View Full Version : Anyone’s work being affected by coronavirus?
Teacher Terry
4-4-20, 1:15pm
Tybee, I am sorry.
Teacher Terry
4-4-20, 1:59pm
I don’t know how tight your budget is but when my steady teaching ended along with a third of our income I cut the fat out of our budget. Instead of getting the dogs groomed every 2 months I do it at 3 and the same with my hair. I had cleaners for the bathrooms and floors and they are gone. Quit buying gifts and now cook a special meal for people’s birthdays. If I had grandchildren I would still buy for them of course. Shopped all our insurances for better prices. We each get a set amount of money to spend and we have a joint fun money amount for going out together. We just refinanced our small mortgage to 2.84% and it saved us 150/month. We are driving our smaller car around town and save the bigger one for trips which saved gas money unless of course we are going out to separate places at the same time. We cut our travel which used to be 2 big trips a year to one. A year later we don’t feel deprived and still do fun things.
I've been dressing in jeans for work for probably 7-8 years. I doubt the new job will be like that. I pulled all my dress clothes out of the closet. Lot of winter tops, but I needed spring/summer. Got two twinsets from Talbots for $100. They've got a ton of sales going on.
Terry, thanks for the really good ideas-- we should definitely belt tighten. Tradd, it has been so long since I worked in an office or even outside of the house--but I have been thinking about looking for work again and wonder what people wear now? Do you wear the twin sets with pants or a skirt? Do people still wear skirts? What kind of shoes?
Any pictures of appropriate job hunting attire would be welcome!
Tybee, pretty much all my clothes come from Talbots. Someone here told me about them back around 2012 or so. Good place for pictures.
It all depends on your industry. Skirts are still worn, it just all depends on what an individual likes. Often worn without hose.
I’d probably do a first interview in a blazer. From there on in my twin sets.
I sort of have a uniform. Due to my build, button up shirts just don’t work. I never tuck my tops in. There are plenty of nice tops that are pullovers. My dress pants and shoes are always black. Tops are in some shade of black, purple, pink, or blue. Sometimes I’ll put a black tank top under a colored cardigan.
Ooh, thank you, that helps, and I will definitely check out the Talbots catalogue. Very helpful with the uniform idea.
Tybee, pretty much all my clothes come from Talbots. Someone here told me about them back around 2012 or so. Good place for pictures.
It all depends on your industry. Skirts are still worn, it just all depends on what an individual likes. Often worn without hose.
I’d probably do a first interview in a blazer. From there on in my twin sets.
I sort of have a uniform. Due to my build, button up shirts just don’t work. I never tuck my tops in. There are plenty of nice tops that are pullovers. My dress pants and shoes are always black. Tops are in some shade of black, purple, pink, or blue. Sometimes I’ll put a black tank top under a colored cardigan.
Not be personal but I thought that with all your exercise of the past few years that clothes from 7-8 years ago would need some adjusting, Tradd. Not being rude but complimentary.
You can send them to me, Tradd, haha no weight loss here!
My clothes aren’t from 2012. Just meant I’ve been buying from Talbot’s since then!
I’ve gone down 1 size on top and 2 sizes on the bottom.
gimmethesimplelife
4-6-20, 12:22pm
Just ran across this thread. Furloughed here and am debating trying my luck in the grocery biz vs. weighing the health risks associated with doing so. Not especially at this point worried about money but discetionary spending goes under the category of that famous 1939 American movie of the Civil War - it's gone with the wind.
I will say that it's nice for once in my life to meet up with a crisis with my life not being in crisis already - nice switch for me. Under this roof we are cutting back on everything and even food itself is going cheaper and more Mexican - veggies and beans and lots if hot sauce/seasonings. At least there's time now to eat healthier - before my meals were comped through my job but now that it's on my dime.....cheap and healthy for the win.
Something positive.....am planting okra, armenian cucumber, and sunflowers for the Summer. Rob
Rob, if you do stock work during off hours, much less change to be exposed to anything.
The sunflowers sound lovely.
Teacher Terry
4-6-20, 12:41pm
Rob, with people getting a extra 600 on unemployment I wouldn’t risk working in a grocery store. Is your spouse out of work too?
A friend of mine was informed by her boss on Friday via email that her salary was cut in half and her schedule was different. Friend had worked a straight 8-5. Now she's working half days. Today afternoons, tomorrow morning. Her boss is a big jerk. About as bad as my old one was. Friend said it's pretty obvious company is doing this to avoid taking a hit on unemployment.
Rob, with people getting a extra 600 on unemployment I wouldn’t risk working in a grocery store. Is your spouse out of work too?
When is this "extra $600" supposed to occur? I'm not seeing anything about it on our state's unemployment site, nor have I gotten any notifications about it.
It's an extra $600 per WEEK for four months. It's in the fed stimulus bill. No clue on when it's supposed to start.
A friend of mine was informed by her boss on Friday via email that her salary was cut in half and her schedule was different. Friend had worked a straight 8-5. Now she's working half days. Today afternoons, tomorrow morning. Her boss is a big jerk. About as bad as my old one was. Friend said it's pretty obvious company is doing this to avoid taking a hit on unemployment.
In my state if you are cut to 32 hours or less you get pro-rated unemployment. She should check on this.
Thanks, I'll let her know.
ApatheticNoMore
4-7-20, 2:00am
Some layoffs and furloughs at our subsidiary basically is how I'd describe it (although that makes it sounds like a huge company and it's not). They did not have work to do due to how covid-19 affected their work, would in ordinary times.
It's an extra $600 per WEEK for four months. It's in the fed stimulus bill. No clue on when it's supposed to start.
Thanks. This is what I had heard as well, just didn't know when it was supposed to start.
IL announced on its unemployment website today that the $600/week will be included in payments issued beginning this week.
I received my COBRA paperwork today. Just health insurance is $683.24. This was for a good Blue Cross PPO. Dental is $44.74 and vision is $4.46.
Unsure if I'm going to get it or not.
You can always get it and then get something better later.
If you have zero income (unemployment has not kicked in yet) in my state you can get Medicaid. Your state may vary. Also, you have 60 days to sign up for Cobra. Don't do it early because if you get another job, and you haven't had any medical appointments in the 60 days, you are paying for nothing. This assumes your new employer does not have a long waiting period to get medical benefits.
ApatheticNoMore
4-8-20, 8:30pm
Medicaid has asset limits. If you have over 2k in assets here you are out, although housing doesn't count (pretty absurd as here you have to be pretty well off to buy housing and yet they'll begrudge someone less well off their modest savings account >8) ). Pretty harsh indeed, it's not really meant as a middle class program.
I honestly don't think that CORBA is a bad deal. Can you find cheaper on the ACA? Maybe. But it's going to have a pretty high deductible I suspect (and limited network probably). With bronze plans your looking at 6k deductibles, maybe government picks up the tab for Covid-19 though heaven forbid, not sure the status of that.
Something under the ACA will have high deductibles and others have reported their ACA plan was not accepted.
I'm going to wait a bit, see how much I get in unemployment, etc., and go from there.
Found out that it appears my old workplace as re-hired 1 individual - the one caught cheating, lying, and being basically untrustworthy! But, I guess also the one that got paid the least so is affordable to hire back?? I'm trying to process my emotions with regards to this, considering I had been working at this place for 16 years.
Initially - anger. Not because *I* wasn't hired back - anyone let go could do most of the jobs there - but because of the individual they DID hire back. Personally, I really don't want to go back to working at this place - mainly because of some of the history I've had there. But there are at least 2 individuals who served the company well while there, who were honest, had good work ethics, job skills, etc., and who really deserved to be hired back.
I am trying to be happy that this individual HAS a job. But I'm also sad and disappointed in the owner and supervisor, who I really used to think better of until now.
I know these are MY issues, but just processing and *venting* a little and hope nobody minds my doing it here.
Found out that it appears my old workplace as re-hired 1 individual - the one caught cheating, lying, and being basically untrustworthy! But, I guess also the one that got paid the least so is affordable to hire back?? I'm trying to process my emotions with regards to this, considering I had been working at this place for 16 years.
Initially - anger. Not because *I* wasn't hired back - anyone let go could do most of the jobs there - but because of the individual they DID hire back. Personally, I really don't want to go back to working at this place - mainly because of some of the history I've had there. But there are at least 2 individuals who served the company well while there, who were honest, had good work ethics, job skills, etc., and who really deserved to be hired back.
I am trying to be happy that this individual HAS a job. But I'm also sad and disappointed in the owner and supervisor, who I really used to think better of until now.
I know these are MY issues, but just processing and *venting* a little and hope nobody minds my doing it here.
That is just bizarre, but given the stuff that has been going on with companies lately, I'm expecting them to treat people badly.
I just found out that an engineer who had been with his company for 25 years, and was on the verge of retiring (no company pension) was just laid off. He didn't even know what sort of severance, etc., he was going to be getting as it was being mailed to him.
ApatheticNoMore
4-9-20, 11:40pm
Masks are now required here for those "essential" workers who because they are "essential" have to show up at a workplace including my partner (yes I'm 100% work from home).
