I was the Executive Chef for a private Hospital. Never in my life I thought I would be in this position. I was laid off with no notice, severance package or anything. I was making too much money. I have a family and no income. I can’s find a job anywhere and I feel lost. At one time I had everything and I’m close to be homeless. Years of experience and a strong resume is not enough. I have faith and I know everything happens for a reason but if I don’t get a job, I will end up on the streets.

This post was submitted by Mac.

It’s hard to believe that I find myself in this position again after being laid off just over a year and a half ago. I work in advertising/marketing with a focus on digital media. I’m at the senior level after being in this field for 19 years.

When I was laid off of my previous job, my boss connected me to the agency that just laid me off. I was hired to lead the digital strategy group which was quite a mess when I took it over. I managed to rally the team, create process and deliverables that our clients were ecstatic about! I grew the team and gained the confidence of my peers and the company leadership – so much so, that when my boss left, I got a promotion to take over for her and to manage the technology team as well.

Sounds great so far, right? Well, a few months back, our incompetent finance director said we were off forecast (in a great part due to her misrepresenting the financials). The partners wanted the management team to cut costs – we did. We also cranked up the sales effort – but to no avail.

A couple of months ago, my boss from my previous job came on board to the agency I was working at. I was happy to work with her again, but warned her of the problems that were going on (too long to mention here). Within the first couple of weeks, she told me how well regarded I was amongst the staff, partners and clients.

From the beginning of her time with the company, she was stuck in financial review meetings. The upshot was that we were missing the mark by over $1M and that there would be a staff reduction.

I was asked to provide guidance on who in my team to let go. There weren’t any good answers – everybody was necessary and excellent at what they do. I made a recommendation and left it with my boss and the partners.

Well imagine my surprise, when I come in the next week and they decide that I’m the one to go. Even though I was the first person to successfully run the digital side of the business. Even though everybody loved me and thought I was great at what I do. Even though nobody could make decisions there without consulting me for my input.

I asked my former boss later why I was let go – the answer, “I made too much.” What a crock of sh!t – Well I don’t make it now. Now I have to find another job to support my family. I know I can probably find another job – but to what end? So I can get laid off again?

There has got to be a better way than these stupid corporations who don’t know how to manage from day to day.

I hope to find it.

This post was submitted by Jay.

I worked for a bank as a mortgage loan underwriter/closer/processor/receptionist for 7 years. I took my job seriously, and frequently worked overtime. Another girl, who happened to be the boss’s best friend’s daughter, rose through the ranks of the bank quickly, becoming an AVP/Senior Underwriter/Closer in no time. She had seniority over me so it didn’t bother me so much, even though she was frequently out with headaches and other ailments. Then she got pregnant. She set her own hours, showed up for a few hours and left for the duration of her pregnancy. When she took a 5 month maternity leave, my boss did not hire anyone to cover for her; rather I was expected to do my job and hers. This required frequent overtime. I was stressed out, emotional, and very unhappy. Frequently I had difficulty breathing and also developed back and neck problems.

When my coworker (Kay) came back to work, she did so at 24 hours per week. Again I was working overtime to compensate for her reduced working hours, and again my boss did not hire another employee. Then I got pregnant. It was agreed when I returned to work that I would do so at 30 hours per week. Well, I tried to work 30 hours per week but my boss always asked to work more, which I did. Then Kay got pregnant again. I let my boss and Kay know that I could not cover another 5 month maternity leave, and that I could not put in overtime. Kay stated she would return to work after 3 months. My boss asked me to work 40 hour weeks to cover for Kay, which I agreed to, for 3 months only. Mind you, when my boss asked Kay to work full time while I was on maternity leave, she laughed in his face and said No way. So, Kay came in one day and announced she needed to take leave a month early, and produced a doctors note. My boss informed me my 40 hour weeks would be effective immediately. I worked overtime all summer to cover for Kay. Kay then did not return to work as planned, and extended her leave an additional month. I let my boss know that I was overwhelmed (volumes were through the roof, and everything was my job at the branch) and that I could not handle the workload. He had also hired another girl who was not working out. In the meantime, a NEW manager came in, and ripped the quality of my work. Mind you, I had received production awards for the prior two years, and rave reviews from my boss. I let my boss know a month before I was let go that I had agreed to work 30 hour weeks (my vacation time, sick time, benefits were all based on 30 hour work weeks despite the fact I averaged well over 30 hours each week) and that I would go back when Kay was originally supposed to come back. My boss informed me he would go to HR. On the Friday which was unbeknownst to me to be my last day, the new manager, Ashley, sat with me for three hours and informed me the central processors did not care for me, that we had gotten off on the wrong foot, but that I could “trust” her. Famous last words. My boss let me know he would “cry” if I quit, and that he was so sorry for how much he had put on me. I let them both know I was going back to my regularly scheduled hours.

