My first lay off

[Gaolee]

Employment at will means you can be terminated for any legal reason (or no reason). If it is age discrimination, it is illegal.

Which is expensive to prove. As has been discussed. I have never understood the logic of a corporate entity spending more money to cover up a mistake, which is essentially what fighting a suit about age discrimination would be, than it would cost to have avoided the mistake in the first place. From a distance, corporate behavior is often like a toddler having a greed fit and then a tantrum. Except you can't give the corporation a time out.

 

[928cat]

long story short and long rant to follow

I’ve had 2 jobs in 44 years; 40 year career, 2 year hiatus 2 years with consulting firm then unexpectedly laid off

I was devoted to my company and program I was assigned to

Told me I was one of best employees with best attitude ( so you laid Me and only me off?)

I asked 3 ways-3 times what did I do wrong or how did I cause this? Was told nothing personal ... just budget shortfall

I am a person They’ve affected my livelihood for a bogus reason as management is taking a business junket to Barcelona soon

Replacing an appliance isn’t personal

Laying off an employee IS personal to that employee

Heart broken livid angry bitter with no recourse to argue my point and stay

I greeted every day and co workers cheerfully as I Got to go to work. Left angry sad and bitter Full of rage that I’ve never felt before

If you can make ME angry you’ve done something major

I have a reputation for being a gregarious team working nice guy who enjoyed coming in each day

I’ll be 65 next month with some college or I’d just take it as character building All but one on that Program is younger by some years than I am . I never exhuded being elderly. I play bass I rock I go to loud concerts

I need to work several more years as my first career although obviously steady wasn’t lucrative to where I don’t need to work; no raises last 10 years of that career and high fuel costs in 2014

Couldn’t afford to sit on porch so instead of relaxing I spent most of 2 years searching and finding job I just had

Economy is booming so I have hopes of a return but now I’ll go from a level of comfort to level of discomfort until I’m hired again

They hurt my wallet and inadvertently my wife so I am doubly pissed

Kinda like your big first heartbreak with It isn’t you it’s me excuse

Came unexpectedly with no prior or known issues. They claim it’s budget

So I lose my job... me and only me... because an administrator mismanaged program budget? My salary won’t keep program afloat for a day

I got “railroaded” for lack of better term ( my dad retired from Rail so I get to use that term )

Now forced to take medicare A&B or face penalties so low I have another bill I can’t afford A is free / worthless B will cost me over $100 mo

Ok your stories and suggestions

You are way too bitter. Don't let it eat you up inside. Go live life.

 

[Alkali Ike]

Age discrimination is a very difficult thing to prove. But it happens a lot.

 

[bobba66]

I've been in the printing business since the early eighties. Quit some jobs, got fired from others. Got layed off in 2009 and again in 2012. My current job is on it's third owner in three years. I'm not optimistic.

 

[neckdive]

You are way too bitter. Don't let it eat you up inside. Go live life.

This is not a fair comment IMO.

The OP has just recently been given tremendously bad news regarding his livelihood and chose to share in the hopes that have had similar experiences could relate.

Suddenly losing a very long career job is quite akin to losing a loved one except that it is more internalized. One goes through similar stages of grief as a result of this experience which he is doing now.

Judging him by proclaiming him to be 'way too bitter' in effect is expecting him to skip all of the stages and go directly to acceptance.

That's not fair, empathetic, helpful, nor very nice to say to someone.

 

[buldog5151bass]

PM sent.

 

[Gaolee]

This is not a fair comment IMO.

The OP has just recently been given tremendously bad news regarding his livelihood and chose to share in the hopes that have had similar experiences could relate.

Suddenly losing a very long career job is quite akin to losing a loved one except that it is more internalized. One goes through similar stages of grief as a result of this experience which he is doing now.

Judging him by proclaiming him to be 'way too bitter' in effect is expecting him to skip all of the stages and go directly to acceptance.

That's not fair, empathetic, helpful, nor very nice to say to someone.

Even though I landed in a better place after a long lean time, I still wanted to go send rocket fire into the office of the guy who laid me off in 2009. I didn't do that, of course, and the anger faded over time. It sure took more than a few days. More like years. I sympathize completely, especially since it was a long term job and it sounds completely unexpected and even unreasonable.

 

[Joedog]

Corporate loyalty is ancient history. The bean counters rule, stupid or not. Best to put it behind you, and go find an even better opportunity. Harboring anger is unhealthy and counterproductive. Have you thought about starting your own business? My last employer closed down our division. The operations manager and I started our own biz. The employer went belly up within the year. We built a great biz, sold it for a tidy sum, and I semi-retired at 45. There is hope and opportunity everywhere! I know it sucks now, but it could also be the best thing that ever happened to you! Be positive!

