07

Mike Fuller, the recently retired chief operating officer of Embarq Corp., will receive a package worth $24 million after leaving the Overland Park company.

Fuller received $2.7 million in severance and bonuses and will get $21.4 million in stock and other benefits over the next couple of years, according to documents filed Friday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Embarq, the former local telephone unit of Sprint Nextel Corp. that spun off as an independent company last year, eliminated its COO position after Fuller’s retirement.

Fuller, who left in January, had been involved with the local telephone operation that became Embarq for more than 32 years. His severance package was part of an agreement that includes promises to offer ongoing assistance when needed and not work for a competitor or share confidential information.

Much of the $24 million is made up of stock or rights to stock that Fuller earned during his lengthy Sprint career, said E.J. “Ned” Holland Jr., Embarq’s senior vice president of human resources.

In addition to the $24 million package, Fuller received $2 million in salary and bonuses plus other stock awards in 2006.

Also on Friday, Embarq disclosed 2006 pay for other executives and stated that its annual shareholder meeting will be April 26 in Overland Park.

The company reported that Dan Hesse, chairman and chief executive, received a compensation package worth $5.9 million in 2006. He received $960,482 in salary, a $1.2 million bonus, various stock awards and other benefits.

Hesse negotiated his pay package with the former Sprint Corp. when it recruited him to lead the local phone unit it intended to spin off, Holland said.

“They wanted to hire an experienced industry executive,” Holland said.

Thomas Gerke, Embarq’s general counsel, received $460,558 in salary and other benefits totaling $2.9 million last year. Embarq serves about 6.9 million phone lines in portions of 18 states. It had about 20,000 employees at the end of last year.

To Alan: Is your last name Fuller or something? These people worked 20 to 30 years for a company that they believed in. When they retired, they were handed paperwork explaining that one of the company provided benefits would be a moderate life insurance policy and continued participation in a basic health insurance program.
You know, they would have enough for their kids to pay for their funeral. So, that, for one, is just GONE> so, you're 78 and need to make an extra 30K in the next 2 years just so your kids won't have to pay for your funeral and final expenses. Should they come work for you? Granted, because they no longer have health insurance (very difficult to obtain if you have pre-existing conditions), they may not be in the best of health because many services are denied to those who only have medicaid.
As for your Dad, good thing he didn't work for Sprint, because you - as the good son - would now be responsible for that extra $10K for his inevitable funeral, plus that small $20-30K that he thought he could add to his legacy for you and his grandkids? - it just vanished into the pockets of the top ex-honchoes.
Maybe you're self-employed, because if not, you are forewarned that no matter how loyal you are to you employer or how hard you work, your future basic needs will not be taken care of by them - even though they promised you.
Young executives with famlies at Sprint and Embarq now - get out while you can. Go work for Microsoft or SAS, but get it in writing that your retirement benefits won't disappear without warning.

This is why the health care debate will be important in the presidential race. Michael Moore's movie, Sicko, presented a case for a universal single-payer health care system run by the government, as every other Western industrial country has done. Certainly there are problems with government run health care, but the alternative is having the quality of your health care at the whim of employers like Embarq. Make sure to tell your elected representative what you think is right.

You can blame your comgressmen for what is happening nationwide among our businesses. They are taking benefits away that you have worked all your life for, because our congressmen are obvisously in big business's
pocket!! Maybe a class action law suit should be consider against our congressional leaders, because they are reponsible for allowing these businesses to take away our benefits. Embarq should take notice, we are not going to stand for this!!! Hey John Edwards want to help us?

Alan:

I have a masters degree, am very well educated from well-known universities, am very mature and have lived in tehis world long enough to know teh harsh realities of life. I am bitter though....I worked my butt off for a company and got laid off just a few months ago. I was assured "it is not my fault, and we need to do it to cust costs." Yes, it not my fault, is the fault of the greedy executives and their follish policies that made layoffs necessaty to cut costs. I am sad that you asked Sarah to " gor up and get educated" as that will not make her bitter. I guess I followed your advice to the fullest--I am very well educated and have a strong sense of maturity, but am still bitter--no money, a huge mortgage and no health insurance, with a sick spouse who needs care.

I hope for your sake you grow up. Before you insult people whose lives have been shattered after years of service, ask yourself how you would feel if you were in their shoes. I hope for your sake you never get laid off or you never get your health benefits when you need it most. On second thoughts, I hope you do, as hopefully you will then know how it feels! I ask you to grow up!

