Just lost my job thanks to COVID-19, who else ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 08:20:36 pm
content: I'm on "temporary"unemployment now after 26 years with the company,Who else?

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 08:37:15 pm
content: I'm on a 9-month temporary contract until July. It's with a great company and the job's been going well, so I was hoping they might ask me to stay on. However, the industry they're in (AV for big events) has been hit really hard - as in everything cancelled for the foreseeable future. My job is safe until July but very unlikely to be able to keep me on after that.I'm not worried about finding more work, but it was the perfect job for me.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 09:49:09 pm
content: Quote from: alpher on March 26, 2020, 08:20:36 pmWhat kind of work if you don't mind us asking?

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 10:30:55 pm
content: Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you can get something going soon.All my side gigs are not looking good now but I was able to get extra hours at my main job so I guess I should be happy about that.

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 10:57:16 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on March 26, 2020, 09:49:09 pmMiddle management at "manufacturing" company in GTA, but it doesn't really matter, as everyone else got their papers too. fck.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 11:13:50 pm
content: Quote from: alpher on March 26, 2020, 10:57:16 pm~25% pay cut at manufacturing company in Vancouver. I expect layoffs to come in a month or so.US economy is going to be a disaster.Make sure you get your appropriate level of severance, if not, look up a lawyer.

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 11:29:17 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on March 26, 2020, 11:13:50 pmTalked to a lawyer already, if the company goes under WHILE government tells them to do so, you're fucked. I mean you can go after what remains from the company assets through the courts, but it'll take years and in the end you'll be left with the lawyers bill and the dick in your hands.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 11:33:26 pm
content: Sorry to hear. Sucks that companies are so greedy. So many people getting laid off over something temporary. The job market has always been crap it probably is even worse now though grocery stores and fast food places might possibly be hiring I guess... Even airlines have been laying off like crazy from what I hear. Lot of pilots are going to be manning drive thrus I think "Welcome to McDonalds this is your capt... err, uhhhh, may I take your order?".As much as I don't like still having to go into the office, I'm lucky I work in something that is essential so there is a rather low risk of me being laid off. The company stock is taking a dive though - all stocks are, I just hope this does not actually trigger layoffs even though it will go back up.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2020, 11:37:49 pm
content: I can sympathise but I'm glad I'm not yet in that position.I haven't been told for sure yet, but I'm 99.99% sure I'll be given 2½ weeks unpaid leave, but will get 80% of my pay from the government's compensation scheme. The 20% pay cut will be less than that, because I'll pay less tax. I've had the last week off sick, with no more than a common cold: colleagues noticed I was frequently coughing and was told to not come in the following day, so hope to get sick pay for that. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to take the time off as paid leave from my usual holiday allowance which I often don't use up anyway.It's possible I could lose my job, but it's more secure than other jobs such as in the catering and hospitality industry. I remain positive. I have savings to last me for months, few overheads, other than the mortgage and bills and I'm fit and healthy, so if I do get the virus, there's a good chance I'll survive it. Many others where I work aren't so lucky: they have families, underlying health conditions, are unfit and obese.It's a bugger living on my own and not being able to see friends and family, but it's a positive, since as long as I stay at home, it's virtually impossible for me to catch Covid-19.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 12:55:25 am
content: If the C thing doesn't dry up and blow away SOON, buckle up for an epic 1000+ pages of wail and woe,posted by countless shafted EEVblog members reporting job losses and business belly ups

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 01:37:21 am
content: There are probably lots of companies still looking for people. And travel restrictions offer all kinds of new opportunities. Over here we have a lot of people from abroad working in agriculture. Now they can't come. However with the cafes & restaurants closed there are plenty of people to work in agriculture.

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 01:48:44 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on March 26, 2020, 11:33:26 pmIt's not the companies being greedy, it's the government giving them an easy way out. If the government has the power to order the private enterprise to shut down under emergency circumstances, it should be prepared to bear also the legal consequences. I really hope that there is a charter challenge cooking up somewhere.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 01:55:44 am
content: I'm my own employer so not concerned in that way, but I've already noticed that a couple companies I routinely work with have put some projects on hold due to temporary uncertainty, so lack of work will happen if the crisis lasts for more than a month or two more.Anyway, good luck.

