Just started new job and then finds out it's downsizing????

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Aug 23, 2012

Next week will be 17 weeks, and a few more weeks will be 20. Just because you are called off doesn't mean you are not employed by them still. So after your 20 weeks, if you are still called off, I would do something about collecting. What does the household income need to be for your husband to collect SSDI? Depending on how much he could get in that, perhaps go per diem, working just to what you are allowed to bring in?

If you are laid off, get as many benefits as you can. Go to the local welfare office. Because you said you made too much money for your ill husband to qualify, you HAVE PAID INTO THIS as has he for a long time of working. However, if it comes to a point that you would be without a job, your monthly income certainly has gone down to the point where you need some assistance.

If you keep looking for full time work, try home health, a doctor's office or clinic, and see if this could be something that works for you.

Best of luck to you and I hope it all works out.

jodyangel, RN · Aug 23, 2012

Well last year I made around $80,000 working fulltime. So we qualify for nothing. And no he won't qualify for SSDI anyway, because he is from another country, came here to be with me, worked under the table..but couldn't find a job otherwise so he hasnt paid into social security. So that means he gets nothing even tho he is now disabled.

I took this part time job because they told me I could pick up time. They didnt Tell me that they were already sending people home every 4 hours. So now Im off orientation and getting called off.

I am looking..but can't find anything I can quickly jump into. Bills won't wait. I'm feeling a bit frantic here...

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · Aug 23, 2012

I'm screwed right? Oh yeah I'm job searching..but its not easy to find something quickly. Just needed to vent...I really don't know what to do when my bills come due...

jodyangel, I had a similar situation. Got my first a dream job--in the ED job and the hours I wanted. A month later I heard that the facility was haveing severe financial problems and was considering closing. From that point on, we experieced problems with supplies, etc. Withn a few months, the entire hospital closed and it was razed. It is now a local high school. Darn, just when things were going my way that happened. So, this was just a little setback.

You are not screwed. You have a license, skills, and experience. You are a nurse and there are all kinds of Nursing Jobs out there in varous areas. Plus, you can take on call or part time work in the mean time. Worrying about whether you get another job will not help you with anything. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start looking for another job--the mortgage has to be paid and food put on the table. It is a bad break, and it will not be the only bad break you have in your career. You are a nurse and don't berate yourself; you are valuable. The thing is to find a place you are needed.

sauconyrunner · Aug 24, 2012

Keep looking, maybe even for a second part time job.

One of the things with these call offs is that they MAY be cyclical. Depending on where you live. Currently our hospital has an entire unit closed. It happens every summer. Then within a few weeks, wham bam, come September, and October, we are rocking and rolling, and do not have enough beds, or nurses. In addition, people were complaining of not getting enough hours, but I looked around and saw all these pregnant nurses, sure enough in a few weeks, we had a lot of shifts to cover.

I'd ask around if this is typical, and be sure that it is not just summer... etc.

AND, sign up for agency...

RNGriffin · Aug 24, 2012

If you are worried about unemployment, there is a way you can equate wages from other states into the UI as well. Unemployment is not solely based off of your last position, but your earnings within a base period( I worked in UI when I was 18). But, you shouldn't be worried about layoffs just yet. Maybe they are restructuring a couple of units or condensing. Explore other opportunities. The worse thing you can do right now is sit back and wait for a train wreck to happen.

acosenza2 · Aug 24, 2012

My advice, go agency if you are having a hard time finding work. I have a few friends that are nurses working for agencies and some of them have a regular schedule of 60h/week while others have decided they only want 30h/week. I found nursing work 45 mins away, but the paycheck offsets the 45 min drive so I was willing to take it.

jodyangel, RN · Aug 24, 2012

Yes I've looked for agency work...but just doesn't seem to be around like they use to be. I will look some more today.I am a labor/delivery RN..makes it a little more challenging to find positions..but I'm looking..Oh but the calling off...I can't manage to pay bills with that sort of.nonsense. doesn't matter if it turns around in a month..now my credit will be dashed..know what I mean?

pgnurse79 · Aug 24, 2012

Have you saved anything from prior jobs? 401k or life insurance? If necessary, you can tap into those although there is a heavy tax penalty.

I hope things work out for you and your family.

monkeybug · Aug 25, 2012

What about travel nursing? I did it for a while so I'm still on a lot of the companies' lists, and I get calls all the time for open L&D positions. Your husband doesn't work, so he could go with you.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Aug 27, 2012

Hiring for full time and then calling the employee off is rampant. It's a win/win for the employer. Having more staff than you need means the higher paid employees are only getting half the amt of hours. While the newer lower paid employees are getting the other half of the hours.

Nobody wins but the employer. Yippee!

As far as unemployment goes, every state is different. I can work one 12 hr day a week and still make too much money to get unemployment. I can't quit because there are no other jobs right now.

jodyangel, RN · Aug 27, 2012

No...no 401k..didn't work.fulltime until 2002..Honest..traveling.doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm 58 and love my home :: (