Sorry--I reposted after a spell check. Discard my previous message, as this has been spell-checked --Jack Straw

Alan:

I have a masters degree, am very well educated from well-known universities, am very mature and have lived in this world long enough to know the harsh realities of life. I am bitter though....I worked my butt off for a company and got laid off just a few months ago. I was assured "it is not my fault, and we need to do it to cut costs." Yes, it not my fault, is the fault of the greedy executives and their foolish policies that made layoffs necessary to cut costs. I am sad that you asked Sarah to “grow up and get educated" as that will not make her bitter. I guess I followed your advice to the fullest--I am very well educated and have a strong sense of maturity, but am still bitter--no money, a huge mortgage and no health insurance, with a sick spouse who needs care.

I hope for your sake you grow up. Before you insult people whose lives have been shattered after years of service, ask yourself how you would feel if you were in their shoes. I hope for your sake you never get laid off or you never get your health benefits slashed when you need it most. On second thoughts, I hope you do, as hopefully you will then know how it feels! I ask you to grow up!

Retired from Sprint. Screwed by Embacq. I work part time. Now I will have to work full time until I die. I believe Sprint arranged the sale of the local companies just to dump retired employees and eliminate any responsibility. Low life corporate bastards. There must be a special hell for this kind of corporate terrorist. Yes this is terrorism for those who serve.

I think this is a dirty shame that these letters are sent out 7/27 and then you are asked not to call with questions for 4-6 weeks!! (mid-Sept) For those retired on disability in Virginia there is no gap insurance offered until over 65 so those on disability and under 65 don't have option of purchasing insurance.... This happens all the time but it really hurts when it hits home........ Maybe we need to try to address this any ideas????

Has anyone heard about a class action suite? If so, does anyone know the grounds of the Americans w/ disabilities act that have been violated...my mother desperately needs to know...

A group of retirees in Eastern North Carolina,275 so far,former employees of Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Co./United Telephone/Sprint/Embarq have united in a collective effort to try to get Embarq to rescind,or modify, these cancellations of benefits we were promised. If you would like to join us, send an email to williedorman@embarqmail.com

Stan:

No disrespect, but how do the people here know that this is not a scam. One does worry, since there are dozens of scams, including the famous "Nigerian scams" that try to fleece old people who are desperate. Please prove your case somehow. Sorry, sending an email to "williedorman@embarqmail.com" seems odd. How do the people know this is legitimate? The www.embarqmail.com webiste look, feels and smells like an Embarq site, but is it an Embarq site?

Stan,

Rest assured that this is no scam. Embarq and Sprint has screwed a lot of us for years. I worked with Willie at CT&T and Sprint for many years. He is a fine gentleman. Thank God for a man like him.

My brother worked for the Airlines for a number of years and they took all his retired from him when the airline went to belly up in court.

These corporations driven by corporate greed are raping the American People in the name of controling cost. What they are doing is pasting on huge debt to the government in the future. Retirement benefits is a corporate responsiblity for making a profit in the U.S. John Edwards needs to focus on the needs of the working man's fight against old age survial.

Thanks Cliff

I join in with the others that believe we were shafted by Embarq. Even if the chances are slim, we shouid file a class action lawsuit to stop the robber barons.
Fuller, Esarey and others could make no mistakes but they did and plenty of them. What happened, they got richer and we get shafted.
Folks, it could be worse. Don't forget that Esarey and company were pushing to merge with World Com! Thank God the powers-to-be in Europe stopped that.

What I find amazing about this thread is that I see a LOT of whining, crying and complaining. Tell me folks...who has a solution? HMMMMMM? I would LOVE to hear it! And for the record for those of you who have accused of me being some self-made, right-wing, rich, selfish, sell my mom down the river, etc, etc - I WORK FOR SPRINT. What's more, I realize that could end at any minute. I don't have to like it, but I choose to deal in reality, not fantasy! No one, including me, said this is good or "fair" but it is reality and the deck of cards I have to play with. Like it or not, you do to. Our bennies have been cut back at Sprint many times and I've seen many friends let go over the years (some actually say it's the best thing that happened to them). You guys don't like it, do something productive about it - disconnect your Embarq service, ask your friends (however few u may have!) to do the same. I'm no fan of Ned Holland (I dealt w/ the guy when he was still at Sprint) OR the golden chutes that Esrey and Lemay deployed when they were booted. Knowledge is power folks...realize that this IS the business world right now. Who knows what it will be in the future, but deal with it and try to keep in mind that YOU are the best solution for you are your family. Quit looking to government, social healthcare (which you will pay for btw and pay dearly!) and lawyer to solve the problem.....and for god sake stay positive -u all depress the hell out of me! :)

Welcome back Alan. This time you make sense, yes, you are right, do something about it and solve your problems, cos no one else will. I did and it worked! Then ask, what about those people who are trying hard, but unable to help themselves (due to age, illness etc)? What then?

