female sales rep sues

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/10/judge_refuses_to_dismiss_female_sales_reps_100_million_lawsuit_against_merck.html

 

Good luck ladies, but I wouldn't hold my breath because Merck will suffocate you.

 

I guess that her cream business flopped!

 

Actually, it sounds like her Merck job is what flopped. Had she been selling cream, this lawsuit would have been unnecessary. My cream sales are delivering far more than my Merck paycheck ever will, as hard as that may be for your little brain to understand.

 

Let,s get it straight the very very vast majority of these quote employees haven,t worked a day since they were hired

 

Heck, males should sue as female job shares never get cut and get the best geographies close to home.

 

Haven't been around old mother in quite some time, but the mother I remember would bend over backwards and do almost anything to keep female employees happy. I know the place has changed and much of it has been for the worse, but has momma turned against our female colleagues? I find that incredibly hard to believe, 2014 or 1984.

 

This rep worked in NJ, and she was reporting to a legacy Schering CTL and RD who are no longer with Merck. Gee, I wonder why?

 

I know of the mother you fondly speak of...and remember those days, too.

My story: I was the only female in my team (not a rep) and was let go after 20 years. The first and only person to be let go from my team, mind you. I was one of the top performers, consistently; happily married for 21 years; working mom; respected amongst my peers--even on a global scale; never had an issue that was HR worthy, and was even going back to school at night (on my own dime) to advance my skill set. During my exit interview, the HR rep said he was sorry he never had a chance to meet me before that day. A retired former Exec. Dir.--to whom I previously reported to years before--called WS on my behalf (once word got out that I was let go) and spoke to others who agreed my departure was a mistake (I was to find this out much later).

Why me? I'll never know for sure...perhaps a numbers game...my age, years of service, etc. Should I have accepted the dinner invitation of my then male (married) executive director--would that have kept my job? Maybe, but then I would have lost my dignity and respect for myself and my spouse.

So, if I hadn't been let go and a male counterpart was chosen first, would the men then have a right to state I was kept because I was female? Not sure. Since I was let go first, should I have sued because I was the only woman in the team? No, I still think I made the right decision to leave in a respectful, dignified (albeit upset) manner with a healthy severance package to hold me over until I completed my program of studies.

After all was said and done, within six months to eight months, my immediate boss and his boss were let go, too, while the remaining team continued.

I believe in Karma, so I didn't gloat (honestly) when they were let go...they had families too...it's just that their dual departure spoke volumes to me...maybe somebody "upstairs" saw through whatever lies they spun to validate my departure...

 

Congratulations on moving on with your life and not letting your valid hurt/upset feelings prevent you from bettering yourself. I got shafted by Merck, too, and will never know the reason why. Tough to accept at first but like you, I knew karma would catch up with some folks and it did. Now I simply feel sorry for momma, knowing what a great company she once was and what a messed up place she became.

 

Thanks, and sorry to hear about your being let go as well...

At the commencement of the layoffs, I remember thinking: "When your company is number one in this industry, there is only one way to go." It's such a different landscape within the industry for Merck to be the same Merck you and I were fortunate enough to experience at one time. Generics, the formation of the EU years ago that took away favorable exchange rates in certain countries and created a centralized approach to and laws for marketing within that realm, and so many other aspects that are/were not in direct control of the pharma companies all play into it. Certainly, there are/were other aspects that were in momma's control (don't get me started on Vioxx).

I think momma's organizational structure got too top heavy--remember the days when 95% of the VPs and Presidents of the divisions/subsidiaries all fit on the 7th Floor of Building 32 in RY? You probably couldn't fit them all now in the auditorium in WS. Momma got too "big" internally to be able to adjust to the changing marketplace over the years.

Since leaving, I've been working on the periphery of the industry--pay and benefits are not what I had, but in about three years, I plan to make a move to improve that (personal commitments take priority right now--always have/always will).

Certainly hope you've done well for yourself.

 

I think this rep was sharing some truth in her experience.

I'm a female who made a very mediocre salary. It was much lower than most of my peers. When I left some reps who knew me said its time to be better paid. They knew I had the experience and was an RN. I worked in patient care and for years worked with cardiology and diabetic patients. I knew my products, the customers and was a strong rep.

