Working at URS in Santa Ana, CA: 2 Employee Job Reviews by Real Employee working in Santa Ana, CA Area

"When I worked for URS they gave me the opportunity to work on to quality projects."

"Laid off at 71."

What do you like about working at URS?

"I have no qualms about the working conditions. I was granted almost complete independence for several years to perform my duties and did this will until I became extremely sick with constant neck, leg and shoulder pain because of a needed cervical fusion and a torn rotator cuff and could sleep no more that 4 hours/night. Other than that, I felt secure in my job for many years and was able to manage many projects simultaneously with apparent ease. At the outset of my employment with Dames & Moore Group in 1989 (acquired by URS in 1999), I established the telecom section within MIS for the then director. After the acquisition, I worked well with the new director of telecom for several years and we had a good partnership. Overall, I thought URS was a good company to work for until the hatchet came down on me because of my age (71) and high salary. I do have a Master of Science degree in telecom management."

What don't you like about working at URS?

"The hatchet: in a most reptilian, unethical way, I was laid off at 71 years of age. Prior to that, two 30 somethings had been added to the team, one being made my supervisor, my not having been given that offer - until then, I was second in charge to the director; my title was reduced from corporate telecom manager to voice manager. Under the guise of a conference call to go over the forthcoming projects for the remainder of 2007 as I was standing by the phone, a tap on my office door revealed my director who had come from New Jersey. He abruptly said I have to get rid of one and it is you. Note that the company was doubling in size as this was happening by acquiring the Washington Group. I was in such complete shock that I was speechless. I was about to announce during that call that I was scheduling my long needed neck surgery for later in the month. Also note that during an earlier phone conversation discussing my last review he stated, you are making more that two of the directors; those being, within the admin dept. of which we were part. Also, note that the VP in charge of admin, a veteran of over 35 years with URS, was walked out a short time prior leaving my director in charge. My previous annal review was less than excellent, which I rebutted, the first in my entire life. Each preceding year, my director had given me very good review. This last review was the first by my new supervisor. I feel I was being set up for the lay off. Understand I was working without the knowledge I was 100% disabled. Management knew of my condition and shortly prior to my lay off, my supervisor finally recommended I have the surgery. That is when I tentatively scheduled it but was laid of before I could announce the date to them on the purported, contrived conference call. I had taken note that previously some of my projects were slowly being taken away from me. I transferee had come into the section to handle all offices east of the Mississippi and I was to care for all offices west. He, however, was taking offices in my territory. Prior to that, I was covering offices everywhere. Note that he was in his thirties. I filed with the CA DFEH to no avail and also with the EEOC, also to no avail; I had an attorney lined up prior to the filing with DFEH. but the econ collapse occurred in Oct 2008 and I was dropped. I had to wait an additional 8 months to have the cervical fusion and when the neurosurgeon completed the fusion, he said I had minimized the pain to him, my condition being extremely serious. Also, in September 07 I was examined by a QME for worker's comp and was declared 100% disabled, 20% allotted as work related (my knees). I later had arthroscopy on both knees. I know this is somewhat lengthy; however, I, at now 74, cannot find a job, even with the Federal Government although I have many GS-15 ratings as best qualified. I am never called for an interview. Commercial companies hardly ever respond to my resumes. Other than the arthritic problems, I am a model of good health looking 15 to 20 years younger than my age (I took the time last year to walk over 1200 miles, one a 20 mile hike in 95 degree heat to condition myself).To summarize, this layoff turned a good company extremely bad."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Become human! I do not know how high up the ladder my lay off was initiated; I do know, I was a heck of an asset to the firm for many years and I had knowledge of my job that no one else had and was also the most highly educated in the department. URS is a professional services firm and they must show high degrees of education when bidding on projects/contracts. Apparently, as overhead, that does not count. I also do not know if Martin Koffel, the CEO, was aware of my situation, or if he even cares about underlings. The executive to whom the admin dept. reports, had changed several times over a few years and the VP (the one released) had noted that he was not sure who he was reporting to for a period. I received a congratulatory letter from Martin Koffel (form letter) for 15 years of service noting how the company values longevity - hollow words. I also received a bonus with my director when the corporate offices moved to the TransAmerica building in San Francisco for a 100% successful move. I know the company has become a behemoth with over 56,000 employees, but there must be a greater degree of oversight down the chain. I had no chance to explain anything to anyone. If, indeed, they are to lay off an employee, it should be with a few months prior notice. My previous director with Dames & Moore, in his budgeting, knew he would lay off a few of the team members; he gave them a one-year notice."