Bad job news :-(

I'm a contractor, which means no benefits or paid time off. My boss told me that she'd like to get me hired on full time. She's really impressed with my work.

Great news, right? Trouble is, I found out today that they only hire contractors for three years. I'm on my third year. I also found out that they almost never hire a contractor on as a full-timer. It doesn't matter how good I am, how much revenue I generate, how much I contribute to the company, or how many awards I win (3 so far). In 11 months, I will be fired. Period. And my boss is going to have to start all over every three years training yet another team, then lose them again because of a retarded, short-sighted company policy.

And I'll be screwed. If I can't earn a living, I can't keep my house. I'll be out on the street. Period. And the one thing I fear worse than spiders is being homeless.

I'm so depressed. And I'm still battling chronic fatigue. I just can't beat it. I can barely walk a straight line because I'm constantly exhausted to the point of collapse. And now I have to worry about this on top of everything else.

I'm not even a quarter unpacked. Maybe I should just not bother. In my entire life, I've never successfully gotten unpacked before I'm shoved out the door and I have to pack everything up in a hurry again and get out and go God knows where. I really thought I'd found a place where I could stay for the rest of my life. But if I don't have a job, I can't make my house payments, and it goes into foreclosure. And I've looked around at job ads. They pay about 60-75% as much as I'm making now (in short, not enough), and they demand about twice as much IT training as I have.

I know I shouldn't be posting this thing, and I won't be surprised if it gets deleted. This probably isn't the right venue at all, and I apologize.

White_Hydrangea~ so sorry to hear about the situation. Wished I had the power to have that boss renegotiate your contract for another 20 years. It's a shame that they don't retain their well- trained ,award winning contractors! Pray that a better situation comes your way soon inspite of the frustrations you're feeling, and may the aches ease with a speed dash in a straight line up and over every hurdle! ;0)

Thanks, Garden6. It's just so aggravating, especially since I'm getting up to the age where I need a secure future. Being a techno-gypsy just doesn't cut it anymore. And I planted several baby lilacs in my back yard with the full expectation that I'd be there to watch them grow into adulthood. Lilacs take almost as long as kids to grow.

If my health were up to par and I weren't exhausted all the time, and if I had the recommended amount of funds stashed away, this wouldn't be so dire. But it's like I'm getting a triple whammy.

DH and I have been contractors ourselves and sometimes to get us a step ahead we've done out-of-state jobs that were hiring and paying great wages + per diem....would this be an option?

White_Hydrangea~ I hope it's not a triple whammy even though it seems like it. Can I add you to the prayer forum? NOT trying to hit you with a boogey club, but I know and believe in the power of prayer. If you say no, I won't send lightening bolts down to burn off your toes nor thunder to roar your head off! LOL! ;0)

I was fired after 23 years of service,after training a employee hired under the the government job training program.The way I understand it the government will pay half a new trainee's salary and the company probably only pays a fourth what I was making to do the same work.No wonder companys are firing older employees.There is also the health insurence issue.I now own my own business.It was the best thing that ever happened to me.

So sorry White Hydrangea, I have no suggestions to offer, but do offer my Thoughts and Prayers for a resolution to your situation, and your health.

There are federal programs that will pay for re-training including school. I can't think of the name right now but will soon.

We can so relate..we were hemental. Still trying to get thru it. One thing you have on your side...but just for a moment..is time. Use it. You are about to do things and try things you never imagined. Survival is an interesting 'animal' . One thing is for sure...you are about to step out of your comfort zone...it is scarey beyond all imagination. You dont want to get up in the mornings...but you MUST. You will soon be feeling better mentally..dreaming and putting together plans. That does not pay ANYTHING tho. So you must either see about renting your house and maybe getting that out of town job for a year or two. If there is any way...any way at all, you can combine your profession with your own business....that is SO the way to go. A hard road tho.

