There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go.

Mark to Brian on June 6 at 4:17 PM
To ensure that we meet for a length of time that meets your needs and expectations, please book an appointment via Outlook.

Thank you.

Brian to Mark on June 7 at 9:56 AM
It appears that you have not given me the ability to look at your calendar. I had asked you to be available here, today, after 1:00. I need to modify the time so that our meeting can begin at 1:30. The purpose of this meeting is to orient others with your files and outstanding projects needing completion. You have not given me any indication that you would not be available, and stated your intent to cooperate in providing transition information. In addition, you will need to be available, in person, here in the office tomorrow, Friday during the hours between 8 AM and 4:30 PM; (excepting breaks) so that Bob and I can continue, as our schedules permit, to obtain information from you to carry on business.

Mark to Brian on June 7 at 10:27 AM
After reviewing the matter with others, the following points render the meeting irrelevant.

“Any communication prepared on behalf of the District must be reviewed by my supervisor”.

Since everything I do while working for the District is on behalf of the District and involves communicating, the Letter of Direction would have required that I seek your review of any attempt to communicate. Therefore, I have no pending official task items that fall outside of the Letter of Direction. If I actually communicated in an effort to support the District, and did not seek your review, I would be in violation of the Letter of Direction and subject to possible termination (effective versus constructive) or other disciplinary action.

A rhetorical question: Why would the District’s Custodial Manager be assigned work related to Planning and Property Management?

I would be happy to meet to point at file cabinets and share where documents may be found. Just schedule an appointment via Outlook.

Brian to Mark on June 7 at 10:33 AM
You are to be available, in your office, personally during the times mentioned in my e-mail.

Brian to Brian on June 7 at 2:18 PM
ttttttttt
(Brian had my email access terminated and was testing the account to ensure that email traffic was being diverted to him.)

Mark to Brian on June 7 at 4:44 PM
I see that access to my email account has been terminated. Since my last effective day was slated for Monday, does this mean I need not show up for any meetings tomorrow? I have no way of seeing what meetings have been proposed on Outlook without access to my email account. This action only strengthens any claim of constructive termination.

Returning keys to the head custodian does not constitute resignation or demonstrate one's intention to never enter the ESC for work. As I have no need for security access in the final days of employment, I would rather not carry them around or assume the liability of doing so.

I will assume that my services are no longer needed. If incorrect, you may reply to this email address since my District address is no longer accessible.

Mark to Brian on June 7 at 7:46 PM
I recall that you mentioned something about meeting on Friday in an email sent to zandbergm@edmonds.wednet.edu. In checking my email account, it appears as though the account has been terminated. I have no way of knowing when we were to meet if I cannot access my calendar or email.

I would characterize an email account as being critical to the completion of my assigned tasks. Terminating the account would undermine my ability to perform my job.

As you know, I was scheduled to be at work until the 11th of June. You apparently have decided to change my date of termination. I will need a letter confirming my actual last day so I might accurately complete an HR-100 for time off from service to the District.

Mark to Debby on June 8 at 6:18 AM
It would appear that my last day of service was June 7th, 2007. I worked from 9:00 am until 10:30 am, when I transported my wife to CDI for a medical appointment in Mountlake Terrace. You may call to confirm.

I planned to return immediately after her appointment but my calendar, email and voicemail access was terminated.

If you would be so kind as to send my final check to my home address, along with a summary as to what the amount includes and what it does not include, I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Brian to Mark on June 8, 2007 8:06 AM
In as much as you responded to my e-mail directing you to meet yesterday afternoon and this morning at 8 AM, I find it difficult to believe that you can plead any kind of ignorance to the instructions. Your services are still required here and as your supervisor, I have every right to expect your cooperation.

Your e-mail was suspended after our Head Custodian informed me that you turned in your keys to him saying that you would not be coming back. I find that his statement credible given that I was present in the building when you chose to leave without contacting me, you did not show up for the 1:30 PM meeting, your failure to meet between 9 AM and 10 AM daily this week to assist us with orientation to your office and pending projects, and your failure to be here this morning. Your employment has not been terminated in any way by the District and until this is sorted out, I expect you to perform your duties as an employee.

Mark to Brian on June 8 at 8:50 AM
I was asking for you to propose a meeting through Outlook. Technology can help you understand how meetings are proposed in Outlook. Email does not always provide assurances that conflicts will be resolved in scheduling because one has to see availability prior to booking time. Scheduling or proposing an appointment is very simple. Of course, since my email account has been terminated, there is no way to schedule an appointment now. I am unaware of what other appointments have been deleted.

Gary is very correct in reporting that I turned in my keys and reported that I will not be returning to the ESC while it is locked. I no longer have any need to gain access to any District site since I am no longer on emergency rotation and have so few days remaining of service. I suspect you likely misunderstood Gary because I also have the utmost regard for his ability to relay critical messages and building concerns and I am confident that he reported the facts, they just weren't entirely heard.

In future, I would recommend that you make direct contact with the individual from whom you require critical information. I will continue to check my account access throughout the day and over the weekend. Once I can see what my schedule holds, I will happily meet the obligations contained therein.

Additionally, I am hopeful that someone documented the many calls on my voicemail before it was deleted.

Brian to Mark on June 8 at 10:15 AM
Your computer will be turned back on shortly. I acted on information as it was represented to me and asked to have the computer secured as I would for any employee upon departure from employment.

Mark to Donovan on June 11, 2007 4:55 PM
Subject: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
I never received any password and sat quietly at my desk without internet access or the ability to check email, my calendar or voicemail. Today was a day as a volunteer. My last day of effective employment was Thursday, June 7, 2007 - and even that was only the morning hours. Brian claimed that he never received a password from you. No need to worry. I just wish I could have done more during my final day of service for the District.

Editorial: When my district email account was terminated, I continued seeking clarification by way of mark@esd15.org. I was not able to see any of the many appointments I had coordinated with developers, parent groups and contractors in anticipation of my departure. As you may imagine, the last few days of work tend to be rather heavily booked. Brian had access to my calendar, just no concept of actually proposing a meeting via Outlook (and you don't need access to propose a meeting). Unlike what had been suggested previously in an HR tactics entry, I did not book up space in my calendar. There were plenty of openings and I would have met at any time - day or night.