Right then

[annathepiper]

I just got the hammer lowered on me at work. Joy.

I can't say I'm terribly surprised by it. The newspaper industry has been struggling for a while now; certainly it's been for as long as I've had this job. Add to this that the economy is sucking, and, well, there ya go.

It's pretty gentle as layoffs go, though. I have been told my last day is December 12th, that I will get 2 1/2 weeks severance pay, and that I may have today and tomorrow as paid days off to cope. I am to talk to HR at 2 about COBRA and such, which is the main reason I'm not actually going straight home and am instead logged on from Pacific Place.

I may have to go see me a zombie movie tomorrow though. Under the circumstances it feels like a good thing to do.

Comments

[seimaisin.livejournal.com]

Oh, no. {{hugs}} I'm so sorry.

[annathepiper]

*hugs a bunch* Thanks, hon, I appreciate it.

[shadowhwk.livejournal.com]

*hugs tight*

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thanks.

[kohaku1977.livejournal.com]

Oh no. I'm so sorry. :(

*hugs*

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thanks. Much appreciated.

[mari-mac1109.livejournal.com]

Aw, man. I'm sorry. That sucks. :(

[annathepiper]

Thanks much. Kind of half knowing this was coming takes a bit of the sting out...

But only a bit. We'll see how I feel when I go back in on Wednesday morning.

[rosepurr.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Sorry to hear it. :(

[annathepiper]

Thanks. A lot of this going around today, apparently. Though right now I'm kinda grateful that it's coming with some built in buffer time.

[maellenkleth]

hugga.

most anything we could do to help (that is actually practical, given bad stuff happening all around), is yours for the asking. always.

[annathepiper]

*snugs* Thanks much.

[damara.livejournal.com]

Yikes. I am sorry to hear that. *snugs*

[annathepiper]

*hugs* Thanks!

[branwyn32.livejournal.com]

zomg that totally sucks hon! :( I'm so sorry. *hugs* Much good energy coming your way that you find something new soon, and that health benefits get worked out.

[annathepiper]

*hugs a bunch* Thanks babe, very much appreciated. I am supposed to talk to HR at 2 and I expect stuff will be settled then.

Resumes will start going out this week. We'll see how fast I find something.

[angyllina.livejournal.com]

*hug* I know how bad that sucks!

I was laid off in September of last year due to the mortgage industry crash ( I was a subprime underwriter) and they were very very good to us, but it still hurt and took me quite a long time to get over. I had built my little world around my job...dumb as that is...and when it was gone I really didn't remember who I was!

[annathepiper]

Ooh, ouch, I feel your pain.

It helps a bit that I did suspect this was coming. I'm oddly not really disappointed. But we'll see what happens in December.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Well, crap. *hugs* I'm sorry and sympathetic. :/

[annathepiper]

*huggaKit* Thanks, babe. And, heh, good icon.

Grf. David Tennant has quit the Doctor, and now I'm laid off! I am so far not very impressed with November, I must say.

[ceallaighgirl.livejournal.com]

That stinks, so sorry about that. You're smart though and I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding a new job. To look on the bright side of things, maybe this will give you some extra time to work on writing!

[annathepiper]

Thanks much, and yeah, the writing time has occurred to me; we'll have to see if I can get another job before my last day on this one. I've been told I'll have flexibility to deal with interviews.

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

ag, I'm sorry. *hugs*

[annathepiper]

*hugs!* Thanks.

[hubbit.livejournal.com]

*big hugs* It's bad all around for publishing...I work at a magazine and I'm one of six (out of some three dozen) who WEREN'T laid off. And that's just because I'm the only one in the building who can code HTML by hand.

Here in Illinois, if you're laid off you pretty much qualify automatically for unemployment. I hope Washington is that generous.

[annathepiper]

Ooh, ouch... but glad to hear you still have a job.

Getting unemployment shouldn't be a problem, but fortunately I don't have to apply for it yet since they are giving me quite a lot of buffer time till my last day. Hopefully enough to get another job before unemployment even comes into it.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

::HUGS::

I'm very sorry.

[annathepiper]

*hugs* Thank you very much.

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Sorry to hear it, hon.

*hug* and good luck.

[annathepiper]

*hugs* Thanks much!

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I'd heard rumblings about Microsoft tightening its belt. We'll see if I can get another position before December 12th; if not, well, we'll just have to see if Volt or somebody can get me another testing contract.

[karenjunker.livejournal.com]

Hang in there! ::sending visions of you, working in a fun job that leaves a lot of time for writing while still providing you with an abundant life::

[annathepiper]

Thanks much! That's a good vision. :)

[stephenhsegal.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Sorry, Anna -- I've been on the ugly end of newspaper layoffs myself, I know the suckitude. At least they were able to give you six weeks advance warning...

[annathepiper]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm really rather stunned about and grateful for the advance warning. This is by far the gentlest layoff I've ever had to deal with. This should give me plenty of time to get a contract position at the very least, if not another full time one. We'll see what's what by December 12th.

[kent.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear it. I thought I knew someone who worked at the Times, but I couldn't remember who it was.

[annathepiper]

Thanks!

[risu.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I'm so sorry :(

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thanks hon.

[raise-a-jar.livejournal.com]

Oh, hell, luv...that sucks! ::huge hugs:: Here's hoping things turn around for you right quick.

Let me know if there's anything I can do, yeah?

[annathepiper]

*hugs a bunch* Thanks! And here's hoping.

Picspams of The Doyle will be gratefully accepted. Or The Crowe. Or The Doctor!

[ghost-light.livejournal.com]

Oh honey!

[annathepiper]

*smiles crookedly* Yeah.

[wingedelf.livejournal.com]

Well, damn. And welcome to the club. The icon in this case is for the eeejuts who fail to appreciate what we can offer.

[annathepiper]

I think this is the part where we're supposed to build a heat ray and cackle about how THEY WILL RUE THE DAY!

No wait. That's what I've got solarbird for!

best wishes

[(Anonymous)]

Just heard the news. I'm totally bummed. I hope your healthcare and employment situation improves swiftly and easily.

Eric
http://ericgoetz.com/

Re: best wishes

[annathepiper]

Oh wow, hi Eric! And thanks much. Glad to hear from you.

[quen-elf.livejournal.com]

ugh :( sorry to hear it. best of luck with job-hunting, and, er, enjoy the zombies (does that sound vaguely disturbing? hm).

[annathepiper]

Thanks much, and hee. I told solarbird and spazzkat that we can go vote tomorrow and see some zombies. And then we'll go see a movie! *rimshot*