And why the quotes around essential? Oh I certainly don't mean people like grocery clerks who have to go to a workplace and are essential at this point, I mean: some big industries lobbied to be "essential" and aren't exactly, in the type of soft corruption than almost inevitably goes on here, even though of course the state is overall doing a good job.
Yes, essential is in the eyes of the beholder. Public golf courses are closed in my state, but private ones are open. Some people are going across the state line to Connecticut where public courses are open.
happystuff
4-10-20, 10:28am
That is just bizarre, but given the stuff that has been going on with companies lately, I'm expecting them to treat people badly.
I just found out that an engineer who had been with his company for 25 years, and was on the verge of retiring (no company pension) was just laid off. He didn't even know what sort of severance, etc., he was going to be getting as it was being mailed to him.
Employer - employee relationships have changed so drastically over the years - in my opinion. And especially moreso now. There seems to be no "job security" or "longevity rewards" (i.e. pensions, etc) any more. It's going to be interesting to see how all this shakes out down the road.
The few job postings I *might* have qualified for have disappeared. There are either management or entry level positions out there. I think I'm just going to hang tight for a few weeks. I'm just wondering what I will have to put down when I self-certify with unemployment every two weeks. I've been told by people in other states that if you were laid off due to the plague, you can just put "coronavirus" in the fields where you would have listed companies you had applied with. I haven't been able to find anyone in IL that has been getting unemployment yet under the current circumstances. The IL unemployment website doesn't really even address the situation. I don't know if the approval letter I will receive in the mail will address this. https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/COVID-19-and-Unemployment-Benefits.aspx
And what are you supposed to do when you are working with a recruiter? The last and ONLY time I got unemployment was 1992.
I just checked the USPS website Informed Delivery tool (shows you an image of the front of envelopes you'll be getting that particular day). I'm getting a letter from the IL unemployment department today.
happystuff
4-10-20, 11:30am
The few job postings I *might* have qualified for have disappeared. There are either management or entry level positions out there. I think I'm just going to hang tight for a few weeks. I'm just wondering what I will have to put down when I self-certify with unemployment every two weeks. I've been told by people in other states that if you were laid off due to the plague, you can just put "coronavirus" in the fields where you would have listed companies you had applied with. I haven't been able to find anyone in IL that has been getting unemployment yet under the current circumstances. The IL unemployment website doesn't really even address the situation. I don't know if the approval letter I will receive in the mail will address this. https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/COVID-19-and-Unemployment-Benefits.aspx
And what are you supposed to do when you are working with a recruiter? The last and ONLY time I got unemployment was 1992.
I went back and looked - the paper unemployment notices I received in the mail didn't say anything about special codes for virus unemployment. They just contained the normal "you are required to seek work" information. Will have to check the website, itself, and see if there is anything special there for my state.
My last and only time on unemployment was the late 70's. Things have DEFINITELY changed. LOL.
Just opened my letter from unemployment. My certification date is Wednesday (next week). Then it's 2-3 business days to get $$. So I might not even get my direct deposit until the following Monday!
I'm financially fine, it's just ridiculous how long this takes!
Our business is down 25% compared to last April. No more layoffs today. Fingers crossed for next week.
I went back and looked - the paper unemployment notices I received in the mail didn't say anything about special codes for virus unemployment. They just contained the normal "you are required to seek work" information. Will have to check the website, itself, and see if there is anything special there for my state.
My last and only time on unemployment was the late 70's. Things have DEFINITELY changed. LOL.
OK, I got some clarification. You have to keep a record of your job search, but you don't submit it now. Only if they ask. You're required to keep the records for a year inIL.
Given the circumstances one would think that they wouldn't be asking too many people to submit job search efforts. But you never know. A friend's son in NY filed for unemployment and after filling out the online form he still had to do a "phone verification". It literally took him days of nonstop trying to get through.
Given the circumstances one would think that they wouldn't be asking too many people to submit job search efforts. But you never know. A friend's son in NY filed for unemployment and after filling out the online form he still had to do a "phone verification". It literally took him days of nonstop trying to get through.
You would think, but the gov't bureaucrats with their safe paychecks don't seem to give a flying fig. The Canadian gov't had some special relief program going on. People had to do something online, but they got their money within 3-5 days. Other US states send out the initial unemployment "mailing" via email.
My letter showed a "mailed date" of 3/31 inside the letter itself. Springfield, IL to the Chicago area is about 3 hours. There is no way it took 10 days to get to me. It likely sat somewhere for a while before being sent out.
I'm getting $484 a week. The $600/week from the feds is on top of that. I'm having 10% federal taxes and 4.9% IL state taxes deducted. So, $922 a week x 2 weeks = $1844. Pretty close to my net pay at the old job.
That extra $600 only goes through the end of July in IL.
I was texting with a nurse friend today. She told me she has several friends who will be making more on unemployment than they did at their old job. So they're planning on sitting on their butts for all summer, she said. I sent her the link to the notice from the IL unemployment website showing it only goes through the end of July. Might be a rude awakening for them.
happystuff
4-11-20, 6:06pm
Requesting opinions....
Friend sent me the link to the CNN story where they are looking for COBOL programmers in my state. Apparently the unemployment system is still using this decades-old programming and the system is currently over-whelmed. I was trained in COBOL programming back in the late 1980's and was a corporate programmer for over ten years. Again - initial training was about 35 years ago; last actual coding in COBOL occurred about 28-30 years ago. I'm wondering if it is worth applying? Since I have been recently working in various aspect of "date" (don't ask - lol) and I believe I can do data analysis and possibly system testing. Is this worth pursuing?
Will add that I have done a preliminary investigation into the news story, but am not to the extent of finding out where to apply, etc. Wondering if it's been too long and I may be... dare I say... too old - to resume an old/previous skill.
happystuff
4-11-20, 6:09pm
You would think, but the gov't bureaucrats with their safe paychecks don't seem to give a flying fig. The Canadian gov't had some special relief program going on. People had to do something online, but they got their money within 3-5 days. Other US states send out the initial unemployment "mailing" via email.
My letter showed a "mailed date" of 3/31 inside the letter itself. Springfield, IL to the Chicago area is about 3 hours. There is no way it took 10 days to get to me. It likely sat somewhere for a while before being sent out.
I'm getting $484 a week. The $600/week from the feds is on top of that. I'm having 10% federal taxes and 4.9% IL state taxes deducted. So, $922 a week x 2 weeks = $1844. Pretty close to my net pay at the old job.
That extra $600 only goes through the end of July in IL.
I was texting with a nurse friend today. She told me she has several friends who will be making more on unemployment than they did at their old job. So they're planning on sitting on their butts for all summer, she said. I sent her the link to the notice from the IL unemployment website showing it only goes through the end of July. Might be a rude awakening for them.
I'm definitely making less on unemployment - without the extra $600 - which I will believe when I receive it. LOL. I think we can still manage our budget on my unemployment and, since both dh and I both had health issues that make us at risk should we catch the virus... I'm not sure I want a lot of the jobs that are available out there right now. (exception is the possible coding job mentioned in previous post).
Happystuff, why not do some digging and see about it?
happystuff, I say try it. They likely will need more people involved than just heads-down coders. They'll need people to document the changes, package the new code for distribution and installation, test the code (I hope, I hope), perhaps write user documentation/training aids if use of the application changes visibl, perhaps people to manage the projects, .... You don't know unless you try and it costs you nothing to give it a shot.
happystuff
4-12-20, 8:50am
Definitely going to look into it further. As has been pointed out... it can't hurt. Thanks.
I've been doing some health insurance research online. I was recommended to https://www.getinsured.com
You can filter by your doctor. My doctor is on several of the plans. I can get a silver HMO plan for $560 month. No deductible for in network. That's vs $684 for COBRA.
I had forgotten a friend and her husband are self-employed. I got the name of the independent insurance agent they get their health insurance through and just sent the agent an email.
An employee at my job has been ordered to stay home for a week although she tested negative for Covid 19. She has a reputation as a hypochondriac and apparently her mentioning her concern about possibly having corona was enough to get her locked down without any evidence. She has not been exposed to anyone with the virus and no one else at work is being tested nor is our site getting special disinfection services.
I think I might have mentioned I asked a self-employed friend where she gets her health insurance. I talked to agent this morning and got a quote. $372/month for a Blue Cross Gold Plan. My doctor is in-network. $750 deductible. Agent had plans as low as $244/month, but the deductible was $6600. I don't have a HSA from old job as my insurance was a traditional PPO. The online marketplace had plans for about $500/month.
So glad I got the referral from my friend. Saving about $300/month over COBRA. I received my stimulus payment today and that will cover the health insurance. I certified for unemployment yesterday and should be receiving my first UI payment Friday.
I think I might have mentioned I asked a self-employed friend where she gets her health insurance. I talked to agent this morning and got a quote. $372/month for a Blue Cross Gold Plan. My doctor is in-network. $750 deductible. Agent had plans as low as $244/month, but the deductible was $6600. I don't have a HSA from old job as my insurance was a traditional PPO. The online marketplace had plans for about $500/month.
