I find it frustrating that companies layoff staff due to restructuring and then commences hiring for similar roles.

Anonymous

February 16,2024 at 7:22AM UTC

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I find it frustrating that companies layoff staff due to restructuring and then commences hiring for similar roles. We've given our all during the past years and now that things are turning around, we're out and they are taking companies in a new directions. I wish we had the courtesy to know this was coming as the job industry is volatile for my industry.

Layoffs hit without warning and since the pandemic, a lot of companies have switched to at will employers. While that changed on the books, staff didn't know until left without a final paycheck or severance.

They conveniently wrapped up last days before the next payroll period commenced. To my former colleagues and others facing this challenging situation especially those in large cities where cost of living often requires needing the month's paychecks to make ends meet, this loss of income is demoralizing and not the way to treat employees.

To those laid off that receive severance, as a tip, please budget accordingly. Unemployment can take months to hit due to the new regulations and utilizing mailed debit cards rather than direct deposit. For some, the waiting period for your first payment is a month out and why this needs to be the process, it's not enough even to cover rent or let alone make ends meet.

While cost of living is factored by region, unemployment is not. It doesn't give city dwellers even a fighting chance to keep things afloat. Sorry for my rant but trying to figure out a way to keep a roof over my head while commencing a long job search process I know is not possible. Watching the days rapidly tick down before credit cards and rent is due is a frighting and stressful situation! Trying to get part time work isn't easy as it sounds and contract roles have similar rounds as full-time positions.

My plea, please be kind to others on this board. There's a way to offer constructive criticism without nastiness as you don't know what they are facing.

Don't hold back in offering suggestions but a snarky remark is biting when people are struggling to hang on...sending best wishes to everyone out there trying to make ends meet and remember, you are more than your last role! Good luck and you're not alone!

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AnonymousFebruary 16,2024 at 2:50PM UTC
Just to let you know, if they didn't pay you for your last days at work, that is considered wage theft and illegal under virtually all state, local, and federal labor standards. If you miss a final paycheck, you can file a complaint with your state's Department of Labor.
Your plight is real, as I have faced it (pre-pandemic) with little to show. It is good advice for everyone not to be living above their means, which is problematic in today's society where everything you can get is based on a credit score that relies on you going into debt to get one good enough to get suitable housing, a decent interest rate on a car loan, etc. The standard for savings is having at least three to six months in paychecks in a savings account, where most people can only survive paycheck to paycheck.
I worked for an agency that helped many people in this type of situation, where people were at risk for eviction or utility terminations due to being unable to pay because they had lost their jobs and were having a hard time finding a new one. It was disheartening to tell someone they needed to discuss with their landlord the option of opting out of their lease and losing their security deposit to find another cheaper place or parking/selling their car and taking public transit. Everyone had reasons why they couldn't do that (you'd be surprised why some couldn't even downgrade their premium cable to a more basic and cheaper option). We have all spoiled ourselves and fallen for the "keeping up with the Jones" mentality. One of my biggest downfalls was a superior credit score, where everybody gave me credit to buy whatever I wanted and pay for it over time. I was laid off after 22 years, and although I was given a great severance package, I couldn't give up my standard of living until I should have filed for bankruptcy. Unfortunately, I hadn't lived where I was long enough to file, so I had to struggle through bill collectors following for several years. Thankfully, most of my most significant negative marks have fallen off the credit report, but 15 years later, I am still digging out.
I apologize for the long rant that echoes yours without answering your dilemma. Just know that you are not alone in this. I wish you all the best. Just consider what you can legitimately live with and without and cut back where you can, even if it hurts.
AnonymousFebruary 16,2024 at 3:26PM UTC
Thank you, Anonymous. I'm sorry you've went through a similar situation. During the pandemic, I was laid off and accepted this role as I needed to work. It required more a two paycheck approach in the month first to pay most of rent and the second a split between rent credit card, utilizes etc. I saved what I could but when you're living in a city with a high-cost of living, it doesn't afford being able to put aside that much in order to make ends meet. Looking back, there were things that I could have cut out and now wish I did. I thought having at least a month rent saved and then having a final paycheck or two to supplement that amount would provide a cushion if needed. During the pandemic, I lived in a cheaper area and was able to build a nest egg. My career background requires being in a larger city and working in at least a hybrid environment. I'm trying to get out of my lease and contacted my landlord to do so and I'm waiting to hear back. Fortunately there was a security deposit and I'm trying to using that leverage to end my lease early. My issue now is that I don't have the means to move or then store my belongings. I'm grateful that my family welcomed me into my childhood home but trying to unravel this mess from another location is difficult. The area that I'm residing doesn't have the type of jobs that match my background and while pitching myself for lower-level roles than my former position in order to apply for work, I'm told I have too much experience or not in those fields. Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback. I feel so overwhelmed at this time and trying to figure out how to move forward. Glad to hear you were able to pick up the pieces and make a better life for yourself. Wishing the same for all my former colleagues out there and anyone facing this disheartening dilemma.
AnonymousFebruary 17,2024 at 3:37AM UTC
What I have suggested to clients of mine was to save up a half month's rent and then pay the rent in two payments, the first being mid-way through the previous month and the second at the beginning of the month. This keeps you from having to spend an entire paycheck on rent. Whenever I asked if I could split the rent this way, the landlord always said that this was the only way to keep from paying the late fee and being habitually late in rent, which could jeopardize being able to renew your lease.