SImilar thing happened to me
Many years ago I worked as Sysadmin / IT Manager for a government accounting office in Western Australia. After working there for over 10 years the Director decided it was time to outsource all IT functions in the name of lower costs. Remember the mythical 15-20% savings one automatically recouped by outsourcing IT?
Well after 12 months of massivly increased workloads, harrassment and bullying I finally broke and had to leave for health reasons. The Management likewise made it clear they wanted me gone immediately and locked me out as soon as I took leave.
I'd just finished a complete overhaul of our IT backup and recovery systems, and was just 2 months from proving we were immune from the dreaded Y2K Bug. Furthermore, I'd just concluded liaison with a national IT company for implementation and maintenance of the organisations key IT Auditing package (our core business).
As soon as I took leave it was made clear I was "persona non grata" and staff were warned to have nothing to do with me. All discussions regarding my health and career prospects were conducted through our respective solicitors. An amicable financial settlement was concluded, but I was given a gag order and told I was never to contact the organisation again.
Luckily I soon healed and found other employment with the Federal Government and soon forgot about my sad experience.
The 2 years after leaving I received an urgent call from an outsourced contractor pleading for any information regarding Disaster Recovery Plans and the principal Audit Systems Software I'd helped place into production previously.
It seems that the Director and Deputy Director had considered themselves IT specialists and berated and demoted all remaining IT staff, and replaced all contractors who'd developed our systems with cheaper parties. They'd also managed to insult the CEO of the IT company that developed and maintained the Audit Systems.
I was offered an obscene amount of money if I would drop everything and return to resolve their dilema. Nobody had any idea where any paperwork was, of staff/contractor contacts or responsibilities. In 2 short years the Director and Deputy Director had entirely lost control of all IT functions.
My response was as terse as my dismissal. 'Thank you but I've rebuilt my career and established full-time employment and had absolutely no interest in renewing our aquaintances!"
For them to have come to me, they must truly have been in a mess. However, I wasc not about to jeapordise my new employment for a quick Buck, and after 2 years I could imagine what a complete dogs breakfast they must have made. I declined. Eventually the political powers that be noticed the mess and Karma took a hand in their careers.
Yes. Some of you will think I'm a dick and to some extent I feel I am. However, I knew the reality of the offer and that should I not be able to recover for them, yet again I should be their dupe. In the event of success they would garner the kudos; in the event of non-success, I should be the scaoe-goat. F,ool me once, shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me!.
I have never regretted declining their offer.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