So glad I got the referral from my friend. Saving about $300/month over COBRA. I received my stimulus payment today and that will cover the health insurance. I certified for unemployment yesterday and should be receiving my first UI payment Friday.
Wow, those numbers are FANTASTIC! Great job.
Some of us have started speaking up because front line staff are still letting customers in the building although they are not supposed to. The manager then goes and asks the person to step outside to wait for their order.
Some of us have started speaking up because front line staff are still letting customers in the building although they are not supposed to. The manager then goes and asks the person to step outside to wait for their order.
Good!
Wow, those numbers are FANTASTIC! Great job.
I'm getting dental insurance, too. $37/month. Pretty much the same as I had through work. I need to go to the dentist for a cleaning and such when the dentist offices reopen for regular appointments.
Insurance agent made a mistake and put in my incorrect birth year. The Gold plan is $906! I'm getting a different plan!
$397/month, $5000 deductible. Aetna. Still better than nothing, since it's just for a few months until I get a job and on new employer's insurance.
I'm getting dental insurance, too. $37/month. Pretty much the same as I had through work. I need to go to the dentist for a cleaning and such when the dentist offices reopen for regular appointments.
It's going to be interesting to see how busy dental offices, eye docs, etc, are once things start getting back to normal. My dentist runs near capacity. Months of no one getting cleanings is bound to create quite a backlog.
Tradd, that is still good.
The Hilton San Francisco, the largest hotel west of the Mississippi outside of Las Vegas which takes up an entire city block and has almost 3000 rooms is closing down until this is over.
Tradd, that is still good.
This actually a short-term policy that doesn't have to conform to the ACA guidelines. If it went beyond 6 months, I'd have to go on a different plan.
I'm not happy with the $5K deductible, but I'm really only considering this as a catastrophic policy. But yes, the monthly cost is still more than $250 less than COBRA.
I've decided to not get the dental.
It's going to be interesting to see how busy dental offices, eye docs, etc, are once things start getting back to normal. My dentist runs near capacity. Months of no one getting cleanings is bound to create quite a backlog.
My dentist runs at near capacity as well. Definitely will be interesting, as you say!
rosarugosa
4-16-20, 6:02am
JP1: I think barbers and hairdressers will also be swamped!
Tradd: I think it makes sense not to go with the dental insurance if you're just doing a catastrophic health insurance plan.
A good friend got laid off the day after I did. He got an email from IL unemployment earlier this week indicating that if he didn't get his letter from unemployment in the mail, he was still to certify today or tomorrow. IL's gov announced in a press conference earlier in the week that they've had a lot of outside assistance in reworking the website from the ground up. They've even brought back recently retired unemployment department employees to man the phones and help out in other ways.
The Kansas unemployment website is a trainwreck. Last updated in the 1970's based on a 1950's program. It's been crashing. They took it down twice for an hour each time yesterday. People think they've successfully applied, but later find out the state has no record of it. They're calling in other state employees to answer phones and retired employees to work on the computer program. It's a matter of the expense of updating it being kicked down the road for literally decades. The current senate president, a Republican, is blaming the current Democrat governor. Funny but she isn't blaming the prior Republican governor who basically gutted the state budget and agencies in order to reduce corporate income tax rates to zero. But I digress. I believe I read that the state was in the very early stages of updating the computer program (I'm guessing in the RFP stage) when all this hit the fan.
The employee who was supposed to be out for a week was back today negative test results in hand. Maybe this near miss scared people a little, as no one let customers in the building today, but returns continue despite policy. People are bringing product back from cancelled jobs and this is really hurting revenue, which is already down.
Just got my first unemployment payment. Got the $600 extra from the Feds for both weeks.
Just got my first unemployment payment. Got the $600 extra from the Feds for both weeks.
Great news!
invisibleflash
4-17-20, 10:15am
Yes, I'm shut down 100%. Every place I work with is closed.
happystuff
4-17-20, 11:58am
Just got my first unemployment payment. Got the $600 extra from the Feds for both weeks.
Great!
I've been applying for a number of brokerage and trade compliance positions. Applied for a trade compliance position off Linked in with a major company in the Chicago area a few days ago.
Just got a call that I've been advanced to the phone interview level. 30 min phone interview early next week.
happystuff
4-17-20, 5:24pm
I've been applying for a number of brokerage and trade compliance positions. Applied for a trade compliance position off Linked in with a major company in the Chicago area a few days ago.
Just got a call that I've been advanced to the phone interview level. 30 min phone interview early next week.
Congratulations and best of luck with the phone interview.
Teacher Terry
4-17-20, 5:58pm
I hope it works out Tradd.
Thank you! You would probably immediately know the company if I shared the name, but I won’t. :D
frugal-one
4-17-20, 7:14pm
Wish you the best!
You go Tradd!
Five furloughs at my site today. It's gloomy.
chrisgermany
4-18-20, 7:26am
Sending best wishes. You can do it.
Thank you all!
I got a call yesterday from two previous customers that I had handled so long I was friendly with them outside the office (they'd ask for diving photos and I'd text them, that sort of thing). Anyway, both told me the service they are now getting is so bad that they are pulling their business and going to other forwarders/brokers. The one customer I had handled since day 1 with the company told me that everyone there was asking when I was coming back. They thought I'd been temporarily furloughed, not laid off permanently, even though I'd told my contact it was permanent.
Got a call today from a former coworker I liked, who was laid off earlier the same day I was. He was a supervisor in the warehouse, mid-20s. Really hard worker. Anyway, we were comparing notes on how the manager had treated us both, and she had treated him the same way I was - badly and like dirt. Made him do piddly little stuff, like look up information she should have looked up herself. He told me that part of the reason the one logistics manager had left a few months ago was that he just couldn't cope with dealing with my manager any more. I'd believe it. Those two used to butt heads all the time.
Just saw this on the PBS Newshour website about outdated state unemployment systems running on COBOL. NJ's system is 40 years old!
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/decades-old-unemployment-systems-cant-handle-record-demand
outdated state unemployment systems running on COBOL
Yet if the system had not gotten slammed with applications over the last month, it probably would keep running on COBOL until the hardware that ran it could no longer be sourced.
I'm sure there are many things the users of that system would change if they get the opportunity to redesign it. COBOL in that form does not fit into the colorful graphic computer world we live in now. But few things that complex are still working as well now as they did 40 years ago. I'm not. My ca. 1974 house is not. Kudos to the original developers!
Yet if the system had not gotten slammed with applications over the last month, it probably would keep running on COBOL until the hardware that ran it could no longer be sourced.
I'm sure there are many things the users of that system would change if they get the opportunity to redesign it. COBOL in that form does not fit into the colorful graphic computer world we live in now. But few things that complex are still working as well now as they did 40 years ago. I'm not. My ca. 1974 house is not. Kudos to the original developers!
It was interesting - that piece I linked to said COBOL is still used extensively in banking. It's run on something like 90% of ATMs. The machines themselves are very up to date, but COBOL is running in the background.
ToomuchStuff
4-19-20, 11:59pm
Tradd, so who is doing the compliance stuff you did?
I thought this was the "princess" manager, who couldn't legally do what you did (not a citizen)?
Tradd, so who is doing the compliance stuff you did?
I thought this was the "princess" manager, who couldn't legally do what you did (not a citizen)?
Princess was not the manager. She was a someone who had maybe 4-5 years experience total (as of this year) in the industry. She got her nose very out of joint when I told her she couldn’t even take the broker’s exam because she wasn’t a citizen.
No one is doing the compliance stuff I did. Customs was moving to a national operating permit rather than the local one. That meant that officially you didn’t need an individually licensed broker in each office, just one at the corporate level. But you still need a knowledgeable and experienced person in each office.
The three that are left - manager, supervisor, and princess - know very, very little. They can do basic customs clearances, but that is it. The supervisor is the best of the three, but she still doesn’t have anything close to the specialized knowledge I had. The compliance work I did is not getting done. They will only be doing the minimum that needs to be done and they will have a great deal of difficulty doing the minimum. I expect even more customers to pull their business with the cruddy customer service they will have been getting.
Speaking of the princess, you'll love this...
The broker in the old company's Detroit office called me this morning. He and I always got along really well. I last talked to him right after I was laid off. Anyway, he's been the one doing all the customs clearances I used to do. He said he's had to put princess in her place multiple times. The manager who treated me like crap is treating HIM like crap and he's not even one of her direct reports. He said it's so bad that once this is all over, he's going to be looking for a new job. He said he can't even believe the manager is a manager from the way she treats people.
His exact words were "They did you a favor by laying you off." He said stuff is just a mess when it's handed to him to do.
Wow.
I was thinking this about your situation the other day, Tradd. He might be so right. You have the ability to go find a better job at a better place--there is no censure for losing one's job in the Covid Pandemic, and you have a little cushion with the extra unemployment. I have the feeling you are going to end up in a much better place, with a much better job situation!
