The company I work for ( whom I'm not mentioning by name for a reason- I don't want any "Google search" hits) is starting a brand new program in their pharmacies. It sounds interesting and scary at the same time, but one of the things we'd heard ( and they are keeping a VERY tight lid on details!) is that staff reductions are a major part of it. Up to 50% of the present staff will be "severanced" out.
We had thought that the meetings Tuesday were to be the first part of the "re-interviews" to keep our jobs. But it was a talk with a HR Lawyer, about what our options were, and how the whole process was going to be handled.
Basically, I have 2 choices:
1- Go through the interviews, tests, etc. and take the chance that I will retain my job. If I don't- I get about 12 weeks pay, and a "so long, thanks for the memories". No other benefits. NADA! ( AND because of the way they are working it- IE the "severances", you do NOT qualify for unemployment!!!)
2- Because I have 26+ years, I can take a "Voluntary Severance" package, which basically means I will get a year's pay ( 2 weeks for every year worked) and can keep my medical for at least 6 months, perhaps up to a year.
Seniority is not an "edge" in this process. Recomendations from your bosses are only 1/3 of the total process. And they will put you where they see fit- not necessarily where you want to work ( in other words, I could get stuck working and a 24 hour store on the graveyard shift!) You take what they give- or you're out.
This whole thing has had me depressed for days. I'm only 4 & 1/2 years from qualifying for retirement from this company ( which would have allowed me to keep ALL of my benefits for life!) I've worked my arse off to be the best employee I can be. I've gone into work sick, the day after a surgery, and been what I always thought a good employee was supposed to be...... And now this?
Needless to say, after a long, LONG, talk with Jon, and an equally long talk with Mr. P, and my pharmacy Manager ( hereafter called "L") I've decided to go with option #2. Which means sometime in July/early August, I will no longer have a job.
I've been working my whole life. So many of the things I'd been taught about work-ethic and such has become a big-old rug that has been yanked out from under me. Oh, I know I'll get by. And I'm sure I'll find another job ( I've got a year- that's more than most people out of work these days!) But this whole situation just SUCKS! I love my job. I love the people I work with! My customers know my name, and treat me as a trusted friend.
Sorry, I'm just soooooo frustrated right now. It will take some time for me to be at peace about this. Just bare with me, OK?
Anyway, someone tell a good joke- I could use one right now!!!
The good news is- I'll have more time for this Blog, right?!
Yeah, keep thinking that KC!
Peace and Love, KC
Invisioned on |7:52 AM|
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Monday, June 01, 2009
I'm still here
But I have to go to a meeting tomorrow morning. One that could change my life. Our company is starting a new pharmacy program that could see me jobless after 26 years of hard work and dedication .
Wish me luck.
Peace & Love, KC
Invisioned on |10:26 PM|
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Why is it?
I just noticed this.If you look at my blog in IE, it looks fine. But on Google Chrome, or on Safari ( re: my IPhone) the Black background does not cover the entire blog. There's a gap between the blog body and the sidebar. Also the black only goes down about 1/3 of the sidebar? Help??????
( It's been a couple of years since I've had to play around with the blog settings, I'm not sure I remember how!)
Well, truth is I've never really been "gone". Stuff in life just started getting a little too crazy, and I decided that you all really didn't need to hear all the crap. So I took a hiatus as it were. So let's see if I can get you caught up- "crib-notes" style.
So, where do I start. Well, you all know about the economy. Because of that ( and other things that I'll explain later) Hubby has not been working alot. So I've been trying to pick up the slack ( although I can't match his salary!) More shifts at work meant less time home, and certainly less computer/play time. So that didn't help matters. Then a couple of techs quit, which helped me out shift-wise, but added to the whole "not enough time" thing.
December got even worse. Jon had been mentioning to me that he had this black *spot* in the corner of his eye. Now I have to say here that Hubby has one "lazy eye" and one good one. The lazy one basically doesn't work. Unfortunately, the spot was in his "good" eye. Week before Christmas, he came home and told me we had to make an appointment for him at an eye dr. Seems that "spot" was now covering 3/4 of his EYE! LOONNNGGG story short- he had a torn & detached Retina. Which required immediate surgery. Friday before Christmas there we were in Orlando, spending monies we didn't have, getting Jon's eye fixed. ( And a shot out to Kat for coming over that evening for "Moral support!") This all meant that Christmas was a very lean ( read: kids only!) Jon was now officially out of work for about 6 weeks! ( and no- no disability, sick pay, etc.)
Now, I mentioned that Christmas was lean. We did however get one present that has proven to be a great joy/balm/treat to all of us during all this:
This is Nalla! She's a Calico American shorthair. I drove clear up to the only animal shelter in the county that was open Sunday before Christmas to get her. And she' been worth every penny!
