"Please stop calling me. If you continue, you'll be in violation of the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 which provides for a fine of $500 to $1500 for each call made."

That usually does it. Make sure you get a name , number, and address if you can.

He's probably calling using Skype or spoofing a phone number via some other means. If he's even semi-legit, and there's a plausible debt, then the advice you got from the others is the way to go.

If not, call your phone carrier and see if they can help. Either way, they'll be able to give you advice on next steps (assuming, again, this guy is just a dick who is out to harass your "friend" because of something that has nothing to do with any debt.)

You could sue, but little is likely to come of that unless someone is willing to hire a debt collector of their own after what I can only guess will be the default judgement ordered in your friend's favor.

My girlfriend went through something like this, and as with most pests, the only thing she could do was ignore the person until they lost interest in whatever piqued their interest in the 1st place.

The Coworker would do well to acquaint himself with The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Here's the gist of two letters I sent to get debt collectors off our new telephone number:

"You have contacted our number, presumably to collect or recover a debt. I am requesting that you provide validation of this debt in writing, and justification why our phone number should remain on your active list.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (often called the "FDCPA"),  15 USC 1692, provides that debts that are pursued by a debt collector be validated. If you cannot provide validation of our debt (provide creditor, dates of activity/communication attempts from creditor, and the names of the debtors, amount owing, account numbers) then pursuant to my rights under federal debt collection laws, I am requesting that you cease and desist communication with me, as well as my employer, in relation to this and all other alleged debts you claim I owe. I am aware that further communications by you will make you liable for sums up to $1000, plus actual damages and counsel fees. You may contact me to tell me that you are ceasing communications, once.

You are hereby notified that if you do not comply with this request, I will immediately file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and the Washington State Attorney General’s office. Civil and criminal claims will be pursued."

No debt collector actually responded to this, but neither did any debt collector attempt to contact us again.

FTC to the rescue:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

From the doc:
"A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there."

Also, you can sue the collector to recover interrupted work/wages.

Two weeks minimum; four weeks maximum. The two weeks gives time enough for the machinery at your current employer to crank up for replacing you (or trying to get you to stay!). It's the professional thing to do. Positions that carry a higher degree of responsibility require a little more notice, but no more than four weeks because once you give notice, you're a lame duck. You won't be kept in the loop. You won't be asked to attend meetings. There'll be no raises, of course, or promotions to someone on his/her way out. And they may want you to train the new person if they hire before you leave. That's a huge drag and shouldn't be your responsibility.

Here's what I recommend: I think you should get a break between jobs, too, because you won't get another vacation for a while. Give three (or two) weeks notice, but tell your employer you'll be ready to start in four (or three) weeks. that'll give you a week off.

Not giving someone who's laid off notice is optional unfortunately. I think it's pretty crummy to not at least hint that there's gonna be cutbacks and that it may affect you. So, not a very nice place to work. Congrats on getting out. Still, be better than them and do the professional thing, but do not feel guilty about leaving. Most of your bosses would be out of there SO fast for more money and/or better benefits. Don't let them make you feel like a creep for wanting to improve your status.

Good luck and congrats on the new job!

You are under no obligation to give more than the standard 2-weeks’ notice. I could be reading too much into your question but it doesn't seem like you have much respect or enjoy your current job too much so I don't see any reason why you should give them more than 2-weeks.

Now if you are in the middle of a project and they ask you for 3 there is nothing wrong with that but my guess, based on the information you have provided, is that they will just accept your 2-weeks or maybe even walk you immediately when you give notice.

My two-cents.

Your employer very well may just escort you off the property as soon as you give your notice, especially given how you describe the treatment of current employees getting fired. Give your current employer two weeks, set a start date of three weeks out for your new gig, and plan on being off work for 2.5 to 3 weeks.

Sounds suspiciously like the same management team I used to work for.
Russ is right about the Wa State Human Rights commission -- they ARE the right place to take this - and you have every right to file a complaint, even as an observer.

Seems like the less engaged/invested you are in a job, the less likely you are to remember details, especially if you were only there a short time.

