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- Thread starter SoapyCy
- Start date
I got laid off for two months starting in March for COVID. Being in the mid-west, we saw it coming. I had to file unemployment on the phone because I have income in two states and I spent the first couple of days trying to get through. It paid off because the system crashed shortly after I filed. It took a few weeks to start getting paid and over a month to get the extra $600. I was getting $1088 a week for doing nothing. Without much to spend money on like concerts, sporting events, eating out and bars, I thought it was enough to live on. I also had my wife's normal salary though.
It was great. I cleaned stuff that had never been cleaned. My yard had never looked better. We did a decent amount of carryout from local businesses. Rode bikes, shot BB guns, played tennis and washed my car a lot. Did tons of projects around the house, crushed tons of great beer and vaped tons of chronic.
We have been back to work for two weeks and have had 3 confirmed cases out of approximately 2000 employees at the facility. Going in to work is like being processed and we wear masks all day that are hot and scratchy. I felt pretty safe at home and feel like the risk of working isn't worth it, but shareholders need to make money.
I wasn't laid off, but 5% of our workforce was. I was most surprised that they didn't use a "last hired first fired" strategy - some really qualified, senior people were let go. All I can think is it was people from depts with some redundancy. Fortunately (or not...) I'm one of only 2 people who do what I do in all of our North American operations - like 15,000 people.
We are doing furlough/mandatory vacation now though. I just finished my two weeks. I had enough vacation banked due to a trip to Disney we were planning in October (since canceled) so I didn't have to deal with filing for unemployment.
We are doing furlough/mandatory vacation now though. I just finished my two weeks. I had enough vacation banked due to a trip to Disney we were planning in October (since canceled) so I didn't have to deal with filing for unemployment.
No, but had to lay off some workers in April. Fortunately they are coming back in two weeks.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
It was tremendous. We were able to do a near-complete reset of things here in our home thanks to time and money we wouldn't have had otherwise.
My kiddo hadn't been this healthy and happy in months. We revamped her room into the space she dreamed of (though there's more we could do), and she thrived in the online schooling. It was just a great chance to take the pressure off and live.
And the job that laid me off was one where I truly did make more when laid off, and didn't have to deal with customers taking their masks off to talk to me, leaning wayyyyyyy in to talk, or any of the myriad risks I call a weekend shift.
My kiddo hadn't been this healthy and happy in months. We revamped her room into the space she dreamed of (though there's more we could do), and she thrived in the online schooling. It was just a great chance to take the pressure off and live.
And the job that laid me off was one where I truly did make more when laid off, and didn't have to deal with customers taking their masks off to talk to me, leaning wayyyyyyy in to talk, or any of the myriad risks I call a weekend shift.
I’ve been furloughed since Mid-March. The gym I train at had to close entirely, like move out equipment and everything. We are in the process of finding a new building, building it out, and starting over. Will probably be back to work by late July/early august. With the additional $600/week I’m getting through unemployment, it’s actually a lot nicer than I originally thought. Aside from being bored out of my mind, I spend a lot of time enjoying bike rides and running along the lakefront, buying excess groceries, and spending money on unnecessary things off the internet. I’ve also been doing some volunteering to help feed homeless people. Lets just put it this way, if this happened in the winter and I could only stay in my 1BR apartment, I would literally go insane. Like unhealthy levels of depression and frustration. Thankfully, now I can enjoy the outdoors with my free time. Golf courses are opening back up here so thats also nice. The only thing I’m really missing (besides complete normalcy) are concerts. I would love to go to packed small venue right now and take in some live music.
I was laid off about 10 months ago. 2000 people impacted. We were told in January the last day would be Aug 31. I was extremely fortunate as I was salary and received a 6 month severance and I banked over 200 hours of PTO. I did not collect unemployment as I found another Job, which started the first week of Sept. Funny how things work out as I offered my old job back via telecommuting with same salary, commission structure and tenure two months ago.