Hem...where do you get your medical insurance thur? My husband has pretty much had your experience, we have taken a 90% cut in pay...and that is if we are lucky enough to take a little out. We love it...want to try to hold on to it. It is not going to be possible with medical insurance costing 1000$ a month...and that isnt even for excellent insurance. What kind of business do you own. Maybe we can trade some work ;-O. WOW that just my brain going...i bet their are alot of us out here...that could really help the others in this 'adventure'. I will have to think on that.

Has anyone seen the story in the national news about the booming economy in WYOMING of all places? There was a welder from Michigan and a plumber from California who both moved there and are now making 6 figures!!! And there are so many people moving there for these skilled jobs the housing market can't keep up and people are still moving and living in their travel trailers until they can build a house. The towns it talked of was Gillette and ...hmmm....forget the other town, think the name starts with a B?

But just wondering if it's something you could research and maybe do one of those jobs for awhile and earn boo-coos of money and then move back to your place? Just a thought....I hope things improve for you soon.

HI, I am so sorry about the job. I think that they are missing out; but that doesn't help you. Does your boss have any suggestions?
I hope that some of the suggestions made here can work for you.
Sending positive thoughts your way, from another CFS person.

White_Hydrangea, I was in Hemental's position (sort of). I worked at a job for 20 years & was permanently furloughed. I found out that I could get funding (TRA & TAA) to pay for me to go to school & pay unemployment while I go. I selected a new profession, will be finished next Dec (2007) & have the possibility of working for the state. That means benefits & better pay than what I was making at the plant. I believe that things happen for a reason, and you need to "go with the flow". If I hadn't gotten layed off, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do what I want...instead of being stuck in a place that I absolutely hated. And my health (mentally & physically) is better for it. I have a better sense of direction at the age of 53!

Joey (a girl)

My company fired most of the employees over 50 and replaced them with younger employees.Most were salesmen and had built up multi million dollar accounts only to loose them to a trainee.I was fortunate in that I had enough in company stock and my 401-k to pay off my house morgage and enough to carry me over until I was 62 and could draw social securuty.In the meantime I put in full time at our plant nursery we had started many years before. At 70 and in good health,I now specialize in daylilies.I am doing something I enjoy for a change.

A friend's dad worked for Lockheed Martin for 24 years, 10 months, and 3 weeks.

Then got fired.

So he lost his pension. Yes, he got something for his trouble, but it was pretty much a joke compared to what he could have gotten had he worked for them for 5 more weeks.

I used to work for Qwest, and they were known for doing that. But some of the people I worked put a lot into Qwest's European stock when it opened at $20/share, then cashed in when it got up to $90/share. They quit Qwest and started their own companies.

Kind of like buying your own ship when you notice a rise in bilge water.

And some didn't get out in time. They had stocks worth half a million, and when Qwest got done with their nose dive, their stock and dwindled down to about $23,000.

My boss is in my corner, and the website we produce is impressing a lot of higher ups, so hopefully it'll occur to them that they may not want to lose someone who's on a winning team.

I hope so, anyway.

I hope so, too. WH. How can companies get away with that robbery? The government sticks its nose in all sorts of other places, why not in this? Five weeks from retirement! I can understand someone going over the deep end and doing something awful.

Our society seems so willing to take whatever it can from talented, hard-working people with integrity and pride, yet also has no qualms about kicking them down on a whim. Is it any wonder people don't trust each other, or that there is less hope for the future, or that the concept of community seems nearly dead.

Best wishes, WH. I can very much relate to your worry and resulting stress.

The TRA and TAA is only if your job was moved overseas. You have to qualify for those programs. I just finished 2 years of college under the TRA program. The company moved to Mexico and pay the employees there only $2.50 an hour.

Georgiaredclay, I have gone thru the same thing. I have 2 more semesters to go!

WH, I do wish you luck. And since your boss is in your 'corner' there may be a great opportunity to go farther or better yet, have an opportuniy to do something else with a good referrence.