Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Sorry, Dave. It is a bummer.

Don Henthorn

>With your talent I am sure you will work it out. Chances are at your age you are likely to find a better job that the one you had. Best of luck in your search.

Re: Uh-Oh: hot button

JohnM in Mid Michigan

>Warning: < rant >

School teachers (I'm not one, so no direct self interest here) should be paid WAY more than they are. There may be a few professions more important, but I can't think of them right off. Really, strip it down to the essence: "prepare young people for life". Is that more important than "put ball through hoop"? How about "make music lots of people will pay for"? How about even "manage a business"? How about "fix bad teeth"? I'd even ask how about "surgically remove a tumor"? I think our valuations are way out of whack. Teaching should be about the most valued role in society. And don't give me that crap about how we DO value them. This society has a standard unit for assigning value to work, it is called salary. Pay teachers the most, get the best. Simple.

< /rant >

John

Age discrimination is illegal

Ells

>If you think it was and can show that it was likely specific to your age, you might have an actionable case.

Ells

Re: Age discrimination is illegal

Charles Self

>It is damned near impossible to prove: I went through that dance a few years ago, and all it did was cost me money without ever getting out of MY lawyer's office.

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Randy Johnson Connersville, IN

>Us old school workers don't fit in anymore. They don't want people who know when they are putting the BS to. They want young kids they can minempulate to their tune. sorry for the rant

Several years ago I took an almost three buck an hour pay cut to get away from what I consider the worst place I have ever worked in my life. The department I worked in had about 35 or 40 people to a shift. I ran into one of the guys about a year after I left. He told that since I'd left, 75 people had been hired into that department and ALL 75 had quit in a month or less. NOBODY among the new hires stayed. At the time the job was around 13 bucks an hour with good benifits when a lot of factory jobs in the area were paying nine or less.It's now about 16 bucks an hour but the turnover rate remains the same. You have to ask yourself what kind of Human Resources Manager it takes to ignore a statistic like that and not look for the problem. 95% of the men in my father's generation worked the same place all their lives. The only reason for a turnover like that is a company that simply doesn't care about its workers..

I credit leaving when I did as the only reason I'm still alive and no longer having a handfull of pills for breakfast every morning.

Every time I see one of their trucks with "We care about the quality of life" on the back it makes me want to puke.

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Joe Dusel (Vista, CA)

>Yo Dave, congratulations on your retirement! I was retired, but then I spent all of my retirement money, so now I'm just tired. Best of luck to you! As you might recall, I too was working on DTV set top boxes until 2001 when I, uh, "decided" to become a professional furniture/cabinet maker. I'm now also going to start a part time job teaching about eCabinet Systems software at a local community college. I'm pretty excited about it to be honest. This could be the start of something new and exciting for you as well!

Joe

Re: Age discrimination is illegal

Joe Dusel (Vista, CA)

>Yeah right... I have actually seen want ads for "young workers". I now run my own woodworking business and prefer guys who are mature to help me. ;^)

Joe

Sorry to hear the news...

Dale Sherman - Manlius, NY

>...but once the numbing goes away, you'll be able to look at it as a wide open opportunity. Hopefully you got a decent severance package to tide you over during your readjustment period.

I was dismissed from the U.S.P.S. 4-1/2 years ago. It was tough at first, but now I'm glad to have more choices. I have a part time job with a small company, plus I work for myself part time.

Life is good at 54,

Dale

Re: I suppose it would be easier.....

Bill White

>to count the hands of those who HAVE NOT had this enlightening experience. Sure happened to me, but I got over it.

Bill

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Craig in Silverdale

>Eight years ago I was forced out on a disability. Just 9 weeks before my 25 year mark. I could have retired if they had let me stay another 2 1/2 months. Looking back in it, they did me a favor. I had to do a lot of reorganizing to start with. Then, I went back to college, got a degree and discovered that I didn't really need to make as much money as I thought I did to get by. I do some woodworking on the side, occasionally do odd jobs here and there, or work part time. I have had the chance to relax and do some things to help other people in the stead. Looking back, I don't think I'd want to change it.

Don't get me wrong, what they did sucks. Five years from now when you run across some of the people you worked with, you may notice that they look a lot older than you. Good luck with your upcoming decisions. I'll add you to my prayer list. But, you'll most likely end up better off in the long run.

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

John in Kerrville TX

>You have my concolences. I was out at 55 and like one of the other posters said, I decided to go back to school. I chose teaching and although it was necessary to make student loans at 56, I did.

Experience is no longer as valued in the corporate world as it once was, and it may never be again. Remember this when you spend your $$$, and spend some with the small business owner, especially the one who has had the same employees for years. I do!!!

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Scott C. in KC

>Check you local laws, but you may be able to get unemployment as well. I hav ebeen laid off twice, it sucks but you will get through it. I got over the stigma of unemployee benefits and it sure helped.

It is much like a divorce, you will be angry, sad, happy, and other. Talk to as many folks as possible, network with your friends, church, etc. Something else is out there and even though age is not suppose to be an issue it can be, but hard work and you may find something even better.

Hang in there.

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Dan Arrowsmith

>I was downsized with every other supervisor at 50 at a large multi national company, took a little while but found a job with one of our suppliers to pay the bills. Eventually found 2 jobs in the same week, took one with a small 10 employees company. Best Job I ever had, got to know the owner and his two sons. Will work till I want to retire, so keep going and dont overlook the small companies, it helps if the owner keeps working after 70.

Sorry to hear

jim reed @ tallahassee

>Sorry to hear. I have been thru some bad layoffs. Take time to clear your head. Good luck.

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Wayne in Topanga

>Dave,

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Doesn't politics suck. I'm sure that a guy with your talents will land on your feet. I hope it doesn't take long. By the way did you mean to say remove 1 for email or did you mean remove 2 for email?

Wayne Goldstein

Re: Age discrimination is illegal

Charles Self

>One way around it, or so it seems is to ask for "recent graduates." Most tend to be younger than the average worker, but the prospective employer is not insisting on "younger."

Ah well. Working for yourself is better. I've twice tried working for corporations in the past 40 years, and each time spent too much time in the shower trying to get the slimy feeling off when I wasn't using a mirror to see where to grab the knife sticking out of my back.

Wayne

Dave Anderson, SoCal - From Home

>Whoops!

Turns out the email is correct as posted. I was going to make the number 21 (remove 1 for email) but apparently spaced out and never typed the 1...

~Dave

Re: Laid Off after 21 years OTJ :-(

Ed O'Neill

>Hey Scott, sorry to hear of your plight but your confused about unemployment benefits. While you were working you payed unemployment INSURANCE. This program which we all have payed into is to help those unfortunate enough to be out of work to be able to get along until you can get back on your feet. Walk with your head up and good luck looking for a new job. Ed

A heart-felt Thanks!

Dave Anderson, SoCal - From Home

>Thank you all for your kind words of friendship, support and encouragement.

It means so much to me right now to have a place full of friends like all of you at WC!

~Dave