Layoff watch, Summer 2009 edition

Posted July 4th, 2009 by Kimberly Dowd

Gannett, the parent company of the Courier-Post, will be laying off about 1,000 people nationwide next week. Including my paper. This is after 2 unpaid furlough weeks this year.

News of the layoffs hit the NY Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal the day BEFORE Corporate told us about it. Yay. Always good to know we’re being thought about.

D-Day will be happen on or before this coming Thursday. My guess is Tuesday or Wednesday.

This’ll be the third round — I’ve already survived the August and December cuts.

I think I’m dreading the actual layoff day more than I am the potential of being laid off myself. Sitting there and watching people be taken into the Director’s office one by one and wondering if you’re next is horrible. My stomach flips thinking of it.

The over-50s around me are already whispering about age discrimination lawsuits (because God forbid a recession affect the Boomers!) so I think the scythe is going to cut down the young’uns.

Unless they eliminate an entire department, I think my chances of survival are 50/50. They have already proven they are willing to cut from Online and Info Tech.

Downsides to unemployment:

  • Lack of money
  • No healthcare
  • Dealing with unemployment office
  • Increased hermit factor

Upsides to unemployment:

  • Lack of food => weight loss
  • Summertime unemployment => killer tan!
  • Will be able to blog ALL about the amazing crap I dealt with at work. Seriously…we make Dunder Mifflin look like Google.
  • Can finally cancel my newspaper subscription without guilt

Seriously, though, if I am let go next week I’m creating a plan to keep myself sane and viable. Including dedicating 2 hours every morning to brushing up my webby skills (Flash/PHP/blog templates, etc), getting some decent ads up on this blog and the WoW blog (Hey, BlogHer…now’d be a great time to tell me you’ll give me some ad love!) & starting the Couch to 5k program to keep me active and get me outside.

And of course this layoff will happen after a holiday weekend, so I’m in full-on sulk mode for the Fourth. Drinking Blue Moons, eating potato chips and playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. Tomorrow night I’ll watch the Philly fireworks from my window and call it good.

Good thoughts and prayers appreciated.

***
State of the blog: I’m going to keep writing through this slump and hope I fall back in love with it.

Filed under:I work for a living

7 Responses to “Layoff watch, Summer 2009 edition”

  • Dave aka d.mo Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 1:06 am

    The proverbial ax fell on me on my son’s 5th birthday, but I had taken it off to take him to Disneyland. The next morning I was cut loose so believe me, I know what you’re feeling right about now–and it’s not a lot of fun.

    Good thoughts heading your way from California. Hang in there :)

  • EllaJayeBee is now Elle Dubya Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 9:13 am

    i can’t imagine being in your shoes right now. my industry has suffered as well but thankfully my company has said there will not be any layoffs in 2009. i hope i’m not supid enough to take them at their word.

  • Katie Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 11:18 am

    I was laid off in December, and though I was quite worried about it at first, its been amazing. Less the lacking of money at times, but NJ unemployment is pretty decent, and I just got another extension.

    I hope whatever happens, its whats best for you, and if it isnt, that you make the best of it!

  • Mrs. BZ Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am

    Losing a job makes life a tad more difficult, but speaking as someone who hasn’t worked an “official” job since Dec. ‘08, it’s not *that* bad. If there is a time to be non-gainfully employed, summer *is* it. I hope the specter of unemployment passes your cubicle by, but if he decides to stop for watercooler chat, take solace in the fact that the guy you didn’t vote for ^_~ has extended unemployment benefits and that we’re due for some really nice weather.

    Good luck!

  • Ted Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    No doubt the next round of cuts will be brutal. That said, nothing much we can do about it at this point. Say a little pray, and then try to enjoy the holiday week.

    Or you can always do what I do on occasions like this — take vacation, and then, if you hear through the grapevine that you’re “on the list,” just don’t come back into the office for several weeks. That way they *can’t* fire you. It worked for me once, sort of, back in my first job out of college (at an ad agency).

    Though I ultimately did get the boot, I prolonged it by three weeks. Woo hoo!

    … Writing this while on vacation with my family in Massachusetts :)

  • PeterG Says:
    July 5th, 2009 at 8:46 am

    Good luck next week. Either way you’ll still be the person you are today. One bit of good news is that now you only have to pay 35% of the COBRA rate ( about $200 pm rather than $600 ) thanks to your friend in the White House.
    Sending Best Wishes your way. Once car dealers, realtors and others start to advertise more, then the strain will be off of newspapers, and other media. Down here in NC all advertising media are suffering, even TV stations are cutting back and advertising agencies are cutting staff in half ( painful !) or going out of business.
    Get your free tan here !!!

  • Kimberly Dowd Says:
    July 5th, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    Awww…you guys are great. Remember all this support when you find me sleeping on your lawn and eating scraps from your trash can.