I was thinking this about your situation the other day, Tradd. He might be so right. You have the ability to go find a better job at a better place--there is no censure for losing one's job in the Covid Pandemic, and you have a little cushion with the extra unemployment. I have the feeling you are going to end up in a much better place, with a much better job situation!
He is VERY right. I just got back from taking two blazers and two pairs of dress pants to the dry cleaners. Realized that even though I don't ordinarily wear makeup, I'd better get some for interviews and such, just to make a good first impression. Ran to Walgreens and got some, all on sale, too! However, there is nothing I can do about my hair. I need a cut badly, but given that all the salons are closed, any company that video interviews me or hires me is just going to have to understand I'll be a bit scruffy looking!
Tybee, I sent you an email with the name of the company I'll be phone interviewing with today. It's a very good company.
happystuff
4-20-20, 2:16pm
Just saw this on the PBS Newshour website about outdated state unemployment systems running on COBOL. NJ's system is 40 years old!
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/decades-old-unemployment-systems-cant-handle-record-demand
This is what I actually learned to code in way-back-when. I filled out the online form with unemployment a little over a week ago re: COBOL Programming and am trying to utilize a "refresher" course being offered via IBM and other online sources. Who knows!
This is what I actually learned to code in way-back-when. I filled out the online form with unemployment a little over a week ago re: COBOL Programming and am trying to utilize a "refresher" course being offered via IBM and other online sources. Who knows!
Please keep us updated!
happystuff
4-20-20, 2:23pm
Please keep us updated!
I will. And best of luck with your phone interview.
My phone interview with today went VERY well. Instead of lasting for 30 minutes, it went nearly 50! I talked with the hiring manager. He's a licensed broker himself. He loved my experience, longevity with previous company, and the varied things I've handled. There are 9 other candidates. They hope to do a video interviews with about 5 of the candidates next week. He did most of the talking! I think I stand a VERY good chance!
Great, Tradd! I'll shoot up a prayer for you.
Great, Tradd! I'll shoot up a prayer for you.
Not just one! Storm heaven! :D
It's amazing - a company that treats employees like ADULTS! The old company just beat the hell out of us and treated us like children. This would be a major 180!
I will say this much - it's a major medical supplier.
mschrisgo2
4-20-20, 7:45pm
Trade, I’ll storm heaven for you! ��
On an ancillary note, our Governor (California) reported today that “we have an unbelievably huge amount of medical supplies just waiting for customs clearance”. I immediately through the of you!
Trade, I’ll storm heaven for you! ��
On an ancillary note, our Governor (California) reported today that “we have an unbelievably huge amount of medical supplies just waiting for customs clearance”. I immediately through the of you!
:laff:
It’s probably more like waiting for FDA release!
happystuff
4-20-20, 8:28pm
So glad the phone interview went well. Fingers crossed for a video interview!
Glad to hear the interview went well! Fingers crossed.
chrisgermany
4-21-20, 4:20am
Over here we knock on wood.
Have a call with another company tomorrow. I didn't get any traction with a recruiter for the same position a few weeks ago. I applied with this company directly the end of last week and they just called me.
Company I interviewed with yesterday and the one tomorrow are both medical related.
Someone bought us lunch today in appreciation of us working through the current situation. A fifth location has been hit by the virus, but so far our site is safe. I feel like a noose is hanging over our heads though that could drop at any time and choke off our livelihoods.
Someone bought us lunch today in appreciation of us working through the current situation. A fifth location has been hit by the virus, but so far our site is safe. I feel like a noose is hanging over our heads though that could drop at any time and choke off our livelihoods.
Was it a customer/vendor who bought you the lunch? That was nice.
Was it a customer/vendor who bought you the lunch? That was nice.
A product line manager from corporate. It was nice.
So just got off the interview with second company. I was interviewed by HR/internal recruiter. They had actually wanted people with auditing/accounting experience. I have none of that. It's odd to me that they wanted people to deal with the regulatory/Customs stuff without having any experience in it. The company I interviewed with Monday told me they used to have accounting or finance people in the position, but the hiring manager is a licensed customs broker and said that company has found the brokers work out much better than finance people.
I was also asked a lot questions about my experience with Excel. I was honest and told him I can do basic spreadsheets and other stuff in Excel that doesn't require formulas. I've never needed them and I never learned how to do them.
They're now sending me an aptitude test. 50 questions. 12 minute time limit. I was told correct answers are more important than number of questions completed.
HR guy liked my experience, etc., however only once I take the aptitude test with a good score does he pass me along to the hiring manager. And the hiring manager could say, sorry, we must have accounting experience.
I feel MUCH more positive about Monday's interview.
Each interview is valuable. You are building experience, poise and confidence which will shine through. The honesty about the experience with Excel will be more important than the knowledge. Excel can be easily taught, honesty is the true asset.
You can get practice Excel tests and free online tutorials from staffing companies like Robert Half.
You can get practice Excel tests and free online tutorials from staffing companies like Robert Half.
I don't have Excel at home. Don't really want to pay for it if I don't have to, but I'll see if LibreOffice is good enough to deal with.
I have to admit, the vibes I'm getting is that the position I interviewed today is just a numbers crunching job. That would be awful for me.
The job I interviewed on Monday (first company) is much more my speed. The hiring manager is a licensed customs broker himself and he knew exactly where I was coming from. The HR person who interviewed me today (second company) couldn't answer ANY of the questions I had about the position.
Microsoft 365 is $70/year after a one month free trial.
Something else I'm curious about with unemployment.
One of the questions when you certify every two weeks is "have you refused any work?"
Refused any work can also mean you were offered a new job and refused to take it. I'm curious about that. Say you're out of work. Used to make $70K. You interview for a new job and they offer you $50K. $20K drop is ridiculous. Do they actually expect you to take a job with such a cut? How would they know if you have refused an offer?
In my state you have the right to refuse offers that do not pay some percent of your previous wage or are more than a certain number of miles from your home, or are temporary and without benefits if your previous position was permanent and benefitted.
ApatheticNoMore
4-22-20, 7:38pm
sheesh people believe they have to be honest on these things (and besides isn't there an exception for the looking for work requirement right now anyway?), now I do of course try to find work when unemployed, but I don't take it so literally that I must take any conceivable job that might be out there.
This is IL. As of yesterday, their website had nothing about the requirement to be seeking work being temporarily waived.
I'm asking because I have no information that indicates otherwise.
In my state it is easy to seek work. You make at least 3 contacts a week. Calling up an employment agency to see if they have anything that interests you counts. Going to a networking meeting counts. Going to a seminar offered by the unemployment office counts. Hopefully the last two of these are now offered virtually. You don't need interviews, so if unemployment is high no problem, although Tradd has had interviews.
In my state it is easy to seek work. You make at least 3 contacts a week. Calling up an employment agency to see if they have anything that interests you counts. Going to a networking meeting counts. Going to a seminar offered by the unemployment office counts. Hopefully the last two of these are now offered virtually. You don't need interviews, so if unemployment is high no problem, although Tradd has had interviews.
And your state actually gives you specific guidelines! Wow!
happystuff
4-23-20, 7:42am
And your state actually gives you specific guidelines! Wow!
My state sets guidelines as well, but apparently they are not being as strict right now - massive numbers unemployed!
Tradd - Don't know if it would work for you or not, but I bought Microsoft Office about a year ago for $49.00 (purchase to own - not subscription or rent or anything) and the package includes Excel. Just a google search on Microsoft Office gives some prices. Again, don't know if that is an option for you right now or not.
Interestingly, the Michael Moore documentary came out yesterday about the impact on jobs and profits vs the climate. The two situations are in serious conflict.
The documentary is free on Youtube for 3 months https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE
I posted this info with more of the commentary on the SLF Environment forum but after considering all the possible impacts and conflicts of both on jobs thought I should alert this thread as well.
happystuff
4-23-20, 11:04am
Just watched The Planet of the Humans documentary... right now my response is... WOW! I think I will be thinking about/processing this for a while.
Just watched The Planet of the Humans documentary... right now my response is... WOW! I think I will be thinking about/processing this for a while.
I've enjoyed Michael Moore's work, but really--I've had about enough bad news lately. Maybe after a few months have gone by or this pandemic is history.
iris lilies
4-23-20, 12:30pm
I've enjoyed Michael Moore's work, but really--I've had about enough bad news lately. Maybe after a few months have gone by or this pandemic is history.
I am listening to podcasts almost exclusively.
This is a time when they should take off in popularity if they are NO COVID any of the time.
I am enjoying Jonathan Goldstein’s Heavyweight series. Each episode is a little biography, a snippet of someone’s life, telling about a time of redemption, or reunion, or rejuvenation. It is very Jewish in humor. Jonathan was an editor on This American Life so he is kind of Ira Glass lite, before Ira’s head became oversiEd.
This is IL. As of yesterday, their website had nothing about the requirement to be seeking work being temporarily waived.
I'm asking because I have no information that indicates otherwise.