Next, I am glad you are staying positive at Sprint (the company with a national reputation for frequent layoffs). You seem smug, having survived the most recent massive layoff. Congratulations! I hope you never have to eat these words of yours, if you ever get laid off. Trust me, it is nice to be smug and happy and sneer at people when you have a job and paycheck to pay your bills and group health insurance with copays to help your illnesses. When it is all cruelly taken from you through no fault of yours, you see the world in a different light.

Alan, there are very few jobs out there with many people wanting them. Yes, we are all trying and in addition to trying HARD, one can only pray that they land something before their money runs out. Again congrats on surviving Sprint and may you never face what we are facing.

well, Alan, I would bet you would be singing a different tune if you were a retiree. We worked hard, saved and invested in Sprint because we believed in it. Thanks, of course, to Esrey. Now our stock is worth less than we paid for it and our promised benefits are going the way of the dodo bird. Your advice might be good for the thirty something crowd but to a seventy year old retiree, it stinks.

ROBERT PBy EAR
Published: April 23, 2004
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted Thursday to allow
employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they
become eligible for Medicare at age 65.
The agency approved a final rule saying that such cuts do not violate the
civil rights law banning age discrimination. The vote was 3 to 1, with
Republicans lining up in favor of the rule and a Democrat opposing it.
Employers and some labor unions supported the change, saying it would help
preserve coverage for early retirees. But AARP, which represents millions of
Americans age 50 and older, strenuously objected.
The new rule creates a potentially explosive political issue, because it
will create anxiety for many of the 12 million Medicare beneficiaries who

note my prvious posting that the equal opportunity employee commision that only two people both Republicans has caused so much grief to so many people.But also notice that the law only granted changes in medical benefits, no mention of life insurance or concession benefits. If this is the law that grants the companies the right to stop vested benefits then it seems that it is unlawful to take away what is not legally granted.I am an Embarq retiree with 38 years of service,yes my retiree agreement said hospitalization for life and 2 years life insurance etc.Since when was stealing and lying and using people their whole life good for free enterprise. I will make you a bet that this souring of public opion and disrepect for human dignity will come to haunt this corrupt company and you will see it in chapter eleven. If you think Embarq is poor you need to take a look at board members salary and the adminastative offices. Just think of the real estate this company owns. Great CEO's justify their grand salaries my making decesions of leadership that create jobs and increase benefits, not steal from those who worked and made it possible for them to manage a 119 billion company.(the amount that worldcom offered to buy out Sprint in 1999). If a theif were to rob a company of 30 million a year, he would be pursued by the FBI, SBI and all other law enforcement agents in this country. But when a very over compensated ceo and board of directors want to steal the same amount from it retirees, its not problem just send out some letters with fancy wording that justifies everthing and then brag to to investment world how they just made an additional 300 million dollars a year. If this is not white collar crime I don't know what is. Also Sprint has just agreed to pay its dusgruntled stock holders in a class action law suit several billion dollars between (one& a half billion dollars and three & billion is the projected amount of stock holders lost) in an under the radar, out of court settlement. Is this why the retirees only got a thirty day warning that a benefit that had funded for many generations would have to get life insurance elsewhere (THIRTY Day, retiree life insurance) Is this the monies needed to possible keep some executives out of legal trouble (retiree medical) This class action law suit was brought on in 2004 when Sprint brought back PCS (cellular) back into one stock. They devalued the PCS stock by billions. Now thats a real accountant error if I have ever heard of one. When a company takes away what you have worked for your whole life on the heels of your notification letter of your benefits being discontinued (two weeks) and then the news of the class action law suit out of court settlement breaks. I think a congressman or a law enforcement official should be able to read between the lines. If you agree to pay billions of dollars out of court you certainly must be guilty of something, but will any one pull time as in Enron or will benefit monies be enough to keep the Sercurity Exchange Enforcers off their tails If Congress lets this be pulled of with their blessing then they are no better than Embarq. Remember that Embarq, Sprint, CT&T) had nearly a century of monopoly protection where they were more or less guaranteed a profit in manner of a per centage above their their operating expenses. (more expenses the more profit granted by the Utillitis Commission, was the name of the game) You can't even begin to justify why these medical benefits were not funded or were they. As for competition remember that these companies also had nearly a hundred years of accumlating real estate (few own more real estate than the monopoly phone companies) as I said billions and billions of dollars of digital central offices, fiber optic long distance around the U.S.. All of this is already more of less bought and paid for in the old monopoly years. If a ceo and board of directors can't take all of these resources and compete against a start up company. Maybe a good look at these excutives may be in order. I do wonder if funding for these benefits was not on the list as part of the cost of doing businss in the old monopoly days and if not why not. I was given literature every so often that stated that I had earned a vested right to certain benefits over the years. Its what kept me with the company with it's twenty four hour aday responsibilites for thirty eight years, moving my family to one location to the other. Being under the umbrella of benefit security then and when I retired is what kept me there. In my case I would not even have thought of putting my family and myself through the aggrevation. To know somebody who probable wasn't out of diapers when these working agreements were being made and worked out. Can say that you were never promised these benefits as one of Embarq executives said in print. Yes we're mad, with the company, the congress, our congresseman. April 14,1994 is the date the law was changed, was this a payback to big business for political contributions? Thank about that date and it only took two republicans to pull this off.

