curious/Job Loss/Lay offs

[lauralu]

Curious to know how many people here in our PS community have either lost their jobs or know someone who has due to the economy. Companies folding,downsizing, cutting costs ect.

My husband lost his job due to downsizing to cut costs. He was let go yesterday. This is especially (not that it isn't always) devastating to him/us because this is the 3rd time in 6 years. His background was manufacturing. Think IBM. Those jobs no longer exists. That was the first round of lay offs. Than he switched careers and got into sales. After 1 1/2 years in a very nice sales position. That company let their entire sales staff go 2 1/2 years ago,that being our 2nd round of lay offs. Finally after a year of working crap jobs to make ends meet and find a good position with a reputable company he scores another position with a sales company. We spent months struggling our way back financially from the last two lay offs. Than planned our wedding and got married June 14th. Happy did not even come close to what we were feeling. Our best summer in a long time was in progress with our kids. Than out of the blue, his company let 10 people go.They only have 35 people working there to begin with. They said they have been losing over $100,000 a month since December. This is a small family business and his boss, his boss's wife the owners wife all cried and gave him a hug when they told him. They gave him a 100.00 gift card and said they would call him back if things picked up. As well as write him letters of recommendation. I just do not know who he will give them to though. Because right now, there is nothing out there.

I just was curious to know how many people here in our PS community have been personally touched by this shitty economy or know someone who has.

 

[Linda W]

I am so sorry to hear this. I hope your husband will be able to find something soon.

Our son-in-law, lost his also. He is in construction and that is always difficult. He is in the union and they are trying to find D and the others that were let go also. He was hired for a year, then was let go again.

I will keep you and your family in my thoughts. This is such a difficult time.

 

[D&T]

so sorry to hear about the layoff. Dust your way and hope your DH finds something soon. Would you and your DH consider applying for jobs out of state?

 

[KimberlyH]

I'm a teacher, and I know many people who have been affected in some way. My district voted to take a pay cut to help secure teachers' jobs next year and the special education aides are taking the cut as well. I feel horribly for the aides as they work their tails off and don't get paid enough as it is. They will be required to do the same work in less time (they are hourly employees) and many of them are losing their spots to aides with more seniority, so they will be moved to different classrooms in different schools with less hours (they've eliminated most of the 7 hour positions and are cutting aides from classrooms).

Three teachers at the school where I work were let go, I finished my program a year and one month ago and worked as a substitute (both during and after graduating from school) and then part time w/o a contract (getting a teaching job is very difficult in CA and has been for the past few years) with students who were struggling; next year, positions like mine will likely be filled by teachers within the district who were let go but want to remain in the field which means I may not get to hold the same job next year. If that's the case I'll go back to substituting. Financially substituting is better for me, but the part time position is much better for my career so I am hopeful I'll get to return in the fall. Either way I know things will work out in the long run, and I feel like I'm paying my dues to my profession so while it's a bit frustrating not to have my own classroom after working so hard in school I know it will all work out in the end.

ETA: I am so sorry your family is going through this. It's hard times for so many.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m sorry that your husband lost his job Lauralu. Hopefully something will come his way soon.

My husband lost his job in November and he just got a new job right after Memorial Day. We ended up having to move to another part of the country for this new job opportunity. Luckily, I was able to find a teaching position here pretty quickly, otherwise I may have been out of work once school starts in the fall.

It''s definitely not an easy time for many people out there, that''s for sure.

 

[lauralu]

We will consider moving yes. not just yet, however it is in the back of our minds. I have a really good job though with great benefits. I am not making enough for us to live on my income alone by any means. However, I do have pretty good job security and a flexible schedule that helps with 3 kids. I make above average pay for my position. I work for an organization that many people try to get hired into and never see even a nibble when applying over and over again. When I was hired the most frequent question I got was. Who do you know that works there that helped you get in? I knew no-one and did it on my own. Leaving my job would be very difficult for me. However, when push comes to shove. We will do what we need to take care us.

Thank you so much for the dust and kind words. We will get thru this I know that. It''s just the unknown....it can be so daunting.