Relative who worked 35 years at a place....

[skooooo]

..was told "goodbye" by his employer last Friday. No severance pay. No fore warning. Nothing. 35 years. He lives in Kentucky. I'm guess there are no laws about severance pay. If some states have them, Kentucky wouldn't be one of those states. So now he can get unemployment for 2 years.

What a freaking nightmare.

[Berry Cool]

1. That is insane.

Was it part of a layoff? If so, it's illegal to just lay off people with no warning. It's against federal law.

Edited to specify: It has to have been part of a mass layoff by an employer with more than 100 workers. And I am not a lawyer. But if that's the situation, it bears further looking into.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

what federal law is that?

can you cite it?

[Blue Diadem]

6. WARN act.

100 or more employees, full time and must be there longer than 6 months.

http://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/warn.htm

[skooooo]

9. This was a smaller place I think...

So much for that. Thanks for the info. though.

I feel really protected from this storm, but it's hard seeing people I know basically thrown out on the streets. Makes it more real when you know someone.

[Blue Diadem]

20. I'm glad you're protected.

We have a few in our family who appear to be the safe, teachers and medical professionals. But we know of so many who are getting hit in one way or another. My nephew, sole support of his family, is working 32 hrs a week now and may be included in the proposed cut of management, my friend who is 60, is worried she'll be included in the cuts her employer has said will happen this year, my daughter has heard her entire department is supposed to be outsourced this year and my husband was laid off earlier this month. The biggest employer in our town(about 200 workers there) is closing sometime this year.

I'm sorry about your relative. 35 yrs is a long time and the older we are, the harder it gets to find employers that hire older workers. We've been through 2 plant closings and now this layoff in the last 10 yrs. There was also no severance after 25 yrs for my DH.

You didn't mention what type of work your relative did but you might suggest he look into any retraining that might be available through the Workforce investment act. (WIA) My DH is signed up for the training certification for solar but the next class is full and the following class won't begin until August.

[skooooo]

21. He does want to pursue education...

Yes education is a nice bubble to be in now...

Maybe I can do a little research and see what he might be eligible for. Thanks for your suggestion. I'd like to help him if I can. I knew this was coming though (for him)...

[spartan61]

24. Being in education is not a nice bubble.

How many thousands of teachers are being laid off in CA? Here in Florida teachers are also being laid off. In the county where I live, all first and second year teachers are facing lay offs. I think Michigan is another place where teachers are not certain they will have jobs next school year. What about the rest of the states? Anybody?

[skooooo]

30. Relatively speaking it's much better..

...than a lot of alternatives right now, believe me. I understand that teachers can lose jobs. There's more than just teachers in education, and there's more than just primary and secondary schools. If you're positioned at all in education, you'll have an easier time riding out the storm. That's my opinion, and experience for what it's worth.

[riverdale]

31. Teachers are safe

My wife's elementary teaching job in MI is solid. I lost my job, however. tough times.

[skooooo]

3. You mean part of a larger lay off??

I don't know all the details. I'm getting the info second hand. Even if what they did was illegal, I don't know if this person would have the energy, reserves, or inclination to do anything about it. His wife is on disability SS from some kind of brain problem that left her pretty much blind.

People only have their churches to turn to, really.

[Demobrat]

2. Unemployment for two years?

That's pretty generous. Hopefully that will help him to regroup.

[skooooo]

4. Generous?

How is that generous? No health insurance, and I'm sure what he'll take home won't be nearly as much as what he was making.

Two year is what I was told.. :shrug:

[Demobrat]

5. In CA we get six months.

So two years sounds generous to me.

[skooooo]

8. I wonder if it's true...

It does sound like a long time, but I guess it's better than nothing. I got all this 2nd hand so..

[shadowknows69]

10. six months in NY too.

I managed to get a year when I was laid off but only because it happened near enough to 9/11 that I qualified for the extension.

[sandnsea]

12. There are several extensions

Maybe when you add them all up, they amount to two years.

[Skittles]

27. 13 weeks in Texas

[skooooo]

28. That's Texas..always leading the way..

...right to the shitter.

[readmoreoften]

11. Generous? He paid into unemployment for 35 fricking years. Please.

Time to regroup? He's been at the job for 35 years. Which means he's at minimum 50 years old if he started working there as a kid and likely closer to 60. He's a few years from retirement age, not "regrouping."

[Two Americas]

18. thanks

I appreciate you injecting some reality and clear headed perceptions into so many of these bizarre discussions that are going on here these days. The "haves" and their friends are circling the wagons now, and many of the arguments we are hearing are becoming indistinguishable from the Republican arguments.

[Demobrat]

19. Of course he'll have to regroup. What's the alternative? Curl up and die?

Yes it sucks but two years on unemployment is better than six months.

[varelse]

29. This sort of stressful and humiliating event

sometimes does kill people. Especially older people. It's not an "alternative" but simply a result. :(

[MiniMe]

25. Actually, he didn't, the employer does

And the rate they pay has to do with their "experience" with firing people. But that doesn't mean that the company was not out of line to fire somebody after 35 years without even severance. Was anybody else let go? He could have a case for age discrimination. May not be a bad idea for him to talk to a lawyer.

[skooooo]

26. Someone else brought that up to..

I'll mention it to him. Gawd almighty, how would you have the energy to fight a lawsuit after this?

[shadowknows69]

7. Awful, so sorry to hear that.

At least the 2 years of UE is there for him. Sadly most states are pretty lapse in protecting severance pay. Unless you have a personal contract these days you're thrown to the wolves wearing a meat sweatshirt.

[AngryOldDem]

13. At-will employment.

Gotta love it. :sarcasm:

And, no, I don't think the two-year severance is especially generous. Not in this climate. Not after 35 years of service.

Best of luck to him.

[dysfunctional press]

17. it's NOT two-years of severance. there is NO severance pay...

the two years refers to state unemployment benefits.

[Kittycat]

14. Just another irresponsible person, trying to get a handout.

No, I don't mean that seriously - but that will be the republican talking point, regarding him, 2 weeks from now, when he finally gets approved for his unemployment. They'll say he should have saved enough to weather the storm, should have done dave ramsey - owned his home, never had a life tragedy, fully vested retirement, should get out there and get a new job (because they're handing them out like candy, don't you know) etc, etc. Because he doesn't mean shit to him, until it happens to one of them. Fucking republicants.

[skooooo]

15. I'm sure he voted republican too..

...so....maybe some of them will wake the eff up finally.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. Death of a Salesman is a reality show unfortunately.

Arthur Miller saw the future and tried to warn us.

[blues90]

22. Been there with that FUCKING AT WILL clause

13 years without one complaint and bam I'm fired like I was trash , that at will shit has been around for a long time but they never used it before now it's their prime source of cutting your throat without conscience.

[sarcasmo]

23. This Country is snowballing out of control.