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 02:14:36 am
content: Thanks, people.https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/a2f4db51-075e-407f-95e3-f98ea7933aa1#emXTSnMSS.copyJust sold my roadtrek camper today, so I'll be financially OK. for awhile.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 05:58:14 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on March 26, 2020, 11:33:26 pmI don't think it's greed, a lot of companies have pretty thin margins so if revenue dries up and expenses don't shrink to follow then things can get ugly pretty fast. It might be temporary, I think everyone hopes that it is but due to the nature of these things it could take many years to recover. It took a major world war to pull us out of the Great Depression. Unfortunately you get a positive feedback loop, something happens and people get nervous so they cut expenses. This reduces revenue and companies start laying people off, the layoffs make people more scared and they cut back further which causes more revenue drops and the cycle repeats.This could get really, really ugly and the worst part of it all is the uncertainty. There are several different likely outcomes, none of them good. We could shut down too much too long and cause the whole system to collapse, we are not immune to the sort of total collapse that hit the former Soviet Union. We could lock things down, start to start things up again and have another big outbreak requiring another cycle of lockdown and several cycles of this could lead to a major collapse and/or give the virus a chance to mutate into something worse. The effect is a bit like taking antibiotics just long enough to feel better than stopping before finishing the prescribed doses. As people in the US get laid off, many of them will lose their health insurance, then we'll start seeing large numbers of people who get sick and really do need medical attention deciding to play the odds and hope they recover at home rather than risk being bankrupted by medical bills.I'm still not super worried about getting sick myself, it does no good to worry and odds are good that I'll recover but this thing really is spreading at a scary rate. Efforts to contain it may be helping some but not as much as I'd like to see. Uncertainty over the future is making it harder for me to focus on work and being stuck in my house with no particular end in sight is getting to me as well. I'm an introvert and kind of a homebody so if it's getting to me already then a lot of people are going to start to seriously struggle with their mental health. This will be amplified as the unemployment rate picks up, record 3.3 Million people signed up for unemployment benefits today which is the highest in history. Some new protections kick in at the start of April which are not retroactive so I'm betting on another huge wave of layoffs leading up to that. In the short term, companies well positioned to serve people who are stuck at home will do well, but once enough dominoes fall it's going to pull those down too. The $1200 stimulus checks many people receive isn't going to stimulate anything, it's like handing a single bucket of water to someone whose house is on fire.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 07:35:48 am
content: Sorry to hear about about your job. We'll see what happens world wideGood luck to all affected, will see how it pans out here.Quote from: Red Squirrel on March 26, 2020, 11:33:26 pmWhile I'm sure that there are companies that are 'greedy', many just rely on a constant throughput, and, in normal times that's a reasonable-ish way of doing business. Sadly, not everyone (companies and individuals) has the reserves to function for a few months without an income, nor did they think that such a thing is necessary.Until a few months ago, a lot of the world economy was running in YOLO mode and being rewarded for it by success. Thereby creating a glorious society full of wonders that can shatter at a moments notice and will require an insane amount of work to stabilize.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 09:58:53 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 27, 2020, 12:55:25 amQuote from: Bud on March 27, 2020, 01:08:48 amYour math is flawed sir, you imply they'll lose 10x less jobs and business fails if I don't comment?Please post the pie charts and colored bar graphs to prove thatUnlike some, tossing stale troll bait my way, I GENUINELY care what WILL happen to ALL EEVblog members, that WILL or already have been shafted by these lockdowns and panic circus,with so far only conflicting and contradictory 'expert' waffle and BS statistics to back it up.Rest assured, as before, the cash grabbers pushing this hard will not be out of pocket or a job,nor will they publicly apologize later for bending the truth or 'we didn't know better'Just wait and see when this blown up fiasco eventually DITA, and most people are semi-destitutewith handout drained governments and local councils so far in the red that they'll never recover any time soonGreybeards and old schoolers here should be commenting on this, not advanced ankle biters, as they've copped it before,Come on guys, cat got your tongueor it's just easier to play along and not rock the boat ?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 10:39:47 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 27, 2020, 09:58:53 amJust ignore troll posts like that.I did see that post awhile ago. I apologise for allowing myself to get distracted and not reporting it to the moderator.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 11:11:19 am
content: Last week US unemployment claims hits 3.3M and Canada is at almost 1M. Stock market ralliesIt's an economic collapse we are witnessing and EE's are high up the food chain, we rely on a lot of underlying basics to do what we do.I haven't heard about my contract yet, I'll know in April and fully expect it to halt for months, just due to the financial panic alone.Company A can't make their stuff for Company B who uses it for Company C to make products for company D. The domino-effect is also happening so there is another wave coming.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 11:47:13 am
content: Sorry to hear you are stood down.Remember we are just resource to companies, as I discovered after 19 years with IBM Australia. I was a top performer, but myself and hundreds of others were sold off to startup as IBM cheated me out of $40K of my retirement savings and offered me a 30% discount on an overpriced PC as a golden handshake. The IBM executives worship the god of Mammon, demonstrated by their greed. Loyalty in the end is a one way street.I have worked for a few other companies since, some excellent, some not so good, but I now run my own consultancy, designing PCB hardware and doing firmware. I am my own boss and love not having to be an employee reporting to some spin doctor doing something I don't want to do (except the tax paperwork). Work may or may not dry up for me. That being said, I am very busy at the moment with about a few month's work still. I just got a call from a company asking me to be involved with designing equipment to test respirators of all things.I suggest as a plan B, look at your 26 years worth of skills and figure out how to capitalise on them. Work might be slow at the start (partly due to the virus) but it will increase over time. You might want to learn a new skill that builds on an old one. Or if the company you worked for for 26 years rehires and wants you back, make sure they don't try to screw you. Get all your entitlements back. Or consult to them at consultancy rates.You have paid your taxes for 26 years. Your government owes it to you to help you out in the tough times.I wish you and any other electronics people all the best if you are stood down. Things might look dim now, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 12:07:01 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on March 27, 2020, 01:08:48 amAahh... Now I remember that name!I'm sorry for everyone's losses too, including a lot from my family. It snowballs so fast!! Loose your job, can't pay rent/mortgage, kids home from school, can't pay/send little kids to childcare etc etc.Am 'lucky'(?) I'm on an Invalid Medical Pension already, so jobs/money/living is not an issue. And being already 'confined' to the house there is no problem regarding 'Social-Isolation'. (Not even been to a shop in months!). But we have been trying to help family & friends when we can!