In my over 50 years in the workforce, I've learned one thing: never trust what executives say. From my investment hobby, to actual employment, I've heard the claims of 'no layoffs' so many times, only to see the opposite come true. I've only been laid off once in my life and that was 1 week prior to the shutdown. This, despite hearing "no layoffs due to our recent merger", to "we'll actually be growing our workforce" (in my area and division), to "no lay offs due to working remote", only to be laid off the day after hearing these. I was the highest tenure (15 years). I just turned 60. I'd just completed two major projects which no one else would touch. I was simply blown away. Integrity in the ranks lacks.
This is crazy. We had 2 cases out of a 15 employee office with all of us working from home for 3 months now.
No layoff here, thankfully, but I'm starting to hear rumblings of the long-term impacts. I work in the infrastructure construction world. 2020 will be fine, but 2021 is going to be down for our industry because DOTs lost tons of gas tax revenue due to the lack of traffic during the shut downs. So, that's a direct impact to the bottom line in terms of funding for projects in 2021 and beyond. Of course, if the Feds ever do a big infrastructure package, that issue is mitigated and things will stay normal.
Last week my boss was giving our team a corporate update. Apparently things for our parent company aren't going well, but our business unit is doing very well. The words "we'll be focusing on tightening up overhead over the next year" gave me some concern, but there was no talk of layoffs as of today. I'd like to think I'd be safe through a few rounds of layoffs...construction companies can cut back on labor pretty quickly by decreasing crews in the field. However, it remains to be seen.
Last week my boss was giving our team a corporate update. Apparently things for our parent company aren't going well, but our business unit is doing very well. The words "we'll be focusing on tightening up overhead over the next year" gave me some concern, but there was no talk of layoffs as of today. I'd like to think I'd be safe through a few rounds of layoffs...construction companies can cut back on labor pretty quickly by decreasing crews in the field. However, it remains to be seen.
Got laid off during the great recession in 2010.
Went to work on a Thursday morning as mundane as ever. Boss asked to see me privately. Uncommon but not unusual as once in awhile he'd speak to me privately about a performance review or we'd go over a project and need to call a client together ect.
Then all the sudden I hear "I'm going to have to let you go." and wow did my world flip upside down in a second. After I got over the initial shock I decided then and there to take the high road because it's not like he was going to change his mind and in the engineering profession you don't burn bridges. He's a great guy and probably had to make a really tough decision so no hard feelings. I still say hi when I see him from time to time. I spent the next couple hours cleaning out my cubicle, tying up any loose ends on projects and saying bye to everyone. Was out by 11 AM and met a buddy for a beer and lunch. That was that.
Looking back, my biggest regret was posting about it on facebook before getting a hold of my wife (oops!). She still gives me crap about that today.
Now I have a dream type job working from home (before Covid) with flexibility and a good commission structure. So when they say everything happens for a reason its true.
Biggest takeaways:
1. Nothing is forever nor set in stone. Don't dwell on doomsday scenarios but acknowledge things could change quickly.
2. Take the high road. Be gracious, thankful, and helpful.
3. See it as an opportunity vs. a set back.
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Wait...you posted about losing your job on Facebook BEFORE telling your wife?? That's hilarious...and awful. Man, that made me chuckle..
I mean I called her and she didn't answer so then I emailed? haha It was 10 years ago...but definitely one of those "I want instant sympathy" posts. I no longer post on facebook beyond discussing ISU sports or kiddo updates.
I haven't gotten laid off since about 1984 or 85. I've survived multiple RIFs as well. In retrospect, I'm not sure if that is a blessing or a curse.
Had a friend go through something similar, but faster than yours. He was less than a year into his first job in 2008 at a national engineering firm. A few weeks after the crash, there is a company-wide video conference with the president of the firm. He unequivocally states that they are cutting 10% across the board. He and another co-worker knew they were on the chopping block and I think they were even told later that day. He tried to find work for a bit, but then ended up going back to grad school to enter a specialty part of his field.
Yes. My hours were reduced from full time, so basically I’m only getting part time right now and I am still able to get the unemployment benefits.