My husband was told that unless they get new contracts that he will be laid off

Yes, jobs are very hard to come by. I hope he's able to get a job. They have extended unemployment benefits many times. What they need to do is find a way to employ us all.

Yes, it's scary, no job is secure even after 10,20, or even 30 years now. Keep hanging in there. Take care

Must last week, Pfizer announced it will be selling 2 out of 3 research facilities up here and now this. You're 63 and with health problems, I consider you retired to taking care of the grandkids.

Thanks, I hope the company he works for gets more contracts, too. I don't know what your business is. The herb company I work for has changed from years ago and started making stuff people really need, like door draft stoppers and window draft stoppers, and neck warmers, etc. Is there any way your business can be changed a little to go with the times? Like she has lavendar pillows and balsom pillows, now she has that in draft stoppers and rice in neck warmers to zap in microwaves. Another friend switched from typing to resume creations and others are being trained for medical transcription. I'm sure you've probably thought of ways to change or modify your business to go with the times if possible. But just in case. You said sales. Can what you're selling be changed to go with the needs of people now? Oh yes, I went through savings last year like nobody's business. I'm pretty much out of savings now. I wish you luck. I was listening to Public Radio the other day. This 14 yr old in Africa wanted to run his radio, so he made a way to run it with a battery, converter and his bike. Then he went to the library and learned about windmills. He built a wind mill from all junk. He used it to pump water for irregation and to charge the batteries his friends had. Not sure where I'm going with this, but . . .. I'm tired and I think I need to go to bed. At any rate, you two sound very intelligent and level-headed, I'm sure you will figure something out.

I hope your husband's work gets more contracts.

Yes, it does sound stressful and for 5 years, wow.

Oh, it was and things kept changing and we kept getting more responsibility. Ugh!

I know. I understand this. They are saying once they have more contracts, they'll hire him back. Months ahead warning is unusual and we appreciate it. We know the economics of the situation. We're just concerned that there are so many hundreds of others being laid off that he won't find a job and unemployment could run out. The usual concerns, our financial future that people who get laid off have.

Maybe reading others' responces will help you see why I wrote this a little more clearly.

You two are in deed very lucky. I hope your luck continues to hold. Thanks for dropping by and take care.

Yes, I think this is a scary time. They keep extending unemployment, but new jobs aren't being made so people can get back to work. No end in sight and what will we do?

You have learned much. 1. Loosing a job is like being in a state of mourning. There are stages of mourning that they outlined in a newspaper article last year. So now you have gone through the stages of mourning and are better! 2. You learned to have another job lined up before you leave one. These things you can use to help others. I will need to be patient with my husband and remember all the stags of mourning. Thanks for the reminder. Maybe reading other parts of this post will make you feel better and maybe it will not. Take care and thanks.

Yes, I think my husband's company is very special. They have had picnic and Christmas parties for employees. When my husband was very ill, they helped him get disability and took him back which they didn't have to do. They provide days off based on longivity and do not make you state why you took them off or make some days vacation, some days sick, etc. You get 2 weeks, if you have to take them for medical, it's none of their business, just tell them 24 hrs in advance. With my husband's medical problems, this has been really, really nice. They're saying that as soon as they get new contracts, that they will put people back on. I hope you're able to get a job very soon. They say things are picking up, I hope things trickle down to us regular people. Thanks and take care.

Just be careful and read # 15 before you do anything rash. Yes, it was nice of them. We had a couple of companies just lock doors and put a note on the door like "Out of Business." I've known people who have worked somewhere long enough to run competition for the big boys or do consulting or part of the job as their own business and not have to be in that mess, but that takes time and patience. There are creating your own work books out there, but most of them say try part-time to see if something will run first.

My husband may have the opportunity for training, we shall see. If he is offered training, he will probably take some. It depends on what they're offering. When I have lost my job, I have not been offered training because I have a Master's Degree and am considered overtrained for some jobs now.

No, it has to do with greedy people that were running companies way before Obama got in. Banks and realtors were selling to people who couldn't pay them back or talking people into more expensive homes and land than they could afford. Also credit card companies letting people charge more and more until they couldn't pay. People have been loosing their homes and jobs for a long, long time. The jobs more because of the free trade act that has been around for many, many years. OUr jobs went to other countries and no tarrifs to make it so the things from other countries cost more so we could stay employed. It used to be that tarrifs were put into place so it would be the same amount or more to buy outside the country. But now with people loosing their jobs, they can't pay for things, so it goes around and around. Yes, 10% is sadly true. When I went to buy a home, I had to fight with the realtor and the banks because they wanted me to buy a very expensive home. I wanted to buy one that wasn't as expensive. This was in 1998. I lost a good job and have had jobs that don't pay as much ever since. I am able to keep my home. But if I had listened to the bank and realtor,I would have lost my home by now. But my credit cards are high now. So many people did not pay them back that it is getting expensive to pay them off. They have huge percentages on them now. There used to be laws against usurious (too high) percentage loans, but I guess they don't apply to credit cards. So you see, we have many problems now. Laisez-faire economics where some businesses are not watched very closely can cause problems. At the end of when Bush was in, this was discovered and he tried to stop it and now Obama is trying to stop it. But too many mistakes and not changing the laws back to protect our people make it too little, too late. That's my version of it, but if you were to ask 100 Americans, you would get 100 versions.

What are you talking about? They just put chains on doors and put out of business on them. Notice given to employees in most places is a courtesy.

Pergammano, I didn't know. I hope you get the contract. Yes, if you're self-employed, you can't get unemployment here either. Yes, you will have to go far if you don't get it. No wonder you're having difficulty concentrating. Good luck no matter what way it goes.

No, he was told a couple days ago, but Feb. 2010 will be some time by then.

Thank you, I hope that you are able to get back into the work force. Thanks and take care.

Oh well then I must have read another person's discussion. It's sad that so many people are being laid off, yes February 2010 will be some time. I hope that he finds a new job very soon!