Laid off--Support thread

[SCQ86]

I've been watching this thread....and I tell you....think positive! I lost my job and although I may have been one of the lucky ones, receiving a severence check....I put the word out there with all the organizations I belong to and sure enough, about a month ago, I get a call from the CEO of a company asking me to interview with her. I got the same pay, much better insurance and 5 minutes from the house.

I may be the exception to the rule in this economy, but I work my tail off volunteering and meeting new people and building my network.....and I tell you....it paid off!

 

[mum4jenn]

We DID find out just before Christmas the Cooper Tire WILL close the plant here so my Dh will be without a job sometime in 2009. They SAY it will take up to a year to close the plant but right now there is no news on a time line for closure seeing as they are in the middle of a two week unpaid shut down.

The "good" news that we know right now is that they will give a 60 day notice to each employee as to when their dept will close and they get a week severance for each year of employment. My Dh will have 16 years in next month so we know we will get 16 weeks of 40 hour paychecks after hs last day and that health insurance will continue while getting severance as well as two weeks beyond that time. Then unemployment will kick in if he has not found a job by then.

Rumor has it that they will be able to go to vo-tech school for free as well but we don't know for sure on that. We plan on using DH's retirement to pay off some bills and then my check will cover the house payment.

Hoping he gets to work until at least June and then by the time the severance runs out that will get us through almost 10-11 months of 2009 and then I can take out insurance through my employer.

I just hope things work out like we hope and Dh can train for a new job that will not be so hard on his body.

 

[wall*e2008]

We DID find out just before Christmas the Cooper Tire WILL close the plant here so my Dh will be without a job sometime in 2009. They SAY it will take up to a year to close the plant but right now there is no news on a time line for closure seeing as they are in the middle of a two week unpaid shut down.

The "good" news that we know right now is that they will give a 60 day notice to each employee as to when their dept will close and they get a week severance for each year of employment. My Dh will have 16 years in next month so we know we will get 16 weeks of 40 hour paychecks after hs last day and that health insurance will continue while getting severance as well as two weeks beyond that time. Then unemployment will kick in if he has not found a job by then.

Rumor has it that they will be able to go to vo-tech school for free as well but we don't know for sure on that. We plan on using DH's retirement to pay off some bills and then my check will cover the house payment.

Hoping he gets to work until at least June and then by the time the severance runs out that will get us through almost 10-11 months of 2009 and then I can take out insurance through my employer.

I just hope things work out like we hope and Dh can train for a new job that will not be so hard on his body.

Sorry to hear about your DH's job. At least you have 2 months of pay and then another 16 weeks of severance. That is better than most.

About the insurance. If you DH loses his job you do not need to wait for open enrollment for your insurance. There are provisions that allow you to pick it up if you lose it due to job loss.

I am concerned by you plan to use the retirement money to pay off bills. That is very costly. You could pay a penalty and put yourself into a higher income bracket. What will you do for money when you retire? Please rethink this before you actually do it.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I posted on this thread when it first started . I have to say that I haven't kept up with it because it was depressing to know that so many of us were facing the same issues. Just trying to keep up with our everyday bills and then adding T'Day and Christmas on top of that was just a little to much for me. My Dh was laid off the first week of Oct. and we lost our health insurance the same day.
Dh is a true believer that "all things happen for a reason" and "something good will come of this". He kept saying "we'll be ok". After 11 wks. of no job and tons of resumes out there it didn't seem ok to me. I was begining to get scared. My stockpiles were almost gone. Well I'm happy to say that Dh was right. We made it through the holidays and today he was offered a job that he really wanted. A little less $$ than he wanted, but, health premiums are 1/2 of his old job. Plus we get dental and optical. and the insurance is affective on the date of hire, and 2 wks vacation. So things have worked out for us. And my wish for the New Year is that it will work out for everyone else here on the Dis and through out the country.

Congratulations!! I, too, have been reading this thread, and have a new job starting January 5. I've been unemployed since June, and I am so ready to get back to work (as are my kids and DH!). It's the right money (more than my previous job), the perfect position, but with a 2 hour commute (train/bus). So I'm looking positively and planning what I'll be doing with almost 4 hours of time to myself everyday! (DH and kids will need to step up quite a bit...!). DH kept telling me that it would all work out.

I echo your wish for everyone else. Hang in there.

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Congratulations!! I, too, have been reading this thread, and have a new job starting January 5. I've been unemployed since June, and I am so ready to get back to work (as are my kids and DH!). It's the right money (more than my previous job), the perfect position, but with a 2 hour commute (train/bus). So I'm looking positively and planning what I'll be doing with almost 4 hours of time to myself everyday! (DH and kids will need to step up quite a bit...!). DH kept telling me that it would all work out.

I echo your wish for everyone else. Hang in there.

Congrats to you as well

Here's wishing everyone effected will also be able to find new jobs soon. And 2009 will be a better year

 

[pilgrimage]

My relative was laid off in October. Guess what their best
friends gave for Christmas-- a HUGE DONATION to a a charity
in their name. ????

