I lost my job today...

[a2liberal]

Sequester and uncertainty caused by government shutdown (company does mostly government contracts).

Yay Republicans!

[Tumbulu]

1. I am so sorry

I am so sorry for everyone injured by these outrageous monsters!

[a2liberal]

12. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[raging moderate]

2. Courage.

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I have lost jobs in my lifetime. It was very painful and difficult. Don't give up. I believe we have come to a turning point.

[a2liberal]

13. Thanks for the kind words :)

I'll be polishing up my resume shortly and have already been gathering up leads

[KT2000]

3. I'm really sorry

there are so many people who work for companies that depend on government work - it is not just the federal workers.
Hang in there - it should get better.

[a2liberal]

14. Thanks for the kind words :)

Luckily I think the job market is a bit better than last time I was laid off at the height of the Bush recession (the day after inauguration day in 2008 actually)

[MrsKirkley]

4. So sorry this happened to you.

[a2liberal]

15. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[blogslut]

5. kicking for support for you

recommending for exposure

[a2liberal]

16. Thanks for the kind words and support :) (n/t)

[Chan790]

6. Furlough or lay-off?

Either way that sucks but if it's a furlough, I'm hearing whispers that this may be over quicker than later and you'd be able to return to work.

[a2liberal]

23. Lay-off

It's a private company that relies on a lot of government contracts. Things have been bad for a while with the sequester. They did say that if business picks up I'd be on the top of the list for re-hire, but I'm not about to count on that with our current Congress (plus that would still be many months at best). I think it was just more them re-emphasizing to me that it was not performance-based. They did seem genuinely sorry to have to do it, though I'm never too sure of my read on people.

Thanks for the kind words!

[cilla4progress]

7. I lost mine last month.

Big downturn in client traffic. I'm so sorry! Good luck!

[a2liberal]

17. Thanks for the kind words :)

How's your job search going? I wish you the best as well!

[Cha]

8. So sorry, a2liberal.. :(

[a2liberal]

18. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[lonestarnot]

9. crap. I'm sorry.

[a2liberal]

19. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

10. Hope you are able to find a better one. Good Luck, nt

[a2liberal]

20. Thanks for the kind words :)

I'm trying to keep positive thoughts along those lines... perhaps God/the universe/whatever entity you want to believe in is doing this for the better. I know last time I was laid off I landed in a place where I was happier than I had been

[freshwest]

11. How awful. And very sorry, a2liberal.

[a2liberal]

21. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[Rex]

22. Sorry, this is criminal.

These Republicans have no shame.

[a2liberal]

25. They sure don't

It's their idea of fun! And they get paid throughout too...

Thanks for the kind words!

[Rex]

26. I'm just sorry...they want to make it personal

and I really want to go there as well.

[grantcart]

24. I am self employed selling benefits to federal employees so I am out of work

until they get back to work.

I wish I could tell you how angry this shutdown makes me feel and how distressed I am about situation faced by folks like you.

Keep us informed.

[a2liberal]

28. I'm sorry

Here you are, trying to make it on your own, being a small business that the Republicans love to talk about (but not actually support), and they're hurting you (and me) just to push an agenda.

Can you diversify maybe? At least around here the private sector is doing ok and hiring, and there should also be a boom of small startups shortly (that's my prognostication) due to Obamacare taking away a factor tying people to their existing jobs... maybe you could market to the new startups? (Sorry if I misunderstand your business...)

Thanks for the well-wishes and good luck to you as well! I will try to remember to post back here once in a while. (Should it be new threads or updates in this one? I don't really post much so I'm not familiar with the right way to do it)

[grantcart]

30. We are trying to diversify to state employees but its not easy.

I am part of a national association that has been developing great supplemental plans for federal employees for 35 years.

For example we have a great Dental alternative for federal employees and state employees generally have really good dental.

I just hired a new employee three months ago. Because of licensing requirements etc. today was the first day that she could legally turn up for work. Sigh

I purposely picked the federal employee sector 10 years ago because I thought it would be the most recession resistant and over the long hall I believe that is still true.

You can start a new thread here or if you have good news you can post it here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1267

[a2liberal]

31. Thanks for the explanation and good luck! (n/t)

[OneGrassRoot]

38. Two of my favorite DUers....

so I'm chiming in here to give you both big, big hugs, a2liberal and grantcart.



a2liberal, as has been said here repeatedly, I am so very, very sorry to hear this.

