Two Month Vacation

[BrianD]

About six months ago I took a job with a new company. It was my first time in the IT area of a Fortune 500 company and I was just about to finish my MBA. I figured this would be great experience and either allow me to move up within the company, or give me a good springboard to bigger and better things.

Two months after I was hired, there were talks about a possible hostile takeover, but it didn't look like it would be successful.

Two months after that, the company announced its sale to another company who was weak in IT. Great, now I am looking at good experience with a Fortune 100 company.

Two months after that (yesterday), I find out that the corporate office is being shut down and almost all of us (including me) are out of a job. Today is my last day. Fortunately, three weeks ago I was moved physically to the corporate office. This this corporate office closure qualifies under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), the company is required to give us 60 days notice of a plant closing. Failing that, they are required to pay us for 60 days while we look for new work.

I now get to start a two-month paid vacation while looking for a new job. Hooray stress.

[lordscarlet]

About six months ago I took a job with a new company. It was my first time in the IT area of a Fortune 500 company and I was just about to finish my MBA. I figured this would be great experience and either allow me to move up within the company, or give me a good springboard to bigger and better things.

Two months after I was hired, there were talks about a possible hostile takeover, but it didn't look like it would be successful.

Two months after that, the company announced its sale to another company who was weak in IT. Great, now I am looking at good experience with a Fortune 100 company.

Two months after that (yesterday), I find out that the corporate office is being shut down and almost all of us (including me) are out of a job. Today is my last day. Fortunately, three weeks ago I was moved physically to the corporate office. This this corporate office closure qualifies under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), the company is required to give us 60 days notice of a plant closing. Failing that, they are required to pay us for 60 days while we look for new work.

I now get to start a two-month paid vacation while looking for a new job. Hooray stress.


All things considered, I would love that. :) Particularly at any other job but this one (in that I am very happy at my current job). The longest paid layoff I've gotten is 2 weeks (I've been laid off twice) and I would love to have time to do my own thing while finding the right job.

[Butter]

So, let's say someone wants to hire you next week to start in mid-February. Do you take them up on it, or tell them you're not available until the end of March?

[BrianD]

So, let's say someone wants to hire you next week to start in mid-February. Do you take them up on it, or tell them you're not available until the end of March?

While I would love to stretch the whole 2-month vacation, I'd probably go for the double paycheck and start early.

[lordscarlet]

While I would love to stretch the whole 2-month vacation, I'd probably go for the double paycheck and start early.

I would probalby give myself 2 weeks off and then start the job, but it would be hard to resist the two extra weeks of extra pay.

[Cringer]

I could go for that. I just got screwed on my last paycheck it seems. My company went out of business last week.

[wade moore]

Brian - what kind of IT work do you do?

[MacroGuru]

I could go for that. I just got screwed on my last paycheck it seems. My company went out of business last week.

Yeah Baby!!! NO reach around either! :D

Well, at least others are more fortunate....

[Franklinnoble]

While I would love to stretch the whole 2-month vacation, I'd probably go for the double paycheck and start early.

Better read the fine print on your severance agreement... some of them terminate early if you get another job elsewhere.

[BrianD]

Better read the fine print on your severance agreement... some of them terminate early if you get another job elsewhere.

I was actually encouraged my agents of my old company (pre-acquisition) to find a new job and "double-dip" for a while. Apparently they made sure the agreement was such to allow this.

[stevew]

I thought this thread was about Bubba Wheels' time off he just got from the board.

[BrianD]

Brian - what kind of IT work do you do?

Cisco networking and Linux server administration. I just recently got my MBA, so I've been looking to shift toward IT Project Management or IT department management as well...or find a company that will let me work my way up to that.