 

[rach2674]

My relative was laid off in October. Guess what their best
friends gave for Christmas-- a HUGE DONATION to a a charity
in their name. ????

Geeezzz! They could have at least given them something like grocery store cards or something that they could really use. I wonder what people think sometimes.

 

[lori1043]

Wow, really nice on any other day WITH a job!

Anyway- we are joining this thread-my DH was laid off after 15 years-we were expecting it so thankfully we had a little head start. Thier job placement program has been stinky and so we are going with a recruiter that a friend of his sent his info to. He does get a severens. We have a lot of debt(school loans, caring for a kid with cancer-had to quit my job for a while and still paying that from many years back- and this past year has been bombarded by home stuff breaking and car issues-but cheaper than buying another one). We are HOPING and PRAYING that he gets a job on top of the severens so we can pay that down, or OFF! I am working a bit more now that he is home more often. We homeschool, so that is a blessing that he can be home for that while I work more.

We are prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best 2009!!

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you for a lucrative job filled 2009!

Lori

 

[Mickdeb]

So sorry to all that have been laid off. I didn't read all 16 pages but was wondering if anyone knew what the maximum unemployment benefit is in NH? I assume you file with the state you live in not the state you work in correct?

Any info would be helpful, just trying to plan ahead, just in case.
TIA

 

[geffric]

I was laid off at the end of January and things are looking bleak right now..

Mickdeb I don;t know about NH but ILL is 26 weeks unemployment and then another 11 weeks of gov money..

 

[disney1990]

Anybody collecting unemployment will see their benefits increase by $25 a week in the near future because of the Stimulus Bill. You will also receive back payment to some time in February.

 

[Janet Hill]

So sorry to all that have been laid off. I didn't read all 16 pages but was wondering if anyone knew what the maximum unemployment benefit is in NH? I assume you file with the state you live in not the state you work in correct?

Any info would be helpful, just trying to plan ahead, just in case.
TIA

You file in the state you worked in. I live in VA, but I'm collecting my unemployment from DC. Which is good since DC has a slighter higher benefit than DC. It's still only 359/wk and this is the max for DC.

 

[poegirl30]

My DH was laid off in mid December, and has only had a few interviews. No luck as of yet. Are you guys finding it difficult to even land an interview?

 

[Tiggerish]

My most recent check (Illinois) had an extra $25!!!! And I got a letter saying that instead of running out in two weeks, I was now eligible for another 13 weeks. I cannot believe that I have already burned through the original 26 weeks, the 13 week extension and all but two weeks of the 7 week second extension. But thank you Mr. President.

It has been a misery trying to find work within my multiple scerolis limitations but social security says I am not "disabled" so I keep looking while I appeal that decision. I would rather find a job than win the appeal.

 

[NHWX]

So sorry to all that have been laid off. I didn't read all 16 pages but was wondering if anyone knew what the maximum unemployment benefit is in NH? I assume you file with the state you live in not the state you work in correct?

Any info would be helpful, just trying to plan ahead, just in case.
TIA

Here's some information: https://claims.nhes.state.nh.us/weblogic/duration.jsp

I'm hoping that you can get the paperwork processed quickly!

NHWX

 

[MagicKisses2]

I think the max for unemployment insurance is currently 30 weeks per the new stimulus package that P. Obama signed.

Also, if you were laid off due to your job being sent overseas (off shored), you may be eligible for additional weeks (I'm not sure what the actual numbers are, but I know it's an added benefit). (I work in HR in Massachusetts)

There was one more extention to the number of weeks you can continue your health benefits through COBRA. It's worth it to look into.

It's really tough times right now.

 

[SeansMom]

My DH was laid off in mid December, and has only had a few interviews. No luck as of yet. Are you guys finding it difficult to even land an interview?

It seems as if those jobs that ARE open are getting slammed with applicants. So yeah, fewer interviews for the people I know looking for jobs.

My latest money saving move: My best friend added me to her cell phone plan, so I'm on her family plan for $10.00 a month. One thing about no job: Creativity blossoms!

 

[golfgirl3613]

I've been collecting since September and the job market in NY is glutted with applicants. I am still on my original claim, but with the extension, I hope to make it through. It is tough to find a job that would pay for daycare and expenses. I am thinking of working the opposite shift as my DH to avoid daycare.

Has anyone heard about any incentives to go back to college. I would love to finish my BA, but need financial assistance. Then, what to get a degree in? HR maybe?

 

[Janet Hill]

Just wanted to remind everyone that your ex-employer has to subsidize 65% of your COBRA payments for 9 months. I don't know if this is retroactive or not, as my husband is still employed and we have his health insurance, but everyone on COBRA should look into this.

I've sent out about 15 resumes and have only had one interview and it seems that each day I look I see fewer postings to which to apply.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I'm a laid-off teacher and this is the time of the year when postings start to appear. I'm seeing some that say under 3 years experience only. Great for me! I have two years but bad for just about everyone else looking.