Classic rock -
It looks more and more like I'm not keeping my job past
October 29th. On Monday, October 7th, the sale of Pacific Hospital of Long
Beach to College Health Enterprises will be finalized and I will be considered
a straggler of Healthsmart Pacific, the former owner, because I never got the
interview I was hoping for. Most employees have gotten their interviews and
offered jobs by the new owner who will rename the hospital College Medical
Center. A bunch of "oldtimers" like me were not even considered. As I
brace myself emotionally and financially for unemployment, I wonder what it was
in my application that excluded me for consideration. The only criteria that
comes to mind or what it appears like anyway, based on myself and others who
were not hired are these: over age 50, 10 years or more with the company, and
earning such and such amount. Our applications seems to have been set aside without
further consideration. One of those is illegal (age discrimination) but of
course they won't tell you that they used it as a basis for exclusion.
So where do I go from here? There will be the usual job
search of course, but what strategies should I come up with so I can meet my living
expenses if I become unemployed for the long term? My main concerns are my
mortgage (I don't want to be homeless), health and dental insurance, homeowner's
association dues, utilities like heating gas, electricity, and internet, food
(of course), gasoline, and on an annual basis - car insurance, real estate
taxes, and income taxes.
Cash out of my vacation time which is about 400 hours, will
help of course and that will sustain me for a few months. Applying for
unemployment insurance after October 29th and hopefully receiving a few dollars
a week for 26 weeks, will be another help, provided I don't get myself fired
before then, otherwise I won't qualify for this compensation. Here is the link to for filing a claim: http://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/filing_a_claim.htm . I also have some
savings. It is a matter of calculating how long I can make all of these last
before I go broke. As all if not most of us know, I cannot touch my taxed
deferred retirement plans without being penalized until I turn 59 and 1/2. That
is still 3 and 1/2 years away. Then when I turn 62, I can start collecting
minimum Social Security (provided it's not bankrupt then).
In the meantime, is it a good idea to try contacting the
recruiter to find out what it was in my application that excluded me for being
considered, and perhaps also ask how I can improve it to make it more attractive to employers?
Wracking my brain due to all of the above made for a
restless sleep so I just got up early and wrote this. If only I had enough
money, early retirement would be nice, but then again, if I get bored at home sometimes during my days off, what more if didn't have a job to go to anymore? Well, at least I got my free flu shot from work a few days ago.
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