Live in IL and yeah, their guidelines are vague. When DH was unemployed in both 2009-2010 and in 2019, there was lots of confusion over what constituted "looking for work", training, etc. And lots of conflicting answers if you called or asked in the local UE office.
DH is not dealing with UE now as he's retired but just weighing in his experience.
Live in IL and yeah, their guidelines are vague. When DH was unemployed in both 2009-2010 and in 2019, there was lots of confusion over what constituted "looking for work", training, etc. And lots of conflicting answers if you called or asked in the local UE office.
DH is not dealing with UE now as he's retired but just weighing in his experience.
Thank you. That is helpful!
Did the aptitude test second company wanted me to do. OMG, even without seeing the score, I definitely know I have more of an aptitude for language than math!
Just applied for another trade compliance position with a third medical related company!
I ended up downloading Office 365 for $70/year. I'm actually glad to have MS Word. I was always struggling using Pages, which is Apple's version of Word. Missing fonts, etc. And I wanted the OneDrive cloud storage.
Speaking of the princess, you'll love this...
The broker in the old company's Detroit office called me this morning. He and I always got along really well. I last talked to him right after I was laid off. Anyway, he's been the one doing all the customs clearances I used to do. He said he's had to put princess in her place multiple times. The manager who treated me like crap is treating HIM like crap and he's not even one of her direct reports. He said it's so bad that once this is all over, he's going to be looking for a new job. He said he can't even believe the manager is a manager from the way she treats people.
His exact words were "They did you a favor by laying you off." He said stuff is just a mess when it's handed to him to do.
Wow.
Update on this: broker in old company's Detroit office texted me this morning. He said he put Princess in her place. She was still sending him files with barely any information filled out in the system. He had asked her to please complete basic information fields, but she had refused to. So Detroit broker went to HIS manager, who talked to my old manager (the idiot). Princess apparently got a talking to first thing this morning. If Detroit office was going to have to fill out all the fields in the system, then they were due more of the revenue off the file. Not surprisingly, that did the trick. LOL. Detroit broker said he even offered to teach her what goes where if she didn't know. Haha - I LOVE THIS! :D So Princess decided she was going to input more info. She was just being her usual lazy, entitled self.
I bet she pitched a massive fit when she found out I'd been laid off and she had to do more work. :devil:
My employer has small offices in both Atlanta and Houston (8-10 people each). Received an email today that all offices will continue work from home for the time being regardless of whether state or local authorities allow businesses to re-open.
My employer has small offices in both Atlanta and Houston (8-10 people each). Received an email today that all offices will continue work from home for the time being regardless of whether state or local authorities allow businesses to re-open.
If I got hired by either of the two companies I've already interviewed with, there would been face to face at all during the hiring process. They would even send laptop and anything else they had to provide directly to me.
I have worked remotely for an employer for 12 years now and have never met anyone face to face!
If I got hired by either of the two companies I've already interviewed with, there would been face to face at all during the hiring process. They would even send laptop and anything else they had to provide directly to me.
Last sprig I accepted my job with current employer not having met my new boss face to face. (he's in chicago). I had met his then boss in person because he's out here, and then I went to Chicago for my first week so I could sit with new boss and meet various people further up the chain. It wouldn't have been a big deal to have started off remotely.
We just hired a new team member who started this week. IT set up and shipped her a laptop (and monitors, etc) and an iPhone. I "met" her yesterday over MS Teams and we spent a couple of hours walking through a couple of accounts together so she could start learning our underwriting strategy and how our systems work. We still have an open rec for an assistant. We'll do the same thing once we hire that person.
While it's not especially fun not ever seeing other people face to face the reality is that in my industry all business is transacted via email anyway, and any needed discussion about specific accounts can take place via phone. I look forward to being able to get together with my coworkers and the various brokers that place business with us, but in the meantime I can do everything I need to do from the comfort of my wine cellar home office. Now if only I could get my furry coworker to stop spending his whole workday griping about the snacks in the employee breakroom.
What's just so weird about it to me is that everyone is local to me! But I understand given the current situation.
Teacher Terry
4-24-20, 3:35pm
The first year I taught they had me come in person to meet people, etc. I have never had to go again in 7 years.
No layoffs today and no more big batches of layoffs expected. This assumes things are back to normal mid May.
I hope that corporations see the wisdom in supporting more work from home. The environmental, morale, cost, and general efficiency benefits would be huge.
No layoffs today and no more big batches of layoffs expected. This assumes things are back to normal mid May.
Well, that's something!
I hope that corporations see the wisdom in supporting more work from home. The environmental, morale, cost, and general efficiency benefits would be huge.
I agree. Although I hope that it's optional. While I love it, I do also see the value of working in the presence of other people for various reasons, at least part of the time. And also that some people prefer it. Some of my newly home working coworkers are struggling for various reasons. One broker/friend of mine even got permission to start going back to the office after two weeks of non-productive working from home. He's always struggled with ADD so the distractions of his condo were more than he could handle.
It will also be interesting to see how offices adapt if some sort of social distancing becomes a longterm necessity due to covid becoming a longterm issue that can't be dealt with by keeping things closed indefinitely. My last employer has mostly transitioned to the now typical tightly bunched workspace floorplan. They already had hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes widely available throughout the office, but the desks aren't six feet apart, nor do they have any sort of barriers between them.
I think the main reason why telecommuting might not continue with some workplaces is that a lot of bosses won’t want to give up direct control over their underlings.
I think the main reason why telecommuting might not continue with some workplaces is that a lot of bosses won’t want to give up direct control over their underlings.
At this point though, a lot of companies use systems where productivity can be monitored just fine without the boss hovering over his underlings. My boss, for example, can go into the system and get stats on how many accounts I've quoted, what my bind ratio is, did I maintain rate on my account renewals, etc. And I can go in and run the same reports and make sure that I'm being as productive as my counterparts around the country. Boss can also do the same with our department's assistant. He was able to show that over the past several months she has processed twice as much stuff as the next busiest assistant in the company, and used that info to get approval for us to hire a second assistant. Any company that can't produce these sort of metrics from their systems seriously needs to upgrade their systems.
Because my current employer does not have an office in San Francisco itself, but instead a tiny office way out in the east bay suburbs (1 1/2 hours each way on transit), I made it clear during the interview process that I had no interest in the job if I had to work in the office more than once or twice a week maximum. At first that looked like a deal breaker for them, but then they had a change of heart because apparently I was not the only person they were going to lose out on hiring due to that reason. Admittedly I, like you, have experience and a skillset that are in demand and not common which tilts the scales in our favor as far as forcing the issue on this, but even people less in demand can be monitored for effectiveness if the company has modern IT systems in place.
With the freight forwarding/customs brokerage, you still get a lot hard copy paperwork from the airlines and notices from Customs. My old company refused to buy the complete Adobe software licenses that would have allowed multiple PDF files to be combined into one PDF file. Without that you couldn’t do the billing/customs clearance packets as necessary. Customers would not accept billing that was 4-8 separate PDFs, rather than just one. So you needed the big scanner/copier in order to scan everything into one PDF to send to the customer as well as to upload into the system. Couldn’t go paperless without it.
Plus we needed two big screens to work effectively and they would not have provided those for people to work at home. Those working at home now are doing it on a laptop unless they bought their own extra monitor for home use.
Some companies are very short sighted. And cheap. Very cheap.
Based on what you've told us about your former employer, they are exhibit one of how not to function in the current world.
The equipment that was sent to me to start working from home came with an invoice. $700ish. (not including my laptop that had been given to me in person that was probably another $600-$700) Given my salary and the expectations of the amount of business I will write, the cost of my technology is pocket change. Companies that are afraid to spend those pennies will, and should, fail. Plenty of other companies will take over their business.
Tradd is right. Many employers are cheap. Look at all the state unemployment systems crashing because their software dates to the Eisenhower era. My employer has an old DOS program dating to 1984 and I thought that was bad, but I guess it's a matter of your reference point. Lately IT made us all install a new icon to access it calling it Old System Name ERP. It is not an ERP and nothing has changed, but I think they want something better to put on their resumes. Several have left the company recently.
i guess I don’t understand. My work from home setup is exactly the same equipment my employer would have bought if I had been hired to work in their office. The price difference would have been zero.
i guess I don’t understand. My work from home setup is exactly the same equipment my employer would have bought if I had been hired to work in their office. The price difference would have been zero.
Minus the cost or maintaining the bricks and mortar building or rent for such facilities.
One additional observation to consider; if a company goes virtual or home-based employees, will it reduce its vulnerability to bankruptcy or predatory takeovers as its assets are not material?
I'd love to get the time I spent in work prep and commuting back--talk about stressful, unpaid hours.
SteveinMN
4-25-20, 12:30pm
One additional observation to consider; if a company goes virtual or home-based employees, will it reduce its vulnerability to bankruptcy or predatory takeovers as its assets are not material?