My male manager decided to tell me I was making too much money, when he knew perfectly well I was making considerably less than my colleagues. I know no manger would ever say this to a male rep, especially knowing full well that most of the peers were making more.

I have definitely observed a women are second class attitude with some male managers. It's almost a free license to insult people. If a woman is divorced, a single mom or over 35 and not married its even worse. We are likely to be pegged and probably pushed aside in favor of a male in jobs or salary. Definitely an old boys club here, protect, push ahead and pay higher salaries to men. It could be why the Women's network is actually needed.

 

Merck was the first pharmaceutical company to go majority women in the salesforce! The turnover was huge and Merck has lost tons of money on this policy when most of the female hires were part time salesreps and full time moms! At any of the annual meetings as far back as you'd like to go you'd see women managers and directors who were not half as good as their male counterparts cruising along because of mother Mercks lets hire the chicks policy! Half the work and twice as much trouble spells disaster for any organization, so let them sue till their fat asses fall off. Merck has lost its ass on this female hire policy over the years and its not recoverable! Our customers (the doctors) for the most part never respect female reps....and that includes female doctors! Awfully hard to respect anyone who got hired on a quota and are sustained on a quota and never have to be held to the same requirements as male counterparts! That's what NCM was...a system whereby those who could not sell could get promoted for doing things that for the most part did not matter....in essence "we'll nurture the doctors back to loving Merck again", which is bullshit! They love you because of cutting edge products, world class information, exceptional service and a rising stock price that they could make money off of, and everything else was fluff and puff! Let the bitch sue!

 

Couldn't agree more, left almost two years ago because I couldn't stomach the nonsense. MSCAM mothers getting paid 150k plus to do nothing but talk at meetings about ACOs and quality metrics. Never produced a tangible result. THe only thing that grew were their fat asses. Two female DCO in the NE that were complete train wrecks and on top of that, extremely unqualified but they hit the quota. Rewind 5-7 years ago and we had 3 woman running the sales force which was a complete disaster. One leaving VMails about Hitler. Then you have JN as VP last year and we know how that turned out. She was moved off the diabetes franchise to "focus on future launches". Ask the Zontivity and Grastek reps how their launches are going. She was then moved to a divison that doesnt matter. Merck does have quotas and they make a conscience effort to hit specific metrics. They need those stats to fight of lawsuits like the one in NJ from a delusional soccer mom.

 

Re: female sales rep dude

I was a manager for twenty years and can state as fact that I was forced to hire many nonqualified hires to fit the QUOTA determinates. And yes money was thrown down the drain throughout Merck

 

Ask the men in the NE how we were "encouraged" to attend women network meetings so that we could be emasculated by beastly Heffers and their plight to alleviate the sexiest actions and undertones at Merck. Here is a tip, brush your hair and teeth, updated your TJ maxx "business suit", go to work , work off your FUPA and drive results and maybe you'll get somewhere.

 

My cut was predetermined and my colleagues knew what was going on. I was set up to be pushed out. I am a female and was a worker who was there 100% for my job. If one manager decides they want to harass you out, you will be pushed out, despite everything. There is nothing you can do. My job loss ensured a safe spot for one of the guys.

 

Yes, especially if they have someone they plan to put in your job.

 

My two Barbie dyed-blonde colleagues like to drive around together, making team sales calls according to them. They would conduct evening educational dinner programs with a few key lonely male doctors on a monthly basis. They got upset when I asked them to push those docs a little bit harder while they dined over wine and lobster. Could not even ask them to secure a "yes" vote from one of them who was on the P&T. I think they did not want to ruin their friendship and spoil the fun. Sales of those doctors never improve and we couldn't ask without being labeled as pushy, demanding and overbearing.

 

So true. There was and often can be a definite plan. My departure was totally contrived. I was diminished inch by inch in every way they could. I know this as do others on the team. The replacement was handed a job with a bigger salary and will be moved into place momentarily. All on a sliver platter. Its the old boys club effect. You are out for no reason while someone gets in for being a club member. No consideration for the damage this creates to the lives of the undeserving. It is sad commentary on the workings of some who are privileged to be granted a management job. In the end they know one hand will wash another. Be well, they sure are and will be.