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 02:50:31 pm
content: Quote from: daqq on March 27, 2020, 07:35:48 amI've always felt this system was bad and doomed from the start. You need to be able to run with some kind of contingency, but current age economy does not run that way. It's running on fumes all the time and expecting everything to be 110% on all cylinders at all times and the slightest fart is going to make it crap out.Then again I'm not any better myself, if I lost my job I'd have to put my house on the market yesterday because the next bill that comes out will bankrupt me. Costs of living and costs of doing business keep going up so for individuals and small business the margins are so thin. The big corporations have tons of leg room but not the small ones.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 03:45:54 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on March 27, 2020, 02:50:31 pmI agree, but we just can't permanently live (and prepare) as though tomorrow was going to be the end of the world either. We wouldn't be achieving much, and a significant chunk of all people may end up dying of nervous breakdown. Maybe it's ok though, as we may have "achieved" enough, or even too much, already. Dunno.We have to find a balance of course, but I think it's harder than it looks. So much so that nature will probably repeatedly "help" us.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 04:11:11 pm
content: My wife got a new job in a nearby city months ago. Since then we have been renting an apartment while preparing our little old house to be a short term vacation rental. I dug myself into a hole doing renos for that, paying rent and buying components for various projects I'm working on.Chances of getting money from vaca rental now are slim to none. Considered making it a long term rental but tenants in BC have a lot of rights and it is very risky. On top of that, BC just announced tenants can't get evicted for not paying rent so the risk associated to long term tenant is now even greater so that is off the table.Been working on some frivolous gadgets (things that I can design, build and sell quickly on my spare time), hoping to start selling some soon but now I don't think there is much market for frivolous gadgets.I'm happy I still have a job, at a tech startup in sports / healthcare, seems like we'll keep running. Between vaca rental, selling gadgets and occasional contract design work, I was really close to surviving on my own. My boss tells me it's ok to underpay me because he underpays everyone. I was really looking forward to quitting but now I'm doing the opposite, requesting extra hours so I can try to get out of the hole I dug before things go sideways.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 05:30:47 pm
content: At a glance tenant rights seem like a good thing, but that is a perfect example of the problems that are created by not having balance. If tenants have too many rights then there is little incentive for someone to rent out property they own and that means fewer rentals available.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 05:52:10 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on March 27, 2020, 05:30:47 pmThat doesn't make sense. In the end it is about cost versus benefit (ROI). In the end being a good landlord pays itself back. Regulations just weed out the people who have no eye for the long game.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 05:59:18 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on March 27, 2020, 05:30:47 pmWhereas this is true in theory, from a business POV, this IMO only impacts rentals marginally in practice. The reason is pretty obvious. For anyone owning properties that they don't use and don't make money off, it's just dead beef that is actually a net loss (owning a property always implies some expenses.) So most owners prefer renting, and taking some risk, than not renting at all.Tenant rights may influence the kind of rental the owners choose (short term vs. long term for instance, or just vacation rentals), but even that depends a lot on the property itself and its location, so owners don't have that much choice in the end.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 06:13:11 pm
content: Not thus far,However, the UK government have said they will pay 80% of peoples wages on what is called Furlough, and it is also said that the government is encouraging people who have recently laid off employees to take them back under this scheme. There is a whole host of questions surround this and if you are lucky to be self employed and meet the right criteria you are also eligible for this, but there are a lot of self employed people who do not meet the criteria and are essentially up the creek without a paddle to put it politely.I suspect for some employers it's an ideal time unfortunately to cull those they don't want to keep but couldn't legally get rid of previously.Some smaller business cannot sustain the kinds of loss they are going to see and will fold regardless of this government scheme, but for the larger companies and other small companies able to sustain this unknown period of non trading, when the floodgates open and we are able to go back to whatever normality we can, they are going to need staff to get underway again and as they say it's the staff that make the company not the management.I applauded Adafruit who in the early onset of what happened in NYC vowed to keep their staff and pay them in full to stay home, I don't believe they have or had any kind of government assistance when they said about it, things might have changed since I don't keep up to date with Trump and his stupid hats.So, if you have been laid off recently and you have a government assisted employer scheme in place like we have then you can always contact them and ask them to take you back on Furlough, even if you leave after for the company treating you like absolute shite, it's better to get paid a bit than none at all.Here in the UK they are paying up to £2,500 a month, then taking national insurance and tax from this, which is better than nothing but I suspect some folk might see a change in wages as (not including myself) some people get paid a lot more than that, especially living in large cities like London, so if some of them are put on Furlough they'll be complaining about it I suspect.Say what you like about Boris Johnson, but he has certainly done what he said he was going to, a rare thing, particularly for a UK Prime Minister!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 06:39:07 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 27, 2020, 05:52:10 pmWell this was a reply to someone who said they were not renting out a property they own due to too many tenant rights. It creates a risk because once you get someone in its very difficult to boot them out due to this. A friend of mine had a rental condo for a while but he put it on the market and sold it to someone who lives in it after a bad experience with tenants.I'm not saying tenants shouldn't have rights, only that there needs to be a balance. Landlords need to be able to remove tenants who are problematic so they can get someone in there that is not chronically late paying the rent, damaging the property, being a neighborhood nuisance, etc. Then there are unforeseen events like this pandemic that screw everybody. On one hand it's pretty shit to boot somebody who lost their job, but on the other hand a landlord who is just an ordinary person with bills to pay needs to make a living too. During the 2008 collapse a lot of rental properties went into foreclosure as landlords went bankrupt. It's a bad situation any way you look at it.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 07:12:25 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 27, 2020, 05:52:10 pmI apologize for derailing the thread. I was trying to summarize the problem to not distract from the focus of this thread but 'tenant rights' is a touchy subject. I will add a bit of clarification and hope we can leave it at that.It takes months to remove horrible tenants despite severe damage, criminal behavior and threats of violence. They can do damage equivalent to years worth of rent and it is impossible to get money from them. The probability is low but the severity is horrific. Regulations we have here protect horrible tenants and weed out good people who are too good to risk going to jail to remove bad tenants.https://infotel.ca/newsitem/vernon-landlord-says-shes-out-of-rental-business-after-nightmare-tenant/it55176https://globalnews.ca/news/4153633/nightmare-tenant-landlord-rights/Quote