As jp1 pointed out, computer costs for most companies is pocket change compared to what's spent on facilities, employees, raw product, marketing, and so on. Where I worked, the IT budget was something under 2% of sales. That's hardware, software, and "liveware". And I'm guessing that most larger companies have figured out the accounting loopholes associated with real estate and have subsidiaries that own just the real estate which is then leased back to other company subsidiaries, and so on.
I think a company is a good takeover candidate if they're producing something that makes lots of profit. What they spend behind that profit is secondary.
i guess I don’t understand. My work from home setup is exactly the same equipment my employer would have bought if I had been hired to work in their office. The price difference would have been zero.
It’s one thing if your employer sets you up to work from home from the beginning when you are hired. But in the current situation or one where maybe you only work from home every once in a while, the employer is not going to shell out for monitors, a docking station, etc., for occasional work use at home. They’ll supply a laptop. If you want an external keyboard and mouse, a large monitor, and so on, you will have to supply them at your own expense. That was the way my old company worked and I’m sure many others.
It’s one thing if your employer sets you up to work from home from the beginning when you are hired. But in the current situation or one where maybe you only work from home every once in a while, the employer is not going to shell out for monitors, a docking station, etc., for occasional work use at home. They’ll supply a laptop. If you want an external keyboard and mouse, a large monitor, and so on, you will have to supply them at your own expense. That was the way my old company worked and I’m sure many others.
I suppose that's true for some companies. In the current situation my company has offered to buy monitors and docking stations for anyone that feels they need them. (which only makes sense if they hope for people to be even remotely productive while remotely working.) And some people did like my department's assistant and lugged home the equipment sitting on their desk at the end of the last day they could be in the office.
Just heard from the company I interviewed with Monday. I didn’t make the cut for the second round of interviews. At least they got back to me. So many companies don’t do that.
catherine
4-27-20, 12:21pm
Just heard from the company I interviewed with Monday. I didn’t make the cut for the second round of interviews. At least they got back to me. So many companies don’t do that.
So sorry, Tradd. It's always even more disappointing when the first interview was so good. But I'm sure the right job will come up for you.
happystuff
4-27-20, 12:41pm
Just heard from the company I interviewed with Monday. I didn’t make the cut for the second round of interviews. At least they got back to me. So many companies don’t do that.
Sorry you didn't make the cut. And, yes, it IS nice that they at least let you know!!
I logged on this morning to check on some applications and found out that I am not being considered for 2 of the 4 office jobs I applied for. Not holding my breath for the other 2, but... we'll see.
Sorry to hear that, Happy!
Just heard back from the second company with the aptitude test. I didn't do well and so I can't move forward. I didn't have a very good feeling about that one, anyway.
A coworker left early to Facetime his mother dying of corona. She is typical of our state's victims - 83, with COPD, a nursing home resident.
happystuff
4-28-20, 7:42am
Had an email this morning concerning the Cobol programmers needed... thanked me for volunteering but apparently they are well staffed right now. Have to admit, I kind of didn't think that one would go through, but I am still set up for refresher *classes* in the language.
We are installing plexiglass barriers and Monday customers will be back in the building. They will be happy, as their various ruses to try to get in continue. One called today and said he got an email from us that we would let him in the building today. A total lie. I let a manager talk to him.
We are installing plexiglass barriers and Monday customers will be back in the building. They will be happy, as their various ruses to try to get in continue. One called today and said he got an email from us that we would let him in the building today. A total lie. I let a manager talk to him.
Yikes!
We are still opening to the public Monday although the plexiglass will not be installed for another couple weeks, there are no markings on the floor to indicate 6 foot distances, etc. Customers do not like curbside pickup, revenue is down, so here we go. But hey, someone went around and put a KN95 mask on everyone"s desk, not wrapped in plastic or anything, just laid on the desk with whatever germs the desk had touching it, and we got an email that we can wear the masks if we want to.
No layoffs today, on the bet that business will go up.
Teacher Terry
5-2-20, 1:30am
Y, curious what type of business and job that you have?
TT I work for a supply house that provides materials for both essential and nonessential businesses.
Teacher Terry
5-2-20, 12:49pm
Y, I find it interesting that customers don’t want curbside pickups. I would think that would be easier.
Yes, you would think. We also offer free delivery to their job site.
Yes, you would think. We also offer free delivery to their job site.
I understand it, they want to see what they are buying! Often products are changed in subtle, or not so subtle, ways and the mail order/online order ends up not being what the consumer wants. Also, it’s far easier to compare products when you see them side by side.
I’m really disliking being forced to shop on line or do without. I’ve gotten 3 things now from Amazon that are subtly different than in the past, making them less effective. For example, a 6 in. table top fan, with fan blades that are only 4.5 inch. That inch and a quarter makes a lot of difference in performance. And no where in the description did it mention that the control is a large dial on the back, really awkward to turn off when laying in bed. I would have seen all of those things in person and not bought it.
Here, one can order plants from the big box stores and have curbside pickup. Uh, No, I want to pick out my own plants! I will leave behind the one with the broken stem, the one with no buds, the one covered in mildew, the one hosting a plethora of bugs, the 6-pack that only has 5 plants in it. The teenager- they are paying minimum wage to haul plants out- will just pick up X number of whatever, not even knowing if the label is correct.
I understand much of the rest of the world has been living this way for a long time. But I don’t like it, that’s part of why I choose to live in the US. I resent the push to homogenize the world.
Teacher Terry
5-2-20, 4:09pm
I want to pick my own plants and don’t want to be around a bunch of people so am waiting.
We put in a huge garden and boy, the rush has been on for plants. It took us about a month to collect everything we needed. We have several nurseries that will do pick up but they are also open to shop. It has been OK for distancing and everybody has been wearing masks. Thankfully we now have everything we were looking for along with several truckloads of soil. Now, rain rain go away and give me some sun!
happystuff
5-3-20, 10:36am
Nice day yesterday and helped the next door neighbor with our "joint" garden box. Also did two containers of cucumbers and two bags of dirt - opened and planted with lettuce. Yes, lazy gardening on that bit - lol. Will see how it ends up.
Today was the first day we had masks available. By midmorning most of those wearing them were tired of them. I saw a variety of mask fashions emerge - mask under the chin like a beard extension, mask pushed on top of one's head like a pair of sunglasses when indoors, mask dangling on the side of one's face a la oversize earring. Masks aren't sustainable and they won't save us. Several customers without masks were also let into the building despite the rules.
Today was the first day we had masks available. By midmorning most of those wearing them were tired of them. I saw a variety of mask fashions emerge - mask under the chin like a beard extension, mask pushed on top of one's head like a pair of sunglasses when indoors, mask dangling on the side of one's face a la oversize earring. Masks aren't sustainable and they won't save us. Several customers without masks were also let into the building despite the rules.
Enforcement is key. There is no excuse for not wearing a mask properly. I wore them for 39 years in the OR. Management needs to get on the stick.
The bank branch I office in is opening back up Monday, May 11. I'm in an office off the lobby. It's not entirely enclosed (roof is open to the 2 story lobby area), but I can shut the door. My job isn't customer facing. I'm sorry for the tellers, though.
The bank branch I office in is opening back up Monday, May 11. I'm in an office off the lobby. It's not entirely enclosed (roof is open to the 2 story lobby area), but I can shut the door. My job isn't customer facing. I'm sorry for the tellers, though.
Any news yet on how the bank is going to handle the number of customers in the lobby at once, etc.?
Customers are not staying behind the tape on the floor marking a 6 foot distance but coming up and leaning on the counters a foot or less away from staff. We put tables in between the tape and the counter which helps but we need more tables.
Yppej, Sound like new management is more what you need...someone with the guts to enforce it.
Customers are not staying behind the tape on the floor marking a 6 foot distance but coming up and leaning on the counters a foot or less away from staff. We put tables in between the tape and the counter which helps but we need more tables.
The onus is on the employees to assure the rules set are followed. Here in town, I've seen employees instruct customers and that is appropriate. A manager cannot be everywhere at once but most certainly should be out doing surveillance and enforcement.. It takes a village.
Teacher Terry
5-5-20, 6:48pm
That poor woman who tried to instruct a customer was rewarded by him wiping his nose on her shirt. Ugh! People are jerks.
That poor woman who tried to instruct a customer was rewarded by him wiping his nose on her shirt. Ugh! People are jerks.
I saw that. My knee would have connected with his crotch in a big damn hurry!
Another employee was shot to death by someone willing to give up his freedom for his God-given right to bare his face (and bear his arms, apparently).
Every day, I read the news and find myself asking "What is wrong with people?"
iris lilies
5-6-20, 12:25pm
Yesterday I went to the grocery store for the first time in probably six weeks. They have installed a glass sneeze barrier between customers and check out person. Good idea. It’s probably a good idea in normal times.
Another employee was shot to death by someone willing to give up his freedom for his God-given right to bare his face (and bear his arms, apparently).
Every day, I read the news and find myself asking "What is wrong with people?"
Are you referring to the incident in Flint, MI? That one was a woman who got upset by that her daughter was told to wear a mask. She left and came back with her husband and son, who then shot the security guard.
