Posted December 7, 200520 yr comment_4081689 Most of you know I work as a temp for the county government in a "long term but we still call you temp so we don't have to pay you benefits" kind of deal. Today I learned that the department I work for is having its budget slashed and they're getting rid of as many temps as possible. They wanted to get rid of *all* temps in my department until my supervisor pointed out that would leave 2 people answering phones for about 1 million residents of the county. So now 3 of the 8 temps in my department are going to get a pink slip for xmas. What really sucks is because there's just ten of us (we have 2 full time employees in our department) we've become really close knit, and my supervisor got thrown under the bus since they made it her call on who to keep. She's the coolest boss you could hope to work for and now she's in a Sophie's Choice situation where she has to pick who she has to lay off right after the holidays. Being a temp means you know there's more than likely going to be the day where you get The Call where you're told you're not going to be needed anymore, but in this case the timing just sucks. Being a stereotypical male, I haven't started my xmas shopping yet and my mom's birthday is December 29, so that could get f'ed up too. Hopefully I'll survive this round, and if I do I'll probably be able to breathe easy for a while since the budget will be pretty much set and the increased workload that will result from such mass cuts will probably mean that there won't be many opportunities to lay anyone else off.
December 7, 200520 yr comment_4082394 This is when cuts always happen. Back when I was temping, this is when cuts came or shortly after the New Year. I recall you having this problem not too long ago before, right? They also just made cuts at the building I work at and about six of my friends lost their jobs. Two of them found work (in the same building, no less) immediately after but the rest are ass out. Just in time for the holidays. Sucks but it happens. Good luck and hopefully things go better for you and yours.
December 7, 200520 yr Author comment_4082519 They made some cuts a few weeks ago, but we were told that was all there was going to be. I guess that was before the 2006 budget came out. The last time I had a temp job end, it was on a Thursday and the agency had me starting my current job the following Monday. So worst case scenario I have an unscheduled vacation before my next job. I just hate that my boss got put in the position to have to be Scrooge. *mails car payment while I still have a paycheck coming*
December 30, 200519 yr Author comment_4227432 Well to put a capper to this story, I got the call about 20 minutes ago that I indeed got laid off and today was my last day. I was pretty much expecting it, what sucks is I had an appointment with an employment agency yesterday but the person I was supposed to meet with called off and of course today was a half-day. So I'll just meet with them Monday hopefully (I would have been off then anyway for the federal holiday) and get something lined up.
December 30, 200519 yr comment_4227610 I'm sorry to hear that, especially at this time of year. Good to see that you still have options, though.
December 31, 200519 yr Author comment_4228917 Well the last time a temp job ended, it was on a Thursday and the agency called me the next day for a job that started the following Monday. I have two agencies on the case now, so I should be ok. I can go about a week w/o work and still be able to juggle things so bills get paid. Longer than that and I might have to turn to prostitution.
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