I know you've no doubt seen this quote before, but all I can hear right now are Howard Zinn's words, which I have copied and pasted below:

“TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

More

[a2liberal]

45. Thanks OGR!

I don't think I'd seen that before...

I struggled with keeping up the positive thinking already (hence why I really wanted to see the Good News group and it's my only subscription), and this situation doesn't help, but I keep trying

Thanks for the inspiration and kind words!

[RebelOne]

27. So very sorry. I was laid off almost 3 years ago.

Fortunately, I was already collecting Social Security, so I just decided to retire. I was lucky to have had that option, but it was nice receiving a salary and SS. Now I am just living on SS. Not easy, but it's better than nothing.

[a2liberal]

29. Thanks for the kind words :)

I went through this about 4.5 years ago (the day after inauguration day). I'm pretty sure the economy (at least in my field) is doing better now, but I also had a stroke of good luck last time.

I'm glad you found a way to support yourself. I wish politicians would focus on expanding Social Security into what it ought to be (a full replacement income for people who have worked hard and contributed to the economy their entire lives) instead of looking for ways to cut it further. That would also improve the job market for everyone else as people would feel more comfortable retiring instead of working 'til death.

Best wishes with everything!

[City Lights]

32. I'm really sorry, a2liberal.

It sucks.

[a2liberal]

34. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[a2liberal]

33. Thanks so much to everyone for the kind words and support!

It really means a lot to me to have that support from the community here. It showcases the best part of DU... we may have in-fighting but in the end we all care about each other.

[Robbins]

35. sorry for you

I am still waiting to see if shutdown will prevent me from getting my EBT for october.

[a2liberal]

40. Thanks for the kind words :)

I hope they don't let it go that far... that would really be criminal, even more-so than what they've already done.

Actually, I just looked into it and assuming you mean SNAP, that's already funded through 2014 so any issues would be administrative delays. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/29/questions-and-answers-about-the-shutdown/2888419/ (via Wikipedia) -- see question 38

[Robbins]

49. Thanks

At least those on food stamps will still get them this month.

Republicans who cry about jobs yet put government workers out of jobs are full of it.

We will all be screwed If the dedt ceiling Isn't raised.

[840high]

36. My heart goes out to you.

[a2liberal]

41. Thanks for the kind words :) (n/t)

[kestrel91316]

37. Can you file for unemployment?

[a2liberal]

42. Yes

I'm supposed to do that next week I think... was up late last night looking all that info up. They make it so complicated I don't understand how somebody who isn't very detail-oriented and persistent gets it done.

There's also a lot more constant paperwork involved in a claim now than last time I had a claim (reporting job search progress), put in by the Repubs in MI, but I suppose if it helps shut the "unemployed people are lazy and sit around doing nothing" crowd up then it might be a good thing.

Thanks for the thoughts!

[rl6214]

39. I'm sorry to hear that, what field?

Best of luck to you.

[a2liberal]

43. Thanks for the kind words :)

Software, which luckily seems to be doing ok (though not as much here as on the West coast, but still better than a few years ago)

[Liberal_in_LA]

44. temporarily? I hopy you will be rehired

[a2liberal]

46. It's possible but unlikely I think

In any case, I don't want to count on it. It definitely isn't a "you're laid off for a fixed amount of time" or "you're laid off until we can bring you back" situation but it is a "if we're looking to hire again you'll be near the top of the list" situation. I think I detailed it a bit more in another post. Regardless, this is probably the universe's signal/nudge to force me to look for something else as that job was getting pretty stressful anyways.

Thanks for the well-wishes!

[hootinholler]

47. Me too, sort of

I can either accept a lay off letter or take an absence. I've got to think about this one.

[a2liberal]

48. I'm sorry

That's a tough choice (assuming I understand the choices correctly). Is the absence a fixed period or indefinite? I think in either case you could probably still get unemployment (I'm not a lawyer, please don't take my word for it).

If indefinite, you could take the absence and look for work at the same time, and go back if that happens first or go to a new job if you find that first, or would they prohibit you from looking in that case?

Good luck! This whole situation really sucks, they're sabotaging the recovery on purpose because they can't stand to see yet more evidence that the economy suffers under Republican administrations and does well under Democratic ones (look up a chart sometime, it's striking how clear that is).