Anyone Laid Off recently?

I haven't been laid off- yet. We laid off over 80 people the week before last and it was terrible! I work in the oil industry for a very large corporation as an accountant in a certain subsidiary.

We are based in Houston, TX but have rigs all over the world. It seems like domestically we are stacked(not producing) like crazy, but internationally we are stable.

Anyways, just wondering how things are looking in other parts of the world!

I haven't but I personally know 8 out of 160 + that were laid off.  And they're not finished yet... scary!

Glad you still have a job!

Getting axed myself in a couple months. At least they gave me the heads-up. I'm in Houston also. I'm an estimator for a construction contractor. Sucks bigtime.

Yeah even the mayor has cut construction capital way down for Houston (let alone the private sectors)! I always tell my husband.....if I get laid off I guess I will teach, we always need teachers! Good luck to ya'll!

Not personally, but I know a lot that have been.

They laid off 30% of the employees at my old company (glad I left before then!), including several of my previous staff members.  Also, my sister was laid off and my hubby got a significant paycut.

Damn the economy!

I live in Houston as well....from what I can tell, we have it a little better than other parts of the country, but it's still not good :/

Four of my friends have been laid off (living in different parts of the world...not Houston), and all the contractors at my job have been given notice...right now I'm just holding my breath and saving like crazy.

They laid off 25,000 employees in the company I work for.  That included 75% of the department I currently work for.  I've been informed that I'll be 'temporarily' laid off in April after 19 years of service.

This greatly affects the economy in the manufacturing town that I live in.  The businesses around here rely heavily on the workers at the three big companies in town.  If things don't turn around soon, I expect to see a lot of restaurants and upscale stores closing soon.

As for me, going from a professional career in a Fortune 50 company to standing in the unemployment line is a huge eye-opener.  And scary!  I'll gladly work retail for now.  That is, if there are any retail jobs to be had!

Not to be the voice of doom senioracct, but at least out here in California, education cuts have been deep.  I only know 4 teachers, but all 4 of them have gotten pink slips.

My sister's fiance was laid off from his manufacturing job in November, she's about to be laid off from her grocery chain employer, I'm poised to lose my government job any minute, as is my roommate, and I just spent over $2000 I don't have to spare to save my cat's life (I'm from a family that takes hamsters to the vet), only to find out he has multi-centric lymphoma.

Yeah.  It's ugly alright.

i've not been, but every day on the news more and more people are paid off, companies going under, my country is becoming like a ghost town....not good at all.

I've was laid off in november from my Sign co. project management job in NC.

I've been trying non-stop to get a job to no avail so far- even though I have multi-year retail experience so far I havn't had luck in that area either.

Either over or under qualified it seems.-- Just gotta keep at it until somthing turns up- that's all we can do!

Yes. I was laid off from Bank of America last month. Thankfully, I got some nice severence pay and my boss from my old job was happy to have me back. Seriously, whenever I don't want to go to work, I say to myself "just be glad you  have a job."

 I'm sorry you have to be worried about your job. That's a bummer.

I haven't been laid off. But things are really bad. I'm taking classes so that my resume will be attractive. But still it hasn't eased of my fears.

I know how you feel- Before my layoff there were so many rumors flying around aat the office it was difficult to concentrate on work. Sometimes I think waiting to be laid off is worse than when the layoff actually comes!

Original Post by lidan:

Not to be the voice of doom senioracct, but at least out here in California, education cuts have been deep.  I only know 4 teachers, but all 4 of them have gotten pink slips.

My sister's fiance was laid off from his manufacturing job in November, she's about to be laid off from her grocery chain employer, I'm poised to lose my government job any minute, as is my roommate, and I just spent over $2000 I don't have to spare to save my cat's life (I'm from a family that takes hamsters to the vet), only to find out he has multi-centric lymphoma.

Yeah.  It's ugly alright.

 My grandmothers cats had the same thing (I think2 of her 5) they were all manx kitties.......sorry to hear that, but atleast your cat will always love you with a job or without!

Original Post by lidan:

Not to be the voice of doom senioracct, but at least out here in California, education cuts have been deep.  I only know 4 teachers, but all 4 of them have gotten pink slips.

I agree. I know some teachers, too, and some have been told their contracts will not be renewed for next school year. I think the medical field is generally the safest. 

Original Post by alibsam:

Original Post by lidan:

Not to be the voice of doom senioracct, but at least out here in California, education cuts have been deep.  I only know 4 teachers, but all 4 of them have gotten pink slips.

I agree. I know some teachers, too, and some have been told their contracts will not be renewed for next school year. I think the medical field is generally the safest. 

Not in Houston/Galveston. The UT Medical Branch in Galveston just laid off 3800 people. Shriner's Hospital for Children also announced layoffs, effective March 31.

In addition to the economic downturn, they can't afford to repair all the damage from Ike.

My last day of work is tomorrow!  I had no idea, the company never talked about lay offs and then BOOM - me and one other Admin got laid off due to the economy and because we had the least seniority.  I have a good severance package and am just being thankful that I get to see my kids more.  My husband is also unemployed (but there is an offer on the table at the moment) and we just lost our house.  SOOOO yeah, the economy sucks but we just have to count our blessings and loved ones to get through it.

Good Luck!

In a way, my husband voluntarily laid himself off.  All of the employees at the place he worked at were laid off and the business went under.  My husband was given the opportunity to start up at a new store that the owner was going to manage but not own, and my husband turned the offer down.

I haven't been laid off and while I was worried about it for a while, considering of everyone in my department I was the most recently hired in, but I'm pretty sure that as short staffed as we are now, I don't have to worry.  The hospital has laid off nurses left and right, and a few in the integrated lab, but phlebotomy specific has been safe so far.

Yeah, for everyone who thought they were safe in health care, think again.

Ive been kept on during layoffs, one in which they continued over a year.  Between pressure of being expected to carry the load of multiple employees gone and the understanding it could be me tomorrow can make for a seriously depressing work enviroment to walk in daily. 

Im not wanting to be insensitive to the financial concerns of those who've lost their regular paycheck but their is not as if those remaining on have employment certainity.  I specifically remember a boss telling me during one that my job was safe and how we would work together but within days he was let go and we were reporting directly to his boss.  

The weirdest was a company in which I was one of several supervisors and our manager discussing with us who in our departments we felt should be let go.  It wasnt like my department was slackers so picking the least best - ugh! 

I was laid off from a St. Louis based company on January 22nd (one of about 50 other people).

I threw myself the pity party, and then got down to the search, only to find the pickings are very very slim, and I'm only one of thousands trying to get the same job.  It's hard to be positive, but it helps that I have a first step interview tomorrow (with a 3rd party recruiter, but it's a start).

I'm trying to prepare myself to be out of work for at least 6 months - I'm looking at training/educational options to beef up some skills that will make me more "marketable."  Well, assuming I can afford it.

I'm taking pharmacy technician courses right now to get certified. That's one of the jobs (in my state at least) that I still see hiring! The state is even paying for people on unemployment to take the course.