I was executive management. I knew lay offs were being discussed as a possibility, so I asked the CEO and President of the Board if my job was in jeopardy. I was told “No, you’re too important” and “don’t worry about it.” I asked about my staff and was told my department was too small to lose anyone. A month later, I had a budget meeting and was told that there was no place in our budget to make additional cuts (I cut every expense I could without cutting people).

The employees were told that they had to vote for an enhanced retirement package, and that if that package passed, there would be no layoffs. The last day of the vote, once everyone had voted and the package passed, layoffs happened.

That day, I took a lunch break (I normally worked through lunch which gave me 12 hour work days), but my husband had a doctor’s appointment, so I went home to watch our baby. I had just nursed the baby when the doorbell rang. I put the baby down and checked the peephole. It was the HR Director, and the HR manager and the Director was holding an envelope. (wow, my heart is pounding as I type this). I opened the door. My baby was literally crawling at my feet. The HR Director handed me the envelope and told me I was being let go.

“What did I do wrong?” I asked. I swear, I could hear my blood pounding in my ears.

“Nothing, it’s all in the letter.” was all he would say. I kept asking if it was something I did, and he just kept referring to the letter.

I opened it and scanned the letter, but it was all hazy. I was told that I was not to come back to work. I asked if I could pick up my things, and was told yes.

When my husband got home shortly after, (he was at a pre-surgery check as he was having a pacemaker put in next week), I went to work and packed up my office. I had a lot of stuff. Management books, binders of information that belonged to me, some personal items. It was humiliating. No one in my department said a word to me.

I later found out that everyone else had been called into the CEO’s office in one group and laid off all together–even the other executive managers who were let go. I think being laid off in your own home is worse–especially when your baby is crawling at your feet and your husband is about to have an expensive surgery.

The worst part is having to suck up still so I keep a good reference while I look for work. It also sucks that although I was executive management, I didn’t make a lot of money (less than six figures even with benefits)–and I live in an expensive part of the country (2 bdrm home is $400k).

This post was submitted by Leslie Morrison.

My husband and I left good jobs in another state to take work closer to our family. I have an aging grandmother with a terminal condition and declining health. We were back a few months when my husband was laid off suddenly. He came to work with me at the small firm where I worked. Four months later, they called him into my office at the end of the day. The “big news” was that we were laid off. Clients had stopped paying and there was no money for payroll. The third guy on the block was on his honeymoon. His new bride was the mother of five. Half the staff was let go that day, all three of us. I know it is a small business, but that left our home with no income, no hopes of finding anything in the area, and left with the choice of abandoning the woman who raised me or moving and looking after ourselves without a support system in an unstable economy. We had to file bankruptcy, lost our house, and had to sell our paid for car for something older so we could live off the extra cash. Now how are we supposed to move to get a job? Every company here not in our field refuses to hire us. We are “over qualified,” or “wouldn’t be happy with the pay.” We would in land development and road construction. When banks don’t loan and governments are strapped for cash, we have nothing to do. So, don’t work where your spouse does, understand that your fancy degree from a good school harms you in bad times, and no one cares if you can afford shoes for your kids!

This post was submitted by Reaping no rewards.

I was best friends with a colleague where our relationship began my first day of employment. She was the first to introduce herself to me and at that point, I knew I had made a friend.

We would often have lunch together and talk about relationships, family etc. I was there for her through her relationship hardships, wedding, more hardships. She also relocated to New Jersey for a promotion and I felt as though I lost my best friend. However, I was happy for her. We reconnected at her wedding and stayed in touch for years even though we worked at different sites but at the same company.

Several years passed and the group reorganized several times. In early 2009, I found out that I would be reporting in to her but there would eventually be a manager hired who would be my boss. For several months, we had individual meetings together but it was difficult that she was my interim boss. I could not break the barrier from friendship to manager, it was quite difficult.

As the group and work progressed, we soon reorged again and I was told that I would be promoted by her and a consultant. The evening before the announcement, she called to tell me who the manager would be, and it was not me. I was clearly disappointed.

Over the next several months, lots of inequities in workload and behavior had inhibited our group and lots of rumors about layoffs. The consultant that was hired over me even told me that there would be layoffs and he was worried for me. I was a bit in disbelief and unsure if it was going to be me or not since I had alot responsibility and experience, I thought it was unlikely.

Then on that dreaded day, I came into work, the day there were going to be layoffs. I had a 15 minute meeting on my calendar with an office number. I immediately looked up the number and found that it was in Human Resources and the person in attendance would be her, my friend, my colleague.

I walked into the room and she was there sitting in the back of the room. She said, “Your job has been eliminated and your last day of employment would be December 31, 2010″. I was devastated.

To think a friend, so I thought, would be my demise. It has only been a month but I am still having difficult comprehending all that has transpired. After a 10 year friendship, loyalty to the company and all I have done, I was laid off.

This post was submitted by Lisa.

I was recently laid off from a position that I had held for seven years with a large non-profit. Two years ago, I accepted a promotion to a position within the national office of said organization. My co-workers, most whom worked over 1600 miles away, became not just co-workers but like friends to me.

Two days ago, I was informed that I was being laid off. I received this news not from an HR representative or my supervisor, but from a co-worker. It seems that my impending lay off was water cooler conversation. When I spoke with someone in the HR department, she just stated that this was against the organization’s policy and they were sorry. I am heartbroken not only because of the lay off, but because I feel so betrayed. My confidence and dignity have been destroyed.

This post was submitted by Shelby .

I just got a call from my temporary firm, “The assignment is completed” is what my rep. told me.

I put in 1 year at Fluke, I attended every Thursday meeting even though I was not employed by Fluke.

The last report at the meeting was a whole string of assemblies were being shipped to Singapore, and other board houses across the US.

can you say… OUT-SOURCING?!

I had a feeling that some thing was going to happen, yet they siad that a slew of overtime was to begin next week, I was geared to take on the overtime!

I came home tired, but looking forward to next week, so I sat down only to hear my phone ring with the bad news….

I realize this is the life of a temporary, the original assignment was for only 3 months, I guess I got lucky.

Count my blessings on this one, but now the fight begins, not only with depression but having to find another tmep-to-hire job, I pray!

The job market leans on temporary positions, I guess I got too comfy with Fluke, I will be more “on guard” with my next short-term assignment, that is to say, when I hear that things are changing, get with my rep., and say I need a new assignment please.

To all out there who are still fighting to get a job, keep it up!! We can whip this thing into submission!

There IS a job out there somewhere for YOU!

LET’S GO KICK SOME ASS!

This post was submitted by Dave.