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 11:04:43 pm
content: Landlord wannabees that buy property cheap and or when the loan interest rates are low,expecting to fix and spend nothing maintaining said properties, whilst'tenants pay it off for them'deserve to be out of pocket, and lucky if the greedy lazy jerks don't lose their own house put up as security collateral, when hard times comeThat said, there are realistic landlords out there who screen their tenants properly,and both groups co-operate to get by during genuine economic hard times,or new age style economic upheavals, marketed as a global health risk, apparently working great so farBut you don't have to be a sucker and wait months/years to get back an abused un-rentable/un-sellable propertyfrom criminal gutter trash that should never have been born.I've seen bad tenants get the arse legally and a few times not so legally..Legally, if done properly, they can be gone in two to four weeks maxIt's up to the landlord to research how to do it right, with local police in attendance for the landlords RIGHT to a property inspection,take pictures and fill in a Property Report form, in case they trash the place any further,and ask the police to serve and witness the VACATE notice.Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should a landlord deal un-witnessed with a bad tenant once things begin to go south, and vice versaIf they are not gone by the vacate date, the police rock up and get the assh0les outIf that's not possible, pay an armed licensed security mobwho specialize in violenceto get it done,and hire a truck to load up and turf their furniture and belongings where they prefer,or if they don't care or uncooperative, take it to a charity outlet or local tipThis way you'll pay once, cry once, scum gone, have the property back, and decide what's best for you > repair/rent, repair/sell,or sell 'as is' cheaper to a buyer who will repair/renovate it, so you can walk away..OTOH if the landlord has been a cheapskate bean counting ass, talking down to tenants and refusing fair requests to maintain the property,they deserve serial bad tenants FOREVER@ Landlords: which type of landlord are you, fair or foul?

