…for now.
I just found out that my employer is forcing us into a company-wide week-long shutdown. Most of the company will be taking mandatory vacation at the end of the year. However, since I work in manufacturing and we have a year-end production goal to meet, our “vacation” is scheduled for the beginning of the year. Combined with the company holidays that we have for Christmas and New Year, I’ll be off work for nearly three weeks. I’m fortunate to have just enough vacation time to cover this shutdown, but it’s going to wipe out my vacation time reserve. I had a feeling that this would be coming, so I have been pretty diligent in the last six months in minimising my vacation time usage. Guess I’ll have some time to do some serious solder melting.
The other fun thing that I learned is that our next scheduled merit pay raise has been cancelled. Awesome news. I’m just waiting for the next kick in the nuts to come. Isn’t this economy great?
I couldn’t help but let you know that your posting struck a chord with me. My company, also a manufacturing facility, is planning a ‘mandatory’ shutdown the week following Christmas for the first time ever. I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones, however, because they’ve opted to pay us for the week instead of give out a Christmas bonus. I’m not complaining one bit. Unfortunately, that’s probably only the beginning. I foresee things getting worse for us not long after the first of the year and that’ll likely mean weeks off without pay (unless you burn vacation).
Yes, the economy IS just great!
73’s, Ed N4EMG
Ed, thanks for the reply. It certainly helps to put things in perspective. You are indeed lucky to get your shutdown time paid for. I too fear that much worse is to come in 2009. Let’s pray that I’m wrong.
Have a merry Christmas!
73,
Jason