Lies Alorica, Inc. has told so far

[dickelo]

Chino, California based Alorica, Inc., who recently acquired Tulsa's DecisionOne call center business, claims that honesty is one of its "4 pillars of excellence." Why then does it seem to be the most dishonest employer in the city?

1. Benefits lies Alorica has told:

Alorica advised former DecisionOne employees that their insurance would remain in effect until January 1, 2006. Despite collection of premiums from employee paychecks, insurance claims were denied for the period 12/2/2005 (date of the takeover) through 12/22/2005. Aetna stated on 12/19 that the denials were due to non-payment of premiums. Employees found out when services like prescription drug coverage were denied, or when the doctor sent them the whole bill. Alorica never explained (or even mentioned) this problem, and didn't answer any employee questions about it.

UPDATE 2/8/06: There are STILL issues with those who kept the Alorica/Aetna coverage. My sympathies are with those affected.

2. Profitability lies Alorica has told:

Alorica's first cost-cutting measure was to increase benefit cost to employees. For an employee with a family, the increase in cost was some 300%. Imagine working for 10 to 11 dollars an hour and paying $317 or more per paycheck for health insurance. It is in almost all cases cheaper for an employee to self-insure than take the "benefits." Generally, the larger the group, the less expensive the premiums. Not the case here.

UPDATE: At least one employee has talked to an insurance agent who could not believe the rate hike. This agent found that the employee could be more cheaply insured from Aetna as an individual than with Alorica's "group rate." This begs the question, is Alorica collecting on the back end?

Alorica stated in a communication to employees that the reason they: increased benefit cost, reduced paid holidays, eliminated bereavement pay, jury duty pay, and military pay, etc. was to "quickly return to the Tulsa operation to a profitable operation [sic]." A former employee in a position to know advised in November that margin on the large cellular provider account hovered around 10%. The smaller accounts historically had much greater margins.

Lies about profitability add insult to injury.

3. Compensation lies Alorica has told:

In a December 15 press release, Alorica announced that for its 600 new hires in Tulsa, "employees will be paid between $9.60 per hour to $11.00 per hour, plus bonuses and commission." (Source: http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1205/286183.html)

Alorica has advertised (at different times)  compensation of 31,000/year and 27,000/year for call center agents. (Source: Tulsa World employment classifieds)

Compensation is much lower than all claims above. This lie affects you before you even take the job!

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by dickelo

Chino, California based Alorica, Inc., who recently acquired Tulsa's DecisionOne call center business, claims that honesty is one of its "4 pillars of excellence." Why then does it seem to be the most dishonest employer in the city?

1. Benefits lies Alorica has told:

Alorica advised former DecisionOne employees that their insurance would remain in effect until January 1, 2006. Despite collection of premiums from employee paychecks, insurance claims were denied for the period 12/2/2005 (date of the takeover) through 12/22/2005. Aetna stated on 12/19 that the denials were due to non-payment of premiums. Employees found out when services like prescription drug coverage were denied, or when the doctor sent them the whole bill. Alorica never explained (or even mentioned) this problem, and didn't answer any employee questions about it.

UPDATE 2/8/06: There are STILL issues with those who kept the Alorica/Aetna coverage. My sympathies are with those affected.

2. Profitability lies Alorica has told:

Alorica's first cost-cutting measure was to increase benefit cost to employees. For an employee with a family, the increase in cost was some 300%. Imagine working for 10 to 11 dollars an hour and paying $317 or more per paycheck for health insurance. It is in almost all cases cheaper for an employee to self-insure than take the "benefits." Generally, the larger the group, the less expensive the premiums. Not the case here.

UPDATE: At least one employee has talked to an insurance agent who could not believe the rate hike. This agent found that the employee could be more cheaply insured from Aetna as an individual than with Alorica's "group rate." This begs the question, is Alorica collecting on the back end?

Alorica stated in a communication to employees that the reason they: increased benefit cost, reduced paid holidays, eliminated bereavement pay, jury duty pay, and military pay, etc. was to "quickly return to the Tulsa operation to a profitable operation [sic]." A former employee in a position to know advised in November that margin on the large cellular provider account hovered around 10%. The smaller accounts historically had much greater margins.

Lies about profitability add insult to injury.

3. Compensation lies Alorica has told:

In a December 15 press release, Alorica announced that for its 600 new hires in Tulsa, "employees will be paid between $9.60 per hour to $11.00 per hour, plus bonuses and commission." (Source: http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1205/286183.html)

Alorica has advertised (at different times)  compensation of 31,000/year and 27,000/year for call center agents. (Source: Tulsa World employment classifieds)

Compensation is much lower than all claims above. This lie affects you before you even take the job!

MORAL OF THIS STORY: DON'T GO TO WORK FOR A CALL CENTER!

[Cubs]

tis better to work at a call center than not work at all .... be thankful for what you have no matter how bad it may seem

[mr.jaynes]

I like what I'm doing a bit too much to go to work for something like that. I've worked in IT (my degree is in Computer Science) for a time, and I've always made sure that I keep my Cosmetology license and my Liquor license up-to-date in case I have to fall back on it (and after the IT bust, I had to).  

[sgrizzle]

Fix your computer while doing your makeup and getting you sloshed...

I like it!

[Conan71]

Welcome to "menial manufacturing" in 21st century America.

Same level of pay, same crap benefits, less physically-demanding.

Unions are missing an opportunity here.[]

[sgrizzle]

Cingular call center employees are supposed to join a union.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Fix your computer while doing your makeup and getting you sloshed...

I like it!

Oh, I have talents aplenty!