I've had 20+ jobs in 16 years of working that I more or less hated (+ a job here & there that I liked or whatev) and remember a lot of names and faces.

You hated the job. Did you spend any time wondering what possessed people to keep working there?

I do this thing- I'm trying to stop doing it- where I try to understand my place in the world by looking to other people and trying to understand their way of thinking. So, I've wasted a great deal of thought energy on the perceived psychology of my coworkers. *Why do THEY work here?* Why does he..? Oh, he has kids, a mortgage, he doesn't have time to get something less hate-able. She loves misery...

I wonder if you were thinking "This job sucks" and that was the end of it, the people were just part of the scenery of suckiness.

I'm trying not to get in others' heads anymore because (A) I'm not a psychologist and so I'm not at all skilled at it, (B) it's judgmental, & I'm not a judge, (C) what goes on in other peoples' mind has actually no relevance to me or what goes on in mine.

But, yeah. Past crappy jobs? My coworkers were an extension of my madness!

Do you have this problem with other acquaintances - not just ones who worked at bad jobs? Because I'm TERRIBLE at remembering names and this kind of thing happens a lot to me. Unless I think about you when I'm not engaging with you, it's just very hard for me to remember names of people I'm not close with.

HOW Special?
If they specify TYPE it's entirely legal, if they call out a rare color, brand etc (ex - 'you can only wear metallic purple, knee-high Doc Martens to work') THEY should expect to pick up the tab, unless you are a performer.

If you're working in a kitchen, the job CAN say 'you have to get non-slip soles'.

You can fake it though, until after the first paycheck -- any job where they'd actually CHECK is a nazi camp you don't want to stay at anyway.

"What's up with that?"

Dress code and/or wanting non-slip soles, I imagine. Dress code is perfectly legal, if loathsome :[

I'm not a labor attorney (or an attorney of any kind) but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say yeah, that's totally legal. For the same reasons that having a dress code of any sort is legal. It's annoying but keep in mind that if you were starting an office job you'd most likely have to shell out a few hundred to a few grand for business or biz-caj attire, if you were starting a number of blue-collar jobs you'd need to buy not only steel-toes but a hard-hat, safety glasses, and your own tools, and if you were starting a healthcare job you'd need to buy some scrubs and vaccinations. Sorry, but deal with it and welcome to the working world.

I did a whole lot of ordering of a whole lot of promotional items at my last job.

Hands down our most popular item ever was a basic plastic handled buck-style pocket knife that cost about $1.50 apiece. They were high enough quality to be really useful and sturdy (I have one in every single bag I own and use them for basically everything ever) and cheap enough that it wasn't a big deal if you lost one. People LOVED them, regardless of gender/etc. I did work for a seafood wholesaler but we did a lot of business with people who weren't crusty fisherman and I never saw anyone anything but excited to get one.

Second most popular were sturdy canvas tote bags. Again- I keep two in my car, four at home, one at work, etc. So useful and inexpensive.

We've had a great response to those reusable grocery bags, especially the ones that pack down into their own little bag pocket. Put a cool work logo on them and hand those suckers out.

The best ever? Hookers and cocaine, back in the 1970s record business. Your budget might be a problem, though.

Why the heck would new hires need a promotional item? Cell phone and business cards should be enough.

I say get them a modest notepad with custom letterhead and/or their name.

Work's it's own reward, my ass.

Back when I was in charge of tchtochkes the most popular item was always those little tins of mints with the company logo on them. You could give everyone a bag of those and they'd be psyched. Trust me on this. People flipping love those.

I'm a fan of http://www.powerballs.com/customisations.php?m=Store , though I'm not sure they'd make the 10$ mark and too many employees whizzing at once might be somewhat annoying ;)

I've always been a fan of USB memory sticks. They are cheap, useful, universal, and can be customized with a company logo or some other personalized touch.

Otherwise, coffee mug? Mouse pad? Water bottle?

It's all about the Benjamins baby.

I like making sense of things.

People don't always help their seniors.

We're next logical choice, need money.

Building scenery is play, not work.