How's your company doing?

[Gracefulsarah]

Both my husband and I are still employed, thank God. I work for a school district in California (not as a teacher), and thankfully, our district prioritizes jobs. They only lay off after cutting supplies budgets, and anything else they can. Last year, we laid off lots of computer techs, librarians, and kidergarten teachers. Most have been brought back (not sure why), but I have a feeling they will have to be let go again before next year begins (July 1st). As for my department, there is 1 person who was hired after me, so I believe she would be cut before I would. (There are 5 people in my dept including the director, and I've been here over 5years.)

As for my husband, I would really be surprised if his company survived the next few years. They had a staff of about 40, and laid off 25% right before Christmas. They also made almost everyone cut down on their hours, from 8 to 7 a day. He does software tech support, and the stress levels were already too high. Add to that 1 person from his department being let go and shorter hours in which to do the same amount of work, and the stress skyrockets. Their customers have actuallly been complaining because the tech guys don't get back to them within a "reasonable amount of time" anymore. So, they're going to hire one guy for the tech support department, and they gave my husband back the hour a day.

I'm very thankful that we seem to be secure for the moment. We both are willing to deal wtih the commuting to keep our jobs in this tough economy.

[K9karen]

I was a corporate travel agent for 30+ years, and got laid off (highest paid) in 2003, due to 9/11.

A few of my friends still have their travel jobs, but with company layoffs and budget crunches, probably won't for long. I guess I'm lucky to be on disability, so I have something.

This is a scary, sad, time for everybody. I'm so thankful I have a place to live and food to eat. I've totally changed my buying habits. If it ain't on sale, it don't get bought! And if it's not a necessity, furgetaboutit!

I hope all you PTers are OK.

[Sirrahsim]

My husband is active duty in the US Air Force so we are safe at the moment. His field has one of the lowest retention rates in the military because there is SO much money to be made on the outside. They can replace some jobs in the militray with civilians (non military folk) but even taking our benefits into account, they would have to more than triple his salary to ellicit any kind of interest from the outside workforce. It's just more cost effective to keep him.