Prayers appreciated

[cheerfulmom]

Hi ladies,

If you have a minute to spare could you please say a prayer that my husband is able to find a job real soon. We were taken off guard today when he was laid off this afternoon, it was totally unexpected. Several people (most of his department) was laid off. Could the timing be worse? maybe but I don't think so. Brittany, our youngest, is a high school senior and due to start college in the fall. He came in early from work and told me as I was just about to leave to go teach a bunch of Girl Scouts how to make pop-up Valentines cards for soldiers in Afghanistan. It kept my mind off of it for a bit since I was so busy with the 13 girls but now I'm home and it is sinking in. (that's what I think of lay offs)


Phyllis

[Karen W]

Phyllis, I am so sorry to hear that this has happened to your family. No time is ever a good time. I will include your family in my prayers.


Hugs
Karen

[Cat]

Phyllis, I'll say extra prayers especially for your family!
I hope you husband finds a job soon!


Cat

[Basketlady]

Phyllis, how horrible! I hope the job hunting is successful.

[craftygirl]

Sorry to hear the news. Best of luck to hubby finding a new job, and best of luck to your family as you cope.

[Susan]

oh Phyllis - there's never a good time to be laid off.

Fingers crossed, prayers noted, and wishes being sent!

One day at a time - and remember things will get better!!!

[Deleted]

There's never, EVER a good time to be laid off.

Positive thoughts and prayers for your DH and all of your family!

[cheerfulmom]

Thanks everyone! Don't know how well this job hunt will go. He has been working at this insurance agency for years dealing with Homebuilders Insurance as an underwriter and since not nearly as many homes are being built builders don't need the insurance. Several people were let go, most of the department it sounds like. The company on the whole is making money and even buying other companies but that department wasn't anymore. It was a small company really into the whole "family" aspect. I guess we got kicked out of the family! They have sent us all on a few vacations in the past - Cancun and the Dominican Republic with the whole department and their spouses. I will miss the people I knew from there. It was fun really getting to know the folks he worked with and their spouses on vacation and then there was the yearly holiday party, which is actually next month, that we won't be attending now either. Always a good time, fancy, shmancy place, good food, good time. Then there's the fact that he is almost 58 and will have to compete for jobs with young uns that won't require as high a salary. Oh, this is depressing and scary.

Phyllis

[northerncrafter9]

Oh Phyllis,

I am so sorry to read about your husband's layoff. Praying the job hunt is successful. It is scary what is happening here in the U.S. with all of the jobs disappearing. Things need to change.

Hugs,
Dawn

[AnnaMatrix]

Oh, Phyllis, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family! I can't imagine how tough it is to be facing all this uncertainty, with the extra stress of the dissolution of your "work family." Please know my thoughts, prayers, hopes and wishes are with you. I firmly believe everything will work out in the long run, but the short run can still be tough. Know that you have plenty of friends here, and we're willing and able to be sounding boards for you anytime you need us. If there's anyway I can help, let me know, hon! You're not alone.

Gail

[pixie]

Sending prayers.

Barbara

[joselle]

Lots of Hugs for you and your Family!

[vicki7]

Just now reading this. I will be praying for your family and that your husband finds a great job really soon.

Vicki

[northerncrafter9]

Phyllis,

How are you and your husband holding up?

[seester]

I'm thinking of you guys. Are there any other positions with that company or any of the ones that they are buying that he could apply for? Even if it's not exactly what he's been doing for them?

[cheerfulmom]

Well, I'm sure if that was an option they would have offered them something but they made no offers to any of the laid off employees for any other areas in the company. In fact, the way this whole situation has been handled is really odd. I don't think they know what they're doing and are handling everything poorly.

My husbands boss did not even know they were laying off most of his department until after the fact when they did a phone conference with him. He had been told to take off Friday and Monday. Apparently he will now be doing their jobs too so I guess that is a bit of a demotion for him. Immediately after the lay offs there was a meeting and the rest of the department staff was told not to talk to any of the people laid off.

In December the company's yearly meeting was very upbeat and the owner told everyone how appreciated they were and how they were family and the company was doing good and to have a Merry Christmas as compared to the prior years annual meeting in which he told the employees the economy was bad and to hold on to their money. One of the girls that was laid off was mentioned by name as being a loyal employee there from the beginning. etc. etc. (she was there 10 years) and a month later she is being laid off along with my husband and 2 others. Weird!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They laid off the employees with the most experience and kept some there only a year, etc. SOME Loyalty!!! My husband figures that was a money thing.

And then there is this - my husband was supposed to be off on Friday (to use his last vacation day before the end of January or he would lose it). He let his boss know and it was ok with him but he was called by the office manager who asked him if he could come in on Friday for a department meeting, for at least 1/2 a day. He asked if he could use the day later, like in February, and the answer was yes he could. They had him come in so they could fire him!!!!!!!!!!!! And they LIED to him for no reason!!!! Unbelieveable!!!! And it seems now he loses that vacation day!!!! They couldn't have told him Thursday??? and just let Friday be paid as a vacation day? WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know what they would have done if he had just left when it was 1/2 day Friday because they didn't lay him off till around 3pm.

Then there's this other weird thing they did - they told them they would pack up their stuff and mail it to them. My husband received in the mail a photocopy paper box with his stuff in it. Picture frames, marble paper weight, marble pen holder, a little glass bottle from a coworkers trip, a small lamp, a clock, and various papers, photos, business cards, etc. and some other doo dads. The box was not even half full and there was no packaging material or padding added to the box, it was just mailed as is with all that glass and marble and junk all loose in a less than half full box.

I guess this must be what it feels like to be shunned from the Amish community. It's bad enough to get laid off from a company that you've been loyal to for all these years but to be treated like this is just unacceptable behavior as far as I'm concerned.

Now that I've vented I feel better. I feel so bad for my husband and the others that are being treated so badly.

Phyllis

[Basketlady]

Oh Phyllis! What a mess. It does sound weird. Esp from a company that made you feel like part of a family. Talk about being tossed out on the doorstep!

I almost wonder if there is a new owner/management. Like you said--it just doesn't sound right.

[scrapkatze]

Sending and prayers for a new door opening really soon.
My DH has been laid off under not so nice circumstances two times and I know how difficult this can be for the whole family. It really hurts to be treated so badly. It's difficult, but the sooner you can come over the weird end and look ahead, the better. Take care!