I sent letters to Hesse, Holland and the board back on August 21, 2007, voicing my protest to these cuts and guess what, as of today, no answers. Why am I not surprised?

Alan,
I don't know who you are but for some reason I suspect you are either an upper level manager or an executive within the corporation. I am a retired Sprint/Embarq employee. I AM a well educated individual and had a very successful career with YOUR company. I say YOUR company because my company has pretty much disavowed all knowledge that I even exist. Just about every benefit that I had when I retired has been taken away from me and other loyal employees like me. The only 2 things I see each month that tell me I worked there are a retirement check which I fully earned and an occasional GREEN & WHITE envelope from Embarq which usually means something else is being taken from me. I retired, at my choice, with almost 40 years service. I managed a staff of professionals that were very dedicated to success of your company. Unfortunately, I found my self in a moral delema. I could continue working for Sprint/Embarq and continue to make plenty of money while turning my back on what I was seeing as a corporate return to the days of no concern for its employees.
After I retired I saw the handwriting on the wall and found another job that had health insurance. My education paid off again. I am happy about my situation but I am sad for you and others like you that don't see that soon, like all of us, you will reach the age of retirement, and you too will begin finding out how little you really mattered to THE CORPORATION. Alan, wake up and realize that the 60,000 plus employees of Sprint and Embarq are human beings with hopes and dreams and believe, mistakenly, that they working for a company with compassion. My prayer for you is that you will soon realize that, although you may believe yourself to be a valued employee of Sprint or Embarq, you too can be sacrificed on the alter of the BOTTOM LINE.

How about the 10 million EMBARQ is spending on some builds in Florida why don't they spend on health care and not cut the retirees stuff

Embarq like Sprint said that the reason they were doing away with retirement insurance was become only so many % of companies still do. Yet they turn right around and offer hospitilization to domestic partners. That is why they canceled retirement benefits. So two men or two women committing unatural acts can have insurance. They are trying to socially change the country. Everyone should let them know about it. I am ashamed that I worked there for 38 years. I know Wayne Peterson, former President of CT&T, was asked to leave his position of head of all Sprint telephone companies because he complained about how they were treating the employees. I've sold all my stock and I do not want to be associated with them anymore. I wish they would offer me a lump sum instead of a monthly retirement check so I would not have to look at it every month.

Alan:

Gary Forsee has been fired! Many things at Sprint will change when the new CEO comes in. Many people who have been comfortable the last several years may have a rude awakening--things will change and are bound to change! Are you getting your resume ready? If you survive again, good for you--feel free to sneer at those of us who have been hurt,just like you have been doing all this while!If you joint our ranks and are sacrificed on the altar of the bottom line, remember, we are here waiting for you and will listen to your grievances with more compassion and hope than you have ever had for us. God bless you!

