Redundancy - Economic Climate

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Has anyone else been made redundant this year??

There are some days one should not get out of bed - today was one of those days. This post is just a statement of events and does not seek sympathy nor is it a plea for monetary help lol.

I have been made redundant today.

The limp-wristed ball-less wonder of a boss could not tell me to my face last week so the HR Manager had to tell me - on the phone. This was only because I told her WINZ had cut my benefit so I may as well return to work full time. Of course that got them panicking - cos there is no work. So they had to get their arses into gear and put it in writing and set up a meeting - which we duly had today at 10.30am. I decided I would remain silent - yes it is possible lol. They were asking me for options - hello you don't have to be fkn Einstein to figure out there is no work therefore they have no option but to make me redundant. I have been trying to return to work and do more hours - but they haven't let me because there really is no work. I mean they can't help that my life goes from one fkn disaster to the next without any of my input lol. C'est la vie.

Then I went to Benefit Advocacy - they are trying to sort out Winz's total incompetence. However they were only sorting out one part (not all like I had thought), namely the disability allowance. Winz have stopped paying TAS - temporary assistance support - Why?? cos they simply did not action my form that I sent in - Why - they can't fkn tell me that one, I asked - cos the bloody Case Mgr is a useless piece of shit. I have yet to see the same person twice. At Ahu's funeral this guy mentioned the Benefit Advocacy people, so I thought it was safer for everybody that I use them. One thing I cannot tolerate is incompetence - and the last person I saw at Winz was totally incompetent and rude. E.g. after searching for 20 mins on the computer I asked her where was my hard file "In the file Room", then I strongly suggest you get it and you will understand what I am talking about. 10 mins later she finally did, but didn't address one of the problems - I asked her why that was not actioned - "You will have to ask your Case Manager" and who is my case manager??? She was sitting behind me. Well I suggest you find out for me - I was told that she would get my case manager to ring me - I am still waiting this happened mid January. I can't be bothered relating it all suffice to say it was an extreme effort for me to contain the verbal abuse I really wanted to hurl at them.

I went back to Benefit Advocacy and advised them I had been made redundant etc - could only get an appointment at WINZ for Friday 13 Feb (great, knowing how dodgy my luck is - it may not bode well). Apparently I could get a food grant then. Hello, my account is OD and has been since my last pay, correction - I had $4 left after rent, electricity and phone went out - it is now $7 od. So I asked where the Food Bank was. I'm not too proud to use them. Apparently it is downstairs - so off I go - doors are locked. Two guys are waiting as well - eventually someone comes to the door and says We are Closed (it is 2.15pm). I asked what time is the Food Bank open. "Mondays and Fridays - but it is not open this Friday because of Waitangi Day". I'm a stunned mullet at this stage. I vaguely heard him say is it urgent. Well I found I did have some pride left and didn't want the whole world to hear so I said It's Ok, don't worry. I walked away and I gotta admit tears rolled down my face. I just don't have the energy to fight anymore - I'm exhausted and this is just for the basics in life.

Last nite I tried making pancakes - jesus wept - they were awful - hell if I need some rubber on my tyres I know what to do. They made a good frisbee - as I tossed one in the bush behind my place. It's not like I'm going to starve - or fade away - I wish lol. I need to lose weight - steriods willing.

I am in a programme where there is a saying FEAR - Face Everything and Recover, then there is Fuck Everything and Run and as a very good friend said to me last nite FUCK EVERYTHING AND RIDE - seems to me to be the best solution yet. I'll try and save for the petrol lol - I'm on "reserve".

I will get over this, but hell I wish the universe would give me a break real soon (a statement of fact not self pity). Either that or I break. I just seem to be in permanantly stunned mullet mode at present. I have been given some solutions of where to next and I am taking some action towards this. Firstly I have to go to the Dr again (tomorrow) and he can put me on the Invalids Benefit - get counselling from EAP - got an appointment tomorrow for that. One day at a time. I still have my sense of humour - just lol. :calm:

[98tls]

Jeez what can i say,chin up mate methinks things have got so bad that you will turn the corner and head up the good road for sure.Sounds corny i know but there's always someone worse off (not that it makes things better i know).Sitting here passing the time until roughly 10 o'clock tomorrow when my mother finds out if she has bowel cancer or something else with a name i cant pronounce let alone spell:rolleyes:.All the best and as i say every bad day is just one closer to a great day.

[Pedrostt500]

Feel for ya, I hate dealing with guberment departments, the only thing I can suggest is when dealing with the beauracrats is to take names and numbers, also note what was said in conversations, preferably in front of said bearacrats, also dont be scared to demand to speak to their managers if you are getting the run around, also learn to play the game by their rules, knowing their system then taking maximum advantage of it is the game, they will not tell you about all your entitlements, this is what you need to reseach.

[Mom]

Hear you clear mate. You can do this, better than most :yes: One day at a time love, that is all you need to do.

[Skyryder]

Just remember BMW the sun is still rising even though you can not see it.

Nothing stays the same all is change both for good and ill.


My mantras in hard times.:grouphug:


Skyryder

[R6_kid]

I was laid off in December as the company I was working at decided that temporary staff were no longer required, and would not be kept on.

Funny that the department i was working in now has about a 6mth backlog - the same backlog I had just spend 6mths clearning! What the means for them is stale revenue due to unpaid bills, meanwhile the sales team runs around willy nilly signing up 'good' customers who of course don't end up paying their bills and so the cycle continues.

