And so the mess that is our economy came knocking at our door... ....

@gemini_rose (16264)
February 12, 2009 8:16am CST
In the form of redundancy for my hubby! Yep he has escaped it since April last year but they had laid off so many that it is now down to the bare knuckles and now even the best workers are being laid off. They had already cut the wages down so in a way it was a bit of a relief that he was laid off I mean things are getting bad for the company hubby worked for so maybe this is for the best plus we were sick of having it hanging over our heads all the time! It was all very worrying when we first received the news but he gets a payout, he worked there for 6 years so it is not all doom and gloom we will be OK for a while. Lets just hope that he can find another job soon!! Has anyone else been affected by redundancy recently?
5 people like this
12 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
12 Feb 09
We haven't personally, no. That's one of the plusses to my husband's job, the worse the economy gets, the better his company does. They've actually had to hire some more workers, and are looking at even opening more stores. But in my immediate area, there aren't too many companies that can be affected by the economy. Most of our plants and factories closed back in the 70's and 80's when the economy was tough back then. The few who've stayed open have done periodic lay offs every year. My brother worked at one factory, and it seemed every year around the same time he was laid off, then he'd get called back for lower wages and less hours, but he'd take it since it's all he could get, then he'd work up towards more hours before being laid off again. There is one very large plant about half an hour from here being closed now, and over 100 people will be out of a job. The worst of it is that the small businesses around this plant are worried about their own fate, because most of their business was from the workers at this plant.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
12 Feb 09
Well thats good then at least you have not got the worry of it all so much. It is hard but we are currently in a stable financial position which has helped us a lot, I am so thankful I cut down on everything at the beginning of last year because it has stood us in good stead and we can float along for a few months. My hubby has just passed his hgv lorry license, and he has some other things under his belt so he can apply for a wide range of jobs. But the one thing that I admire about him is that he would do toilet cleaning if he had too he will do anything to put food on the table. I want to get a job but I am facing surgery anytime from now to the next three months and I have trouble being on my feet for a long time so I am pretty stuck but I have a few things on the go that are bringing a bit in so I do my bit as much as I can.
• United States
13 Feb 09
Yeah, you're pretty lucky. We have absolutely no savings, so if he lost his job we'd pretty much be in deep doo. About 4 or 5 years ago he had a decent paying job as the GM of Pizza Hut, and one day he walked off his job. I don't blame him for doing it, but he ended up unemployed for about 8 weeks. We had no savings then, but a lot more bills, we had 2 car payments and a bunch of other expensive things, not to mention 3 kids. The government wouldn't help us out because he quit instead of got fired. They didn't care that his job was forcing him to work when he had pneumonia, which is why he quit. I ended up getting a job overnight at a gas station. It was only bringing in $200 a week which was basically enough to cover our groceries and gas, so our bills still weren't getting paid. We lost both our cars, had our cable and phone shut off. It was bad. I think he went through a bit of a depression. He'd gotten burned out at Pizza Hut, they were working him like 70 hours a week, and it was fast paced. He wasn't trying real hard to find a job, but then felt guilty for not working, so it was a nasty cycle. In the end he applied for a company to which he knew the manager of. Because our phone was shut off, the manager showed up at our house one day telling my husband he got the job. He's been with that company ever since.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
12 Feb 09
I really admire your attitude on receiving this news. You've been expected it and you cannot be happy about it but you are not letting it get you down. I do hope that he finds another job quickly though so it will be less stressful. I am expecting that my boss will ask me to take a pay cut next month. It will be hard to manage as I have house and car payments but I will go on as you are doing. We do what we have to do. There are massive layoffs in my country too - in fact almost all over the world, people are suffering. Please God that people will lend a helping hand to their neighbours like they used to do. Take care. Keep strong. Blessings
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
It did get me down yes at first, but my hubby is very very optimistic to my pessimistic so he managed to convince me we would be fine and when I looked at the bigger picture I realised that for the short term certainly we would be fine. He has already applied for a few jobs so fingers crossed.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
13 Feb 09
losing a job is scary in this economy because it is not like it used to be where you could just go and find a new job the next day. I am so happy I am on disability, that saves that stress for me.