Good luck whatever happens!

Good evening all, the main problem with Embarq discontinuing Retiree Benefits is that they are breaking their word to each employee that worked there long enough to earn thos benefits. For example, the week I retired, I was promised a fund set aside amounting to $1333.00/year for the 15 years before I turned 65. That amounts to $19,995.00 from which my benefits would be paid for. Upon recieving word that my benefits were terminated, I inquired about those funds and was told, "Oh, their in our account so we will be keeping them." In the 3 years of my retirement, I have used approximately $7500.00. In the beginning, I figured I'd run out of the fund within 6.5 years and then it was time to die. Now I assume, Embarq/Sprint would just as soon I die right away. Probably the government feels that way too. I'm up for another Class Action to get back what was promised. Anyone else feel this way too.
Marv

Marv,
I uprooted my household and moved to another Sprint job when they closed the office where I worked. I did that so I could have enough years to get my retirement and health insurance and now they take it away. I think the thing that upsets me the most is that when we were working nights, evenings weekends and holidays building this company the people that are taking our benefits away were still in elementary school.

Has anyone noticed that we haven't heard anything from Alan since August 16. Makes you wonder if he has been cut loose or is he hiding out

Stan: I assure you the litagation against
embarq is no scam. i have been to meetings
There are lawyers, Good lawyers helping us.
And Willie Dorman is a good man. This is no
trick. "We Truly Believe". Everyone needs
to write letters to the newpaper, and the
polititations. I have received letters back.

Truly SPrint and Embarq has screwed us big
time.

Marilyn S.

Count me among the screwed!! All of the retirement benefits promised me in 1993 have slowly been taken away after working long and hard for 35 years for them. Promised medical benefits (replaced by Medicare at age 65 with all of its shortcomings and now augmented by the comical call a nurse program offered by Embarq), $57.5K life insurance for life (now knocked down to $10K by Embarq), Express Scripts Prescription coverage (supposedly replaced by the Schedule D option joke by the government). Am I mad and upset, YES! What to do about it remains the question. Technically I worked for Sprint at retirement and assumed the promised benefits were for life. Then the Embarq spin in off in 2006 changed everything. I took the same losses as everyone else as mentioned above.

However, I have noticed some financial numbers contained in the Sprint annual mailing of the Summary Annual Report(SAR)for Jan 2006 to Dec 31 2006 that I received December 2007. The report is required by the ERISA act of 1974 mandating companys disclose their Retirement Pension Plan expenses, assets and earnings for the plan year. In past years the report gave me some sense of comfort seeing all of the financial resources balancing the beneficial outcome of the plan to retirees. One of the numbers caught my eye this year however and I don't know what to do with it. Maybe some of you can help me find out where to address a question for an explanation or if necessary seek legal support to see what is going on. The number is $3,088,719,816 located near the bottom of the third paragraph of the Sprint SAR report. This is the amount reported as "a transfer to the Embarq Retirement Pension Plan" Yes folks, thats $3 billion plus dollars transfered to Embarq from Sprint I assumed to help fund their retiree benefits. Now lets look at the Embarq SAR report for May 17, 2006 to Dec 31, 2006 since I receive both.
There is no record of this $3+ billion number being reported on the Embarq SAR report. I don't know about you but I wonder where the money went. I can make all kind of educated guesses as I presume you can as well where the money went but I think we deserve to know since it seems to be affecting our ongoing retiree benefits. I welcome any suggestions where we may seek an answer to this puzzle. I think of contacting Sprint or Embarq execs but as I have read above, they aren't exactly responsive and I would expect an evasive answer at best. Is there a government or regulatory agency that should be appraised of the discrepancy. I the mean time, I am researching alternatives to find out where the money went and what WE can do about it.

Alan:

Have you been fired? Where are you? Such silence is the hallmark of someone who has egg on their face-- whats up buddy?

If you are fired from Sprint in this new massive layoff that is coming, are you going to sneer at yourself the way you sneered at all the people in this blog?

Me too! On Halloween day, 2008 (fitting), I was summarily Fired and escorted from the building by Embarq on the basis lies, personal vendetta, and retaliation. I am almost 59 years of age and I can't even pay my own rent. I am one medical condition away from being institutionalized (jailed?), and a couple of car failures away from a cardboard box under an overpass somewhere. Please include me in the class action suit. The situation is life-threatening.