These were not law abiding citizens with concealed carry permits. At least one of the men got charged with a felon in possession of a firearm and both got hit with concealed carrying a firearm without a carry permit. These were thugs.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/us/michigan-security-guard-mask-killing-trnd/index.html
iris lilies
5-6-20, 1:28pm
Are you referring to the incident in Flint, MI? That one was a woman who got upset by that her daughter was told to wear a mask. She left and came back with her husband and son, who then shot the security guard.
These were not law abiding citizens with concealed carry permits. At least one of the men got charged with a felon in possession of a firearm and both got hit with concealed carrying a firearm without a carry permit. These were thugs.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/us/michigan-security-guard-mask-killing-trnd/index.html
This fact about no concealed carry permit is a mere detail because all who carry guns are thugs or something like that like that is the popular narrative.
This fact about no concealed carry permit is a mere detail because all who carry guns are thugs or something like that like that is the popular narrative.
Well, then, this law abiding middle aged white woman is a thug because I have a carry permit and actually carry.
iris lilies
5-6-20, 1:58pm
Well, then, this law abiding middle aged white woman is a thug because I have a carry permit and actually carry.of course you are! Did you even doubt it for a moment? Haha.
Any news yet on how the bank is going to handle the number of customers in the lobby at once, etc.?
The six foot stickers are on the floor and they've put up plexiglass barriers on the teller line and where the customers will sit to open new accounts, etc. I imagine a lot of folks will continue with on-line and drive-through as much as possible. The bank is providing us masks. Honestly, we're only usually busy with more than 5 or 6 on the day the Social Security checks are direct-deposited.
I have been retired for 26 years
We put up signs to stand behind the tape. Compliance is better with that and masks overall, but with some notable exceptions.
One obese elderly man dragged himself in with a walker, mask hanging loose behind his chin. I thought there goes a future case.
Managers are also not wearing masks when they go out in customer areas. Line staff have started saying, "Where's your mask?" to no effect. Maybe they think since they earn the big bucks they can pay the $300 fine if caught.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/04/30/work-from-home-surveillance/
Thank goodness my employer has taken a more humane approach. But perhaps that also indicates that my manager is decent at being a manager. He doesn't need to micro-supervise me because he's set out clear goals for his team. (none of whom worked in the same office as he does, even before the Covid reality) We're expected to quote X number of accounts, close the deal on Y% of them, and put $Z of new business on the books over the course of the year. He can run a quick report to determine if people are achieving their objectives, and we can all run the same report to track ourselves. And my employer as a whole has also acknowledged that for any number of reasons people may choose to work odd hours, etc. We've even been given a blurb that we can put in our email signature that says something to the effect of "I don't expect an immediate response to this email. Please respond at a time that is convenient for you." for people who have found that 3:00 am (or whenever) is a productive time for them to get their work done.
That is enlightened management, jp1. Way past time most management got over the idea that every employee should be alike in what they do and how they do the job.
Starting Monday we need to have our temperature taken before we enter the building. This only applies to staff not customers.
Starting Monday we need to have our temperature taken before we enter the building. This only applies to staff not customers.
Sheesh.....because it's been proven that it's a poor indicator? Sigh.....................
Teacher Terry
5-7-20, 8:36pm
That’s great news for the workers!
No furloughs yesterday but I expect more and/or hours, benefits or pay cuts this coming Friday. Upper management has signalled sales need to pick up dramatically in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, and with the states largely in lockdown I don't see that happening. Letting florists deliver for Mother's Day isn't enough to jump start the economy.
I knew I would not be the first to be laid off, but I know I will not be the last. I have trouble sleeping at night worrying about this.
I knew I would not be the first to be laid off, but I know I will not be the last. I have trouble sleeping at night worrying about this.
That part -- the waiting -- really stinks. I'm sorry, Yppej.
Thank you Steve. I would be fine as long as I could collect unemployment. Once that's gone and facing age discrimination it would be tough. I can't even go to a salon and get my hair colored to try to look younger. The only nearby state with salons open is cuts and root touch ups only and I am completely transitioned to gray now.
Every Friday everyone is nervous. Some people have started taking vacation days on Fridays thinking that will spare them. One good thing is if I am furloughed I will still have my medical and dental insurance.
I ended up cashing out my 401K from the old job. $34K. Having 10% fed taxes and 5% state taxes taken out. Due to the CARES Act (stimulus bill) you can take up to $100K out from IRA/401K if you’ve been affected by the plague without the additional fed penalty if you’re under 59.5 years old.
I have another larger IRA that’s the 401K rollover from the previous job, 13 years ago.
Yes, I know exactly what I’m doing. The extra $600/wk from the fed only goes through the end of July. Without it, I’d only be getting $1200/month. I have a gut feeling it’s going to take a while to find another job. I will feel much better having that cushion in the bank. I’m going to take a couple grand of it and put it on my cc debt.
I have also cashed out 401K's in the past. Do what makes you feel secure.
Teacher Terry
5-9-20, 1:50pm
I am so sorry you have to worry about your job Y.
Thanks TT. It's not my dream job though it's not bad. If I knew I could get another job with a living wage and medical insurance easily it would not bother me.
Maybe you will make it through, Yppej, and be able to keep current job. I thought for sure my son's job would be gone but it's hanging in there so far. Sending good thoughts your way.
Phone interview tomorrow for a position I applied for Thursday. 20 min away from me. That would be great. No tolls!
They had me fill out an online application. I only put my last two positions going back to 2001. I never know if they want everything back to 1992! Relevant skills come from the old job (13.5 years).
Have to do a personality assessment this afternoon.
Phone interview tomorrow for a position I applied for Thursday. 20 min away from me. That would be great. No tolls!
They had me fill out an online application. I only put my last two positions going back to 2001. I never know if they want everything back to 1992! Relevant skills come from the old job (13.5 years).
Have to do a personality assessment this afternoon.
Good luck, fingers crossed!
Thanks, Tybee!
This is a really interesting position. It combines both my customs brokerage AND int'l transportation experience. Sounds like a really good fit.
You are a remarkable candidate for the right position. Wishing you well!
Thanks, Tybee!
This is a really interesting position. It combines both my customs brokerage AND int'l transportation experience. Sounds like a really good fit.
That sounds great! My fingers are crossed as well. One of the things I discovered when I changed jobs last summer after 10 years at my old mega-corp job was that it was a lot of fun applying my previously learned skills in new and different ways. Eleven months later I'm still loving the change and slightly different focus.
I've discovered I really dislike being interviewed by HR, as will happen in 45 minutes for this position. I've been sitting down and trying to come up with questions to ask, but the ones I have aren't able to be answered by HR. The hiring manager would have to do that. So, my questions are going to center on how the company is handling CV-19, with a few thrown in about corporate culture, etc. Are they still working from home and how long will that continue, will they return to the office when the state SAH order end? What is the office set up (wide open or separate cubes)?
catherine
5-12-20, 11:29am
I've discovered I really dislike being interviewed by HR, as will happen in 45 minutes for this position. I've been sitting down and trying to come up with questions to ask, but the ones I have aren't able to be answered by HR. The hiring manager would have to do that. So, my questions are going to center on how the company is handling CV-19, with a few thrown in about corporate culture, etc. Are they still working from home and how long will that continue, will they return to the office when the state SAH order end? What is the office set up (wide open or separate cubes)?
I guess my advice would be to come up with SOME question about the company--I'm assuming you've looked on the website to learn more about the company--pick a question that demonstrates you've done your homework and you know SOMETHING obscure about the company. Your interest in and knowledge of the company will give you points
That's all I can think of quickly, as you have the meeting shortly. Good luck!
Yes, I've read the website and looked at the company history and was going to include something about that, but more as a comment, rather than as a question.
catherine
5-12-20, 11:32am
Yes, I've read the website and looked at the company history and was going to include something about that, but more as a comment, rather than as a question.
Just have a question about the company in your back pocket.
ETA: Any time you give someone the opportunity to talk about themselves, the more they feel invested in you. Just like, what if you were at a party and someone said, "Tradd, how did you get into diving?" It gives you a chance to share a piece of yourself with that person.
I did bring up the one question I had about the company's products and it went well. I also asked about vacation time, how annual reviews were done, when health insurance goes into effect (60 days). This position is eligible for a 10% bonus. The salary I had indicated ($10K more than I made at the last job) was said to be well within the range for the position.
HR person was a very chatty, very friendly woman. Much better than the guy who I interviewed with a few weeks ago. There is only one other candidate other than me. My customs background was what caught the attention.
This is a tool company. I mentioned that I had been working on my scuba gear a few days ago, reached into my tool box for a nut driver, and it turned out to be one from this company. She ended up asking about my diving at the end of the interview, and she was surprised about Great Lakes wreck diving. Had never heard of it. Very intrigued.
The position was created because they keep growing. The work has gotten to be too much for one logistics person.There would be 4 phone interviews with not just the hiring manager or the current logistics person, but other people the logistics person deals with a lot. Would be a final 1 hour in person interview. The only thing I don't have a lot of experience with is the freight rates negotiating. I've not done a ton of it, but I know the basics and I can go to other people to learn more.
