It was almost exactly a year ago that Nathan told me about rumors of layoffs at his company. This year his company has taken the more straightforward approach and sent an e-mail out to all their employees yesterday about the hard times and what lies ahead. They predict cutting up to 400 jobs in the next few months. This is big news in my area as his company’s major competitor has also announced cuts. The shit hit the fan and the airwaves early yesterday.
Instead of letting people go right away, the company is offering folks a chance to voluntarily leave with a nice severence package. If this is going to be a yearly thing, especially if it’s going to be a yearly thing we have to suffer through at the start of every holiday season, it would almost be a relief for him to take the package and find another job. That’s the tricky part, though. Finding another job.
If he were to take the package he wouldn’t be eligible to collect unemployment after the severance was distributed in full. So we’ve decided that he’s going to stay put and ride out the storm. I told him there’s really no reason for him to walk away if he likes his job, which he does.
There’s really not much we can do if the company decides to cut his job anyway. He’ll still get a severance package, just not as large as he would if he were to take the voluntary layoff. We’ve been very lucky so far and I have no idea how long that luck is going to last.
As we were discussing his options over the phone yesterday, I sighed and said, “Dammit, why can’t it be my job that’s in jeopardy? You know I’d totally take that severance package and start some freelance writing.”
“I know, hon,” he said, “I was thinking the same thing.”
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This is scarey. I am hearing more and more of this happening. I hope that your husband doesn’t lose his job. Yeah, too bad you couldn’t take this time and write. Maybe some day!
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