She's here sleeping on my lap in my recliner. She's named after a charactor in a series of books that Becky and I love. ( "Black Dagger Brotherhood"- if anyone cares)
Even Shadow has taken a liking to her, and protects her as her own.
Now, we are not really "cat" people. Not that I don't like them, but we've always had dogs. But Becky has been wanting one really badly, and with all she does/has done to help me and her Dad during all this- I just couldn't say no. And I'm so glad I did. She is a hoot, and a love. ( Becky calls her "Bi-Polar Kittie". One minute she's racing around the house, climbing the walls. Next- she's sleeping like an angel)
Anyway- getting back to other stuff. Jon's eye eventually healed enough that he could go back to work in Feb. But he still has trouble driving too much. Thankfully the guy that works with him is more than willing to do that for them. And things are looking up, both with his work and in general. So I thought I'd better get back to my old routine. Which of course means back to this.
Gods, it's good to be back to "normal"! ( well, normal for ME lol!)
Anything interesting happen while I was gone?????
Peace and Love, KC!
Invisioned on |9:01 AM|
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
I'll be here tomorrow
With some pictures I have left from our trip. You know, the ones I had planned on posting before this stupid thing decided to take it's own *vacation*?
But before that, I have to go do something today. Something very important. Something that all of my ( American ) friends should be doing as well:
As my Dad was fond of saying; "If you don't vote- you can't Bitch!"
And let me tell you- it took some doing! After they got the computer back- again!- they gave it to use w/the back-up discs. We tried, and tried, and tried to get them uploaded. But they didn't want to work. Sooooo, back to the Geeks. Took them 3 days, as they had to direct upload from a master they still had!( thankfully one of them kept the master stored, just in case!)
So the past few days I've been re-uploading and sorting through all the files. And reloading my I-Tunes. And, and, and.......
But hopefully, this will be the last of it. Kind-of scary though that all the staff at that "squad" knows my name LOL!
Other than that? Well, I'm off this week. Not that I have any money to do anything. But I'm planning to get some serious cleaning/weeding/etc done. which means it's not a total waste. Besides, I need this break before the holiday/snowbird season hits. Otherwise I'd probably hurt someone at work lol!
Jon is still not working alot. Maybe 2 - 3 days per week if we're lucky. Which has seriously cut into our budget. He had some vacation time banked, which has helped some- but that's almost gone. I've warned the kids- do NOT ask for anything big for Christmas. Unless Dad gets more work ( har-har!) or He gets 6 good numbers a.k.a. hits the lottery ( hell, I'd settle for 5 at this point!) we are going to have a very skimpy Christmas. They're really being good about that, except for Kimmie. Which I understand as she's still a little too young to understand finances at this point. I might try to pick up some extra shifts at work, but I can't push too hard or my body will break down on me again. That wouldn't be good either.
Other than that? Not much else going on.
How've you been????
Peace and Love, KC!
Invisioned on |11:58 AM|
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I'm still alive....
It's just my computer that's up *that* creek with only one paddle. Let me explain....
We got the computer back ( as promised ) on/around Sept. 25th. As it was a Friday, I really didn't get a chance to get on ( Hubby was hogging it lol!) until Sunday. He had just logged off, complaining about the sound not working (either through the speakers or our headphones). So I figured I'd get on to see what the problem was. When I tried to log on to my *corner* of the computer- it suddenly came up with a message that our Windows was ILLEGAL????
WTF?
So, of course, I had to call the Geeks again. Seems that when they replaced the motherboard it now was not working nicely with the Windows. Would I please bring it back down, and they could fix it in less than 1 hour. So, a couple of days later ( Hey- I had to work here!) I took it back to them. Explained exactly what happened, and they fixed that really quickly. But when they looked into the Audio problem, well...... THAT one was not as easy. 2 of them promised to work on it all night, and get the problem solved.
Two DAYS later ( 3 geeks working on it and 10 different audio cards according to them!) they just couldn't get the darn thing to work. The one guy kept calling me about every 3 hours, just to let me know they hadn't forgotten, and where they were work-wise. They finally figured that they had to send it BACK to the main repair facility. I was promised that they would put a rush on it, and that it would be handled ASAP.
Needless to say I was pissed off. ALL of my stuff is on there. But they were soooooo upset for/along with me that they promised to back up all of my files ( FOR FREE) and I would not be charged anything for all of this. So that's where we are now with my computer.
Waiting. again.
Other than that? Well, Jon's not getting alot of work in ( big surprise there- if people aren't buying/building, who needs a Surveyor?) and the kids are doing pretty good in school.
With my work- do you remember me telling you about the one girl that called out sick all the time, and came in late lots as well? Well, she quit last week. So right now, with or Flu shots and everything, at least I'm getting plenty of hours. Bummer though that I don't make near the money Jon does. Would help alot right now!
I'm on limited time here, so I thought I'd just get you all caught up on where I am.