I felt it was a very positive interview, but we will see. With only two candidates, I might have more than one interview before they decide who is the top candidate.
Wow, that went really well, and it sounds like a good place to work! Will keep sending positive energy!
Fingers crossed that this is The One!
Teacher Terry
5-12-20, 1:43pm
It sounds great Tradd!
Sounds positive so far -- good luck!
With or without the governor's approval we are opening the non-essential side of the business next week with safety measures in place. The floors were taped off today.
chrisgermany
5-13-20, 4:40am
Lots of luck for the position, Tradd.
Despite the hiring freeze management positions are still being advertised. A nonmanagerial position was not posted internally but someone was secretly hired. He came to our site to train despite a ban on travel between locations. Someone from a third location also came by looking for a part he did not want to wait to have trucked to him the next day.
Someone came into the employees only area and I spoke to him nicely about it. Everyone including the office manager said I handled it well and he had a lot of nerve and was rude to me. The other day he called in about something else and during the conversation complained to the office manager and she groveled before him.
Bottom line rules are made to be broken, don't even try for safety. Another example of this is all the returns we took when supposedly we weren't accepting returns.
Yppej, I am really sorry you are dealing with this at work--it sounds so stressful.
happystuff
5-14-20, 7:06am
Good luck, Tradd!
I've worked at companies with horrible employee relations and even horrible customer relations, but I have to say, Yppej, the company at which you work takes the prize. It just makes doing a decent job that much harder. My sympathy.
Yppej, I think your management might even be worse than that at my previous job! So sorry you're going through this.
Thanks for sympathy folks. No layoffs today but the annual pay increase freeze is being extended.
A customer called my supervisor to complain that I wear gloves when taking cash payments. He said I was implying he was dirty. She actually defended me this time.
A customer called my supervisor to complain that I wear gloves when taking cash payments. He said I was implying he was dirty. She actually defended me this time.
Wow.
Idiot customer.
Contacted company I interviewed with last Tuesday for follow up. HR woman who interviewed me said that she was still waiting to hear from the hiring manager.
A customer called my supervisor to complain that I wear gloves when taking cash payments. He said I was implying he was dirty. She actually defended me this time.
I'm curious what your protocol for glove wearing is...
I'm curious what your protocol for glove wearing is...
I wear them handling cash. The rest of the time I do not.
ToomuchStuff
5-19-20, 5:12pm
I wear them handling cash. The rest of the time I do not.
Do you handle plastic? Paper checks? Contracts with them? Do you immediately dispose of the gloves? Wash, sanitize everything? Use pens one time, etc. I think he is asking for more then this.
I wear them handling cash. The rest of the time I do not.
Do you properly put on a fresh pair before handling each new customer, then properly doff and dispose of them after each customer? Or at least sanitize them between customers?
What is the point of the gloves, precisely? Are you concerned about covid-19 breaking through the skin barrier of your hands?
What are you trying to use the gloves to prevent?
Do you handle plastic? Paper checks? Contracts with them? Do you immediately dispose of the gloves? Wash, sanitize everything? Use pens one time, etc. I think he is asking for more then this.
I do not handle plastic - customers insert their card in the machine themselves. I am not worried about checks and papers, one time use, but about currency which goes through many hands (and other body parts too - think of strippers), and which is made of cotton and linen so holds viruses for up to 9 days. I was disposing of the gloves after each use until we ran low and the company will not give me more. I keep them in a bag, since I saw on the news medical people doing that when they had to reuse PPE. I do sanitize everything including my hands afterwards. I have separate dirty pens I use when taking cash and clean pens when doing other things.
I do sanitize everything including my hands afterwards.
The gloves don't really add any value for your use-case.
You are better off just sticking with hand washing/sanitizing than fooling with gloves.
Do you properly put on a fresh pair before handling each new customer, then properly doff and dispose of them after each customer? Or at least sanitize them between customers?
What is the point of the gloves, precisely? Are you concerned about covid-19 breaking through the skin barrier of your hands?
What are you trying to use the gloves to prevent?
I wash my hands and put alcohol based sanitizer on them so frequently that they are cracking and bleeding and especially around my cuticles there are breaks in my skin.
I wash my hands and put alcohol based sanitizer on them so frequently that they are cracking and bleeding and especially around my cuticles there are breaks in my skin.
No kidding there. I wish I'd thought to buy stock in hand-lotion companies. Ouch ouch ouchie ouch.
I wash my hands and put alcohol based sanitizer on them so frequently that they are cracking and bleeding and especially around my cuticles there are breaks in my skin.
Yes. And your healthcare workers use gloves PROPERLY and we live with those hand issues. Using gloves is ridiculous as you describe it. And a total waste of resources and money.
Yes. And your healthcare workers use gloves PROPERLY and we live with those hand issues. Using gloves is ridiculous as you describe it. And a total waste of resources and money.
The way you see my use of gloves is the way I see other people's use of cloth face coverings.
The way you see my use of gloves is the way I see other people's use of cloth face coverings.
By all means keep coughing in people’s faces then.
I use nitrile gloves that I regularly swab with sanitizer, and when I get home I wash them thoroughly, then take them off and wash my hands thoroughly. Probably overkill, but that's how I've come to roll.
If only we had any experienced nurses, paramedics, EMTs, HAZMAT technicians, or infectious disease management folks on the board to help us understand proper PPE use....
ApatheticNoMore
5-20-20, 2:15pm
Expert advice is useful. Very little is being communicated well to the general public at this point. CDC has said to use gloves only for cleaning and for medical professionals in their jobs .... and yet medical professionals on this board are using them when getting gas. Who to believe.
It's a bit harsh to go after anyone for resources wasted at this point, since every store has banned reusable bags almost, you can't recycle to save your life (and barely could before this). Everyone is wasting resources right and left compared to some ideal environmental perspective (woops there goes another plastic bag into the landfill!!!), just to get through the pandemic.
And if the CDC tells one more person to use hand sanitizer rather than gloves people are going to lose their minds and noone can take them seriously anymore, as hand sanitizer hasn't been available to the general public in stores for MONTHS or more at this point, so the fact that authorities kept suggesting it in "let them eat cake" fashion is something else. Although I'm starting finally to see some sanitizer after months ...
iris lilies
5-20-20, 2:32pm
My next door neighbor works for a company that makes—wait for it—hand sanitizer! She does their graphics work. She’s been super busy.
No I haven’t broken into her house to steal a supply
You can go bare-handed and wash/disinfect frequently. I prefer gloves to chapped hands, but I rarely need to wear gloves anyway.
Teacher Terry
5-20-20, 5:47pm
My husband is a environmental engineer and has worked in full hazmat at clean up sites. He showed me how to take off gloves properly.
By all means keep coughing in people’s faces then.
This is a ridiculous comment. I cough into a tissue or inside my jacket or sweater lapel. Long before people starting wearing masks people did not go around coughing in other people's faces. Or are you some sort if weirdo who can only control your obsession to not cough in other people's faces if you have a mask on?
This is a ridiculous comment. I cough into a tissue or inside my jacket or sweater lapel. Long before people starting wearing masks people did not go around coughing in other people's faces. Or are you some sort if weirdo who can only control your obsession to not cough in other people's faces if you have a mask on?
Pre-covid I coughed in my elbow. Now I wear a mask because it is useful in limiting the likelihood that I would spread illness, covid or otherwise and would still cough in my elbow since it has long been my habit. If you are in the habit of covering your coughs then you must understand that cloth masks help even if you don't want to admit it.
Pre-covid I coughed in my elbow. Now I wear a mask because it is useful in limiting the likelihood that I would spread illness, covid or otherwise and would still cough in my elbow since it has long been my habit. If you are in the habit of covering your coughs then you must understand that cloth masks help even if you don't want to admit it.
I do not cough into my elbow because when you wear short sleeves I think it is gross.
Covering coughs prevents the spread of large germs. Covid particles are small.
I hope we never get so paranoid in this country about other people that masks become the new cover your mouth when you cough. I believe in the hygiene hypothesis, and that exposure to germs builds immunity. That is why in kindergarten the kids who went to daycare are much healthier than those who did not. The kids who stayed home are sick frequently that first year because they have no immunity. This also happened to me as a child when my family moved from Canada to the American South. At first I got sick all the time because I was around germs that couldn't survive in a cold climate for the first time. Then I got acclimated and didn't get sick.
iris lilies
5-20-20, 8:36pm
Since this thread is about work I just want to say how super incredibly happy I am that I no longer have to manage a group of 25 people in this situation. My head hurts I don’t even know what they’re doing. I stay away from it because I don’t wanna know. Thinking about it, I like being old and useless.
If I had retired at the “right time “I E full retirement age for Social Security, I would be telling my boss last week hey there, I’m skipping out on this deal and that will give you two things:
1) saving a big salary because there’s gonna be tough fiscal times ahead
2) Getting rid of an old fart who just doesn’t want to traverse any of this challenging time
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