BREEDER OF ILL WILL

When he ascended to the top job at WorldCom, John Sidgmore came across as a standup guy. He admitted to both the press and analysts that WorldCom hadn't been forthright enough in the preceding months. When the scandal broke, that image held. The company itself informed the SEC about the troubles, which were discovered during an internal audit. Credit Sidgmore for facing the music. But now WorldCom has a new policy in which severance is paid out over time instead of in one lump sum. Bad move. It could send another shockwave through a company that's on the verge of bankruptcy. If WorldCom does declare Chapter 11, former employees who have yet to receive their full packages would move to the end of the creditor line. Putting aside the ethical issues involved — which is a heck of a lot to put aside — saving money by screwing over former employees has significant ramifications that are only exacerbated by the high-profile nature of the case. WorldCom's current employees are bound to conclude that the company does not value its people, which will mean lower morale and productivity for a company that already is in the process of lowering its headcount by 17,000. In addition, the move will only serve to erode what little regard the press and politicians have left for WorldCom. Right now, the odds are stacked against WorldCom. It would be gratifying if Sidgmore could somehow maintain his no-nonsense approach to WorldCom's troubles, but this severance policy is anything but.