Have any Rats had to deal with downsizing or layoffs yet?

[HowardRoark]

I anticipated the economic downturn ten years ago and started working 20 hours a week.

If you really played your cards right, you also bought too much house and stopped paying your mortgage. Ka-ching!!! Fat city now.

[mraynrand]

I anticipated the economic downturn ten years ago and started working 20 hours a week.

If you really played your cards right, you also bought too much house and stopped paying your mortgage. Ka-ching!!! Fat city now.

I'm struggling to re-fi my castle

[Freak Out]

My wife was furloughed from Alaska Airlines for a year...she lost all benefits except for flight privileges but it was better than being laid off and losing everything after three months if she is not called back to work....which is not likely considering where she was on the totem pole...eight months to a year is more likely.

Of course she lost medical that covered both of us so now I'm back to paying a fucking fortune to cover us both. I love being self employed but I get bent over a barrel in insurance premiums.

[Kiwon]

My wife was furloughed from Alaska Airlines for a year...she lost all benefits except for flight privileges but it was better than being laid off and losing everything after three months if she is not called back to work....which is not likely considering where she was on the totem pole...eight months to a year is more likely.

Of course she lost medical that covered both of us so now I'm back to paying a fucking fortune to cover us both. I love being self employed but I get bent over a barrel in insurance premiums.

You went through your COBRA coverage?

[Freak Out]

My wife was furloughed from Alaska Airlines for a year...she lost all benefits except for flight privileges but it was better than being laid off and losing everything after three months if she is not called back to work....which is not likely considering where she was on the totem pole...eight months to a year is more likely.

Of course she lost medical that covered both of us so now I'm back to paying a fucking fortune to cover us both. I love being self employed but I get bent over a barrel in insurance premiums.

You went through your COBRA coverage?

It's was a joke......the premium was huge and so was the deductible so I opted to just pay a higher premium and get much better overall out of it. Hopefully she will get called back early and we can get covered again....after some travel she is going to work a short contract with Conoco but it is pay only...no benefits.

[Joemailman]

My brother and brother-in-law have been notified that the printing company they've worked for for 30 years will be shutting down in a week or so. They knew it was coming, but thought they might make it through the summer. It's worst for my brother-in-law who has his daughter's wedding to pay for in October. He's also going to have to find health insurance since his wife (my sister) doesn't work full time due to health problems. Timing couldn't have been worse.

[GrnBay007]

Sorry to hear that Joe.

I read the Midwest (well, the article was specific for Iowa) said we are almost a year behind some parts of the country as far as feeling the same effects of the economic crunch/crisis. That's pretty scary considering I've heard lots of hardship stories already locally.

[oregonpackfan]

Last month's unemployment figures showed Oregon's unemployment was 12.1%. It was the second highest in the country, exceeded only by Michigan.

[Deputy Nutz]

I'd appreciate it if some of the people in the "very confident" category would identify themselves. I need to borrow a little money this spring, I have references, will certainly have it back with interest by July. (Excuse the personal note. TIA.)

I am a confident bastard.

[SkinBasket]

I believe our President when he tells me how many jobs he's saving/creating each month, so I am confident that all of you are making this up in an attempt to make him look like a liar.

[Scott Campbell]

My brother and brother-in-law have been notified that the printing company they've worked for for 30 years will be shutting down in a week or so. They knew it was coming, but thought they might make it through the summer. It's worst for my brother-in-law who has his daughter's wedding to pay for in October. He's also going to have to find health insurance since his wife (my sister) doesn't work full time due to health problems. Timing couldn't have been worse.

I believe he should be eligible for COBRA health insurance. Normally it's pretty spendy, but Obama is picking up 2/3rds of it for the newly unemployed - as long as they're making less than $250K a year as a couple.

[mraynrand]

I personally don't suffer from downsizing, but if any of you men do, I suggest the following thread: http://www.packerrats.com/ratchat/viewtopic.php?t=17628

[Joemailman]

My brother and brother-in-law have been notified that the printing company they've worked for for 30 years will be shutting down in a week or so. They knew it was coming, but thought they might make it through the summer. It's worst for my brother-in-law who has his daughter's wedding to pay for in October. He's also going to have to find health insurance since his wife (my sister) doesn't work full time due to health problems. Timing couldn't have been worse.

I believe he should be eligible for COBRA health insurance. Normally it's pretty spendy, but Obama is picking up 2/3rds of it for the newly unemployed - as long as they're making less than $250K a year as a couple.

I don't know much about it, but my brother said because the company will no longer exist, he doesn't qualify. If he were being laid off, he would qualify.

[Freak Out]

"if you loan me six Quid today I could surely pay you back next Tuesday"

[Scott Campbell]

My brother and brother-in-law have been notified that the printing company they've worked for for 30 years will be shutting down in a week or so. They knew it was coming, but thought they might make it through the summer. It's worst for my brother-in-law who has his daughter's wedding to pay for in October. He's also going to have to find health insurance since his wife (my sister) doesn't work full time due to health problems. Timing couldn't have been worse.

I believe he should be eligible for COBRA health insurance. Normally it's pretty spendy, but Obama is picking up 2/3rds of it for the newly unemployed - as long as they're making less than $250K a year as a couple.

I don't know much about it, but my brother said because the company will no longer exist, he doesn't qualify. If he were being laid off, he would qualify.

That is incredibly sucky.