Two Weeks Since I Lost My Job.... An Interesting Revelation [View all]

Two weeks ago today I was laid off from a job that I was only at for 7 months. I had to use up much of my savings to relocate from Seattle to McMinnville Oregon in the process of which I will never get back as my company did not offer relocation monies.

My wife and I had to break a 1 year lease so we could relocate back to Seattle and yes it was not a cheap move back but had to be done as the Yamhill county/McMinnville area is depressed. Our landlord was gracious with us and allowed us out of the lease without any further expense, we left his rental in better shape than when we moved in and he gave us a statement stating he was vacating the lease due to the situation.

During the closing out of our affairs I found out some interesting revelations about my company and the owner. McMinville/Yamhill county has a population of about 200k people. The company failed to pay the employees on time for 3 months until the local paper did a SHAME piece of their state of financial affairs, it painted a dismal picture of the company. But their bleak financial affairs are not limited to just the domestic and international theater, they are the same locally adding to the local areas depression. The company is severely in debt from a limited amount of research I did in the neighborhood of a million $$ this is to hotels,public storage, utility company's, print shops,office supply, and contractors, there are more. A MILLION $$$ in a community of 30K is a hell of a lot of money.

The revelation

The owner during the elections had the front lawn decorated with local and national republican candidates signs. It was then I realized just what kind of a company I worked for. The way this company handles its affairs is much like the republicans handle affairs nationally,they just kick it down the road and force someone else to pay for it,namely the little guy

Again I used up most of my savings in the relocation. One month into my employment I saw the first signs of financial distress when the company was being denied credit for large amounts of fuel because of failure to pay,shortly there after finding out the company's financial affairs were very deep.This has led me to think that since the company wants to know how I handle my affairs shouldn't we have a level playing field and be able to see how the prospective employer handles theirs?? I am planning meeting with my local state lawmakers and Rep. Adam Smith and begin pushing for two way disclosure. Had I known the company was in the crapper financially I likely would have not taken the position. I think this is only fair.

I would encourage each member of DU to consider pushing your local and national elected leaders to do the same thing. This is one way we can take back our power and end needless irrelevant intrusiveness into our lives.

I am actually relieved to have been laid off,it was like the Titanic being lifted off my shoulders and a breathe of fresh air.