Mandatory furlough (ie without pay) for Hubby

[COLLEEN S]

Company my hubby works for is giving all managers a 2 month furlough!
I am upset about this. All my husband did was bust his ass for them all summer and now this! We have to pay for COBRA insurance (health insurance) for the time he is off, so 2 months of premiums. Just in time for Christmas, since it will last Nov.15-Jan.15 .
Don't believe everything you hear, especially if you hear that the economy is recovering. Not with 11-15% unemployment it won't!

 

[wcasey5]

ouch! Good luck, I got whacked by 5% for the year and an extra 10% in April. Also, health care cost is going up along with the deductables.

This really really sucks!

 

[hensylee]

don't think the economy is recovering - loss of jobs is still happening everywhere. grandson, sister were laid off months and months ago. one in Atlanta; the other in Dallas where you';d think they could find jobs. nada.......... 'they' say next year before this part shows recovery. I am so sorry you are going through this and wish you well. yes, get angry. might help a little.

 

[hall]

Sorry to hear this. Jobs are so scarce. My brother has been looking for months........nothing. If we are in recovery, I would like to know where Best of luck to you and your hubby!

 

[halleyg]

So sorry to hear this Colleen, that just sucks! Not that there would be a good time, but I agree, Nov.-Jan. is the worst possible timing! Thank goodness for COBRA but then it is so expensive, we were on it last year, about bled us dry! Wishing you the best during this rough period. You'll get through!!

 

[Cooker]

Colleen ... sorry to hear this ... things are tough and I pray that they get better soon but I am afraid we are all in for a SLOW recovery....

 

[Bina]

A couple of our friends were laid off last January and February....it's rough for sure.
January is deadly for most businesses.
Hang in there girl.

 

[mainframe]

While it sucks to have a furlough, it beats getting the pink slip. I was out of work for a year a few years ago after AVR #1 and had to keep up the COBRA for both myself and a daughter that had cancer. In my job now, the company is trying to do everything they can not to lay off folks including no raise this year and we are not getting any PTO accumulate for the rest of the year. I'm just glad to have a job.

 

[Cozycat]

So sorry to hear of this happening at this time of year...anytime is really bad but it can be particularly hard through the holidays and also the time of year heating costs can be so high.

This is the 50th anniversary for our small business and we've never seen it like this before. The early 80's were bad but the length of this down is hurting so many all over. We are in S. Calif and closely tied with the construction industry. We have gone from 15 employees working 60 hr weeks to 3 employees barely making 40 hrs. One of our biggest customers who does massive earthmoving on huge housing developments said their prediction is it will be 2011 before we come out of this. Hope not! Our sales our down by 75-80% from two years ago.

Just keep plugging along and cut back all you can...there is survival after this.

Midge

 

[Glenda]

This is the pits. I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. In our small air conditioning/heating business we have had to lay off six employees. Our son is in the process of buying the business but it's a terrible time with the economy being so bad. We've been in the business for over 38 years and we've never seen it so bad.

On top of that I just found out today that my Gleevec that I take for my CML (leukemia) is raising to $2,000 a month. There is no way that I can afford this. I've already started taking only half of what I'm supposed to take. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

 

[ChouDoufu]

Gleevec that I take for my CML (leukemia) is raising to $2,000 a month. There is no way that I can afford this. I've already started taking only half of what I'm supposed to take. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

that's so expensive! how do you afford that? does insurance cover all or
part? do you buy from local pharmacy or online overseas pharmacies?

 

[Glenda]

I'm sorry I didn't mean to high jack this thread talking about my problems. I can't afford it. It literally cost $8,000 a month and we only have to pay $2,000. Yeah! ! A couple of years ago I had to take two pills a day but then my counts got within normal range and I went to one pill a day. So I stock pilled some pills. I've got two bottles left of 60 pills. We were paying $7,00 a month for a bottle then. That's how much it has gone up in two years. Amazing. There's no way even with me working that I can afford this. I'll just go without and take my chances. I buy locally. I looked into buying overseas and it was about the same beside you have to be really carefull that it wouldn't be an imitation Gleevec. This was priced through the hospital that I work, even with my employee discount. RIGHT!

Enough about me, there are people with a lot more problems than me. At least I do have a job and it's at a hospital so it very un-likely that I could ever loose my job. I'm in a very needed position. I don't especially like the department that I'm in but until something else opens up and I can bid on it. I'll stay put.

 

[catwoman]

Colleen:

Sorry about the 2-month furlough.

I wonder how many of us are having to take furloughs? Our pay was cut (varying percentages) in April. And most of us are having to take 5 days of furlough from Aug. 17-Dec. 11. Sales reps are exempt. Even though I am in sales and get a commission, my job title is not technically in sales, so I wasn't exempt.

I had been saving a cushion to cover my lost wages, but I only have to deal with 5 days, not 2 months, like your family. My prayers are with you.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Coleen -- I'm sorry to hear your husband will be on 'furlough' for a couple of months. That's crazy that you have to pay for COBRA for those two months even though he is technically employed.

And Glenda, I cannot even imagine the stress you go through with your health care. My thoughts with both of you gals and a resolution to your situations.

 

[catwoman]

Coleen -- I'm sorry to hear your husband will be on 'furlough' for a couple of months. That's crazy that you have to pay for COBRA for those two months even though he is technically employed.

Perhaps insurance premiums resort to COBRA because of not getting paychecks during that time??? However, it seems that it would be theoretically possible for the employee to pay the insurance carrier directly.

Wonder if Lisa in Katy has any info on this?

 

[Dennis S]

All of the teachers in our School District are required to pay higher portions for their health care and retirement benefits. In our very small district we were already required to cut last year's budget, and now it appears additional major cuts may be coming.

 

[Hank]

I too felt the pain of furloughs over the past few months. But nothing likt 2 months off with no benefits. Mine is 1 week off without pay each quarter through the end of 2009. But I keep accruing vacation during the furlough.

I guess in times like these - we can be thankful that it isn't worse. I am sure 2 months off without benefits is a bit better than just gettin hacked and not having a job.

It's rough for many of us.. But this gives us more time to sit around and count the blessings we do have right

 

[Jackie]

I'm so sorry to hear this, my best wishes and prayers are with you.

 

[Superbob]

Colleen... I, too, am sorry to hear about the furlough. True, it beats a layoff, but that seems like a long furlough and at a tough time. Hope you all come through it okay, and everything improves for all of us soon.

 

[vhmoriarty]

Wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you. My father was in the same prediciment as you. He had lung cancer and had to start receiving treatments. He had enough sick time and everything. He worked for the company for over 27 years. While he was out they sold the company. Everyone lost their senority and had to start over. My dad had to reapply to work there but was off on short term disablity. He always believed he would go back to work. They refused to rehire him. So he ended up having to pay Cobra as well. This was in 2006. So it was going on back then too. I hate this is happening to you.