The following week when I didn’t show up on Monday (which was not a regularly scheduled day for me), HR phoned and said nobody knew where I was. I explained the situation, and was told I put the extraordinary workload on myself, that it was all my fault, and that no one could believe I couldn’t help my team out. I asked what Kay’s hours would be when she returned to work, and was told it was none of my business, that it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with me. I was asked why I hadn’t worked that Monday, and I said I hadn’t been scheduled for Mondays for about a year and a half, that I was scheduled for 30 hour weeks. I was then asked how well I communicate with my boss, who we shall call Denny the D Bag. He had clearly sandbagged me with HR. I was then asked if I would work 40 hours, to which I said no. I asked if the HR manager had any clue how much of myself I had given the bank for 7 years, and again was told I did not know how to set boundaries and that I put things on myself. According to the new manager Ashley who did not know me for more than a week at least. Denny called me up next to tell me to turn my key in, and that they were accepting my resignation. Now Kay works her 30 hours, another gal from another office gets to work 30 hours, and they hired another full time person.

“I am so mad at myself for all the extra overtime, time away from my family, for all the energy and effort I gave them. In the end it meant NOTHING.”

Denny even had the gall to send me a “Happy Birthday” greeting after it happened. I didn’t respond. Hopefully it will turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to me, but I am incredibly resentful of the fact that Denny treated others so much better than me.

This post was submitted by Rochelle.

Today I write this through my tears and my fears. Its happening, my husband came through the front door an hour earlier than usual. I knew, I just knew. He said, “They laid me off today.” I know understand when people say my knees buckled. I have been unemployed for over a year and a half. My husbands paycheck was barely making ends meet. In fact he just came back home after living in another state because it was the only job he could get. He was laid off from his previous job. This morning my biggest worries were the usual ones. How I was going to stretch his paycheck to cover mortgage and put food on the table. This evening that has changed to how are we going to keep our home and I hope the neighbors aren’t home when they come to repo our cars. I have never seen my husband cry over anything..but today he broke down and said this wasn’t how I thought our life would be at 52 and 51. We did all the right things, got an education, worked hard and still I sit here broke. We have 3 children and 1 grandson and I am ashamed to tell them dad got laid off…again. Thanks for listening…
-C

This post was submitted by Carol.

So I go into work today after walking on eggshells for the past few weeks, basically with the director telling me, “I am not threatening you or anything, but pull up your production numbers or you’re gone.” OK Then!!!

So the past few weeks I was not in the bottom of the production task list. The irritating thing Is I thought this was a better opportunity and left a position i was at for 8 years to start with this company. To top it off, I even got another car that was smaller and better on gas to handle the atrocious commute. So now I guess I have to sell the car!

As far as the title of the story, I have been in Real Estate and Title for the past 13 years. With the 3 times I have been laid off just dangling in my face, i think it’s gods way of saying to just work for minimum wage and try not to worry about it. But if you have kids and a mortgage, how do you pay for everything on minimum wage? Enough said.

This post was submitted by Lauren Kaatz.