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Middle pay and Georgia is at Will so no real recourse. Only 1 older than me

I got my revenge, I got a job at a small company better hours, flexible schedule, great people. Then I started directly recruiting the friends I left behind. We are all happier now.
Not your age but 55 is ancient by Silicon Valley IT standards.

 

[zon6c-f]

Using age as a reason to terminate someone is illegal (not the reason they give - the actual reason, it's called pretext). It might be worth a consultation with an area employment attorney.

I asked who would assume my duties

Was told they would be absorbed ; that no one will replace me. I have eyes n ears there who will tell me the truth

I've been in the printing business since the early eighties. Quit some jobs, got fired from others. Got layed off in 2009 and again in 2012. My current job is on it's third owner in three years. I'm not optimistic.

My dad was old school offset printer I used to screen print I feel your printing pain although I haven’t been in that biz for a while

 

[zon6c-f]

i was thinking that. isn't over 40 a protected class?

Yes

40 and above

At least in Georgia where I am

 

[zon6c-f]

Forty years with one employer? You had it pretty good. I've never worked anywhere much longer than three years.

Several folks have mentioned retaining an employment attorney. Yes.

That was my first career @ 40 years followed by 2 year hiatus then 2 years then laid off

 

[zon6c-f]

I spent most of my career in the construction industry and have been laid off a number of times. It sucks every time. When the economy goes down, nobody needs a person who can manage large projects and get paid well for it. They need some peon who can count rat turds in a lab and get paid peanuts. I got really lucky and have found another niche, but there's a certain irony or something about being 50, having two masters degrees, and packing roofing up a ladder as a physical laborer. I'm back to being a desk job type, and it's the best job I ever had, but it sure was a lean time before this came along. It is crazy how life twists and turns. There's no safety net, no guarantees, and no chance that anybody who wasn't very, very lucky won't have to face it sometime or another. After all these years, I have come to the conclusion that the only things I really have are my time and the abilities I have gathered together over a lifetime. All else can be taken away in a flash. Even time and abilities are fragile things. As far as money, I'll probably be working until I'm 70 anyway, since the choppiness of my work means savings got destroyed on a cyclical basis. So it goes.

It sucks. That's the only thing to say about it, and misery doesn't love company. I hope it turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as the last round of misery turned out for me. Or at least, it doesn't turn out to be misery for too long. All the best to you.

Embarrassingly I had to contact seller of vintage 301 cab on ‘ Verb and another seller w/flight case for 301

Had been in conversation with both and Wife n I were gonna pull trigger on both That night

Called my beloved wife with tragic news then (2) sales contacts for 301 and flight case

 

[MJ5150]

I asked who would assume my duties

Was told they would be absorbed ; that no one will replace me. I have eyes n ears there who will tell me the truth

Eh, let it go and move on. They have.

-Mike

 

[zon6c-f]

That's legal? Can't they at least offer you the option of lowering your wage to match until you find another position?

I wish but No they didn’t

 

[zon6c-f]

PM sent.

Got it and more details to come

 

[Gaolee]

Embarrassingly I had to contact seller of vintage 301 cab on ‘ Verb and another seller w/flight case for 301

Had been in conversation with both and Wife n I were gonna pull trigger on both That night

Called my beloved wife with tragic news then (2) sales contacts for 301 and flight case

That rubs salt in the wound. I can't imagine selling the 360 stack. I don't have a flight case, but I wouldn't know what to do with one of those anyway.

 

[twinjet]

Now forced to take medicare A&B or face penalties so low I have another bill I can’t afford A is free / worthless B will cost me over $100 mo

Get on with any retailer and get health care. If nothing else, you'll have something to do, get some extra cash and eventually receive healthcare options. Keep looking up.

 

[blastoff99]

You are way too bitter. Don't let it eat you up inside. Go live life.

This.

I was the victim of two outrageous employment actions, in consecutive jobs. The second was unthinkable. The two people who knew I was about to be fired objected, and were threatened with termination if they didn't go along. I lost a lot more than a job. It was ghastly.

But here's the thing: I don't get to choose how anyone else behaves. I get to choose how I react. And while there's a while lot more I could say about this, it's late and I've been up since 0430 and I'm replying on my phone. For now......

Harboring resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

 

[Selta]

Eh, let it go and move on. They have.

-Mike

Gotta agree with this one. The obsession with this is a bit much. It sucks, I get that. Thankfully in my still young career I haven't had to dance with this partner. I've left every job on my own will. But occupying yourself with whatever you think you're going to accomplish isn't, IMO, worth the baggage you're carrying now. If you need income, your time is much better off spent reviewing your skillset, take learning opportunities, throw out any resume you have and start a new one and get out there.