I decided it was better to move on and find something different, I've just secured a job 2 days a week working at the local RSA, I have no previous skill in bar work if you show that you're keen people will generally try to help you.

I'm also studying at university, currently only part-time while at summerschool, thank fully though its worked out that I do enough hours a week to qualify for student loan payments of $150 a week for living allowance (i will have to pay this back, its not a benefit).

I prefer to not look at the problems, just look for the solution.

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Thank you for all your PMs, bling and replies above plus phone calls.
R6 kid - Look for Solutions - I like that and I always try to do that - but yesterday I was in such a space that no solutions were coming to mind so I wrote to a very good friend and he replied giving me several options. It's like my brain is incapable of thinking at present - I guess I'm in overwhelm but I am feeling much better now and tomorrow/today is another step forward - will be looking at career options and a plan for where to from here. I think the key is humility and asking for help - but also learning to receive.

As Conquistador says "You're a Biker and Bikers don't give Up". He's right dammit lol. (Please note for once I admitted a male was right lol I'm sure that confession will haunt me big time)

[R6_kid]

In my opinion, as much as it may not seem like the right thing to do at this stage, take a day off. Completely. Go and do nothing for a day, reset, and clear your head. Stay away from the bike if you can, or maybe go somewhere quiet on the bike and stay there for a few hours.

Truth is, at times like these you may need to swallow your pride and go for a job you may deem yourself to be 'above'. Supermarkets seem to always be hiring. It's a way to make ends meet (hopefully) while you make bigger plans for the future.

Failing that, keep yourself surrounded by 'good' people. The kind that will keep you on your feet and keep your spirits up. Im sure you'll agree that you'll find it harder to get a job if you are in a negative mindset!!!

[Romeo]

Gutting, I know how you feel. I was made redundant mid December. Haven't been able to find any work and time's ticking down. You'd think that with a Degree in IT you could at least get a minimum wage job at The Warehouse, but nope ;[.

[tnarg]

I got made redundant at the end of last year. Was at my job for 12 years so found it to be a really freaky experience.
My payout is now all gone and having to rely on winz to make it through but finding it hard going.
As for winz. what can I say....dicks. I told them I could get some casual work and was told by 2 case managers to turn it down and to turn down any part time work I get offered. huh WTF...turn down work. Yes they say they only interested in you getting full time work.
My job seekers agreement with them says that you CANT turn down any resonable offer of work including parttime, casual or temp work and the call centre agree with me. So yeah each case manager plays by there own rules so I understand how you could get so pissed with them. Incompetents all right.
Any way rant over.

I feel for you and hope things get better from here and for anyone who gets made redundant.

[MSTRS]

Sorry to hear this, Shirl.
Welly doesn't seem to like you...thought of moving?

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

LOL Mstrs - NO I am not moving back to Hawkes Bay, ok sometimes I may be tempted.

I went to my Dr this morning - he's an amazing guy. Put me on Invalids Benefit and discussed options to return to work - he knows me too well now and has to ground me - telling me I am not well enough to cope with 15 hours work a week. While my mind is willing - the bod isn't up to it.

I then had counselling at EAP - my work have been urging me to go there so to shut them up I did - the lady was a little confused why I was there - work had not detailed they were making me redundant and just said there were work issues related to my health. LOL She told me I had certainly been thru the mill but had managed everything well. Well you put it behind you and get on with life - you have to. She didn't think there was any need to see me again lol.

Got out of there and the HR Manager rang me Shirley have you thought of any more options??? No I said - just do it - go ahead and put it in writing please. So they give me one month's notice which I don't have to work out (all of 3 hours a week) and that is it. I don't get redundancy and don't expect it because they have been so good to me paying me for 2 months after I was diagnosed - on full pay. Then they topped up my benefit. The Manager then said a very lovely thing - She said Shirley I have to say how wonderful you have been regarding this and so professional, making it alot easier for us. So that was nice. They are also paying for Career Guidance course. So I don't feel hard done by.

Another new experience today. I went to the Soup Kitchen - Home of Compassion. If a friend had not been with me, 6'4" male - who had worked there, I would have been far too intimidated to go in. Wow, what an eye opener. I certainly realise now that I was brought up in a very middle class family, they have so many regulars there - everybody knows everybody and they know when someone is new lol. I stood out like a sore thumb.

You pay $1 for a meal. Wow what an amazing meal. Potatoes, pumpkin and zucchini and a beautiful REAL Fish pie. It was a decent size meal by anyone's standards and you got a pot of yoghurt and they served bread. Some people would ask for more bread and put it in their bag to take home. We were served tea and coffee - volunteers waited on us!! Cos stupid here said to my friend - why is that guy wearing a white shirt and tie under his apron? (he was serving us coffee) - told me volunteers came straight from work to help out. Blew me away. So I reckon I shall go offer to help. What an amazing experience.

As mentioned above, WINZ will actually penalise you for working part time - they don't encourage you to work at all unless you can do full time - like I have to slowly return to work - but I get penalised for it - even tho I'm supposedly allowed to earn $80 per week.

Anyway we are slowly working away at things. Thanks all for you support yet again. It has helped me immensely - not so totally brain dead now. No wise cracks thanks lol.