author: maginnovision
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 11:20:03 pm
content: I know my grandfather when he bought his first apartment complex was too relaxed as to tenants. Lots of damage, evictions, legal issues. He eventually sold it and bought a larger unit. He now has management who have very selective screening. Other family members have also had tenant troubles. One condo sustained 40K in damage and the tenant was there for 8 months and only paid for 4 of those. Usually these things don't happen but the more property you have the more trouble you have. The best idea is to find a good management company to take care of your properties and not try to do it yourself.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 11:25:16 pm
content: Quote from: maginnovision on March 28, 2020, 11:20:03 pmAs usual with investments you need to diversify. And when dealing with long term customers (that is what tenants are) you need to do good screening. Getting advice from an attorney should help create a standard rental contract which avoids pitfalls. There are strong regulations to protect tenants in many places but it doesn't give tenants carte blanche.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 11:35:01 pm
content: There are bad landlords out there of course, and most tenants are fine people BUT it takes only one nightmare tenant to leave quite a long lasting impression. Screening is good but doesn't catch everything and like the HR people at companies it can easily screen out some really good ones who simply don't have enough of the right kind of history.Tenant should have rights but so should landlords. There should be circumstances under which it is easy to kick somebody out rapidly. If they are damaging the property, generating a large number of police responses to the property, engaging in illegal activity, that sort of thing. If they stop paying the rent that's another thing where there should be some wiggle room but it shouldn't take 8 months to evict them. If we're going to offer such heavy protections and force a landlord to allow someone who has stopped paying to continue living there then maybe we (society, government, etc) should be compensating the landlord. Without landlords willing to rent properties, there are not properties for people to rent. We saw that here during the last housing bubble when renting out property was no longer cost effective vs selling it so scores of apartment complexes got converted to condos which were no longer affordable to most of the people who were living in them. The town I live in went from having about 10 apartment complexes to having *one*, the rest all became condos.

author: fourfathom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2020, 12:39:23 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 28, 2020, 11:04:43 pmThis kind of depends on where you are, doesn't it? You should see some of the "tenant's rights" rules in San Francisco (and better/worse yet, some of the recently-proposed ones). Probably not years in a for-cause eviction, but easily many months.

author: alpher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2020, 01:36:48 am
content: Fck this, just today my next door neighbor was taken to hospital, when came back told me that he doesn't now for sure yet, but has the symptoms. Doesn't look like 2020 gonna be a good year for mua.And as far as tenants rights are concerned, my take is "fuck them" they have way too many.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2020, 06:40:17 am
content: Quote from: fourfathom on March 29, 2020, 12:39:23 amIt's sort of like that here, but after reading up on all the docs available regarding tenants rights, landlords rights, and what the police can do in these situations,bottom line is this: if rent is two weeks in arrears, the landlord can serve a police witnessed and recorded vacate notice,i.e. if there's no money going to the landlord then there's NO LEASE or agreement,so they either vacate within two weeks, or stay on and be reported and charged for TRESPASSING,and vandalism if there's property damageBasically when the money stops their 'rights' stop too.Only if they bait the landlord and or partner to say or do something dumbass and get angry, will the game change in the bad tenants favorWatch out for that one, because it's their one and only trick at kick out time, to screw the landlord for a few more monthsThe landlord should ensure the tenants receive the vacate notice via police etc and have NO RAPPORT or contact with the tenant, unless a police officer is present.As hard as that is, that's what you gotta do to get the assh0les out,because they'll make up some BS you entered the property without notice and threatened them, stole their dope, kicked their cat/dog etcBeen and seen a lot of these disputes to know only the calm person that goes by the written Rules winsor you can opt to get grumpy, personal and righteous about it,and see how quick bad tenants will take you to court, whilst staying on..and not paying