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
It is scary, but you know people say there is no work and there is it is just that my hubby may have to travel further afield to get it.
@dexterous21 (1180)
• Philippines
13 Feb 09
I have heard a lot of people being nervous because of the global crisis. I myself is experiencing it now. We used to have more than a hundred clients before the economy went down but nowadays I can see that our number of clients is getting down. I am just being positive that it wont' reach zero. My friend was thinking about her company too if they will lay off some of their employees but she was relieved because her company told them not to worry about it because will not lay off their employees. Most companies near her job already already closed. Lucky her.
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
It is scary times for nearly everyone, I just hope that things turn around soon.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
12 Feb 09
As far as I'm aware, hubbys job is secure for now. His contract was renewed for another 2 years so hopefully nothing changes till then. Sorry to hear about your hubby gemini, I hope he is able to find another soon. Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
Thank you so much, is that you in your avatar?
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
13 Feb 09
Yes it is :)
@enola1692 (3323)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I am sorry to hear about your hubby yes its happen twice to my hubby this year he got laid off at his job got a new one an seeing he was a newcomer he got laid off again when his new company started laying off well all is looking good here he is back to work at the jail in working as a law enforcement officier I hope your hubby finds something good luck
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@gemini_rose (16264)
12 Feb 09
Well I was worried at first but I am ok now hopefully something will come up for him real soon!
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
12 Feb 09
I am sorry to read this Sweetie, but at least you are looking at the bright Side of it There are so many laid of and it just seems that there is more and more instead of it getting better I hope to that he will find a new Job soon and that you will not get into a bad way with it all Hugs and my thoughts are with you
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
Yes I am looking for the bright side, not always easy but we have to keep going ah? He has already spent the last two days trawling job sites and has applied for two jobs so its just a case of waiting for the forms etc to come now. We should be ok short term. xx
• India
13 Feb 09
No, nobody I personally know of has been laid off but we are getting worried by the day. Neither hubby nor me have ever had to face such an uncertain future in our growing years, I mean our parents earned steady, if not too much. As parents ourselves, this is the first time we are facing this…and what’s worrying more is the age factor! Does experience count more than youth or when the companies start hiring again, will the youth get an edge over us middle-aged types! We are still working and saving every rupee, so hopefully if we ever come to the worse, we can pull off like six to seven months.
@overhere (515)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I have been made redundant before and understand totally what you ,mean when you say that its is almost a relief. In these economic times I dont think anyone can really feel their job is wholly secure but both mine and hubbys do look good for the time being. I wish you both luck in finding a new future .
@gemini_rose (16264)
13 Feb 09
It was a relief, I do not think that we realised how much pressure it was causing us until it happened!
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
13 Feb 09
I am self employed and I clean house for a living, with my daughter. We have felt the hit too. One of our clients had her hours slashed and now she only works four days a week so she had to cut back on us. So instead of cleaning every two weeks for $80 we are now only cleaning every four weeks for $80 and it takes us longer to clean because it is dirtier, but $80 is better than nothing and she can't afford to pay us more. Another one of our clients had a baby and was told when she went on maternity leave that she won't be going back to her job. That she was being laid off. So she is afraid of the future so she said she needs to save some money incase she can't find another job after her maternity leave so she let us go. Then another one, a man that was self employed as well, has trouble getting enough jobs as people aren't spending money so they aren't hiring contractors to do renovations so he had to quit us. And then there are more simular to this and now we are making around $1500 a month less than we were 4 months ago. It hurts big time and we have to look for some more new clients and that might be a problem if people aren't spending money. So it has definitly effected us. Alrighty then, talk to you later my friend, Have a good mylotting day, Chris
• China
13 Feb 09
I think your hubby will find a job soon. One job lost, anther job will come.
• China
13 Feb 09
during the past six years, i have been sacked for three times,i can totally understand your situation, but now when l look back to my previous experiences, i feel so relieved and thankful for all the things i have