Joker’s former office workers told Ilta-Sanom about Joel Harkimo’s working methods.
Joel Harkimo received harsh criticism from Joker’s former office workers. Juha Metso / AOP
According to IS Jokerit’s office workers learned last August that their employer, Jokerit Hockey Club Oy, has moved under Team Jokerit Oy.
The employees were immediately given layoff notices, but it was not revealed who owned the new company or who their predecessor was.
– There was not even a peep from the employer, not even the smallest sign of smoke. For example, I didn’t know who I should have told if I wanted to quit, one of the former office workers told Ilta-Sanom.
Soon the employees could read in the newspapers that Team Jokerit Oy was owned Joel Harkimo. He was in contact with his employees for the first time only on 20.4. At that time, Harkimo sent them an email and announced that he had filed for bankruptcy of Team Jokerit Oy.
– I experienced it as a really inferior and humiliating activity. Mentally, it was a hell of a hard time, because uncertainty is the worst state for the human mind, one of the employees described Harkimo’s era to IS.
The employees’ claims were left in bankruptcy, but Jokerit’s coaches will receive compensation from Jokerit Helsinki Oy, which took over the club, because according to the rules of the Ice Hockey Association, the new operator must pay the salary arrears of the players and coaches before it can be granted a license.
Office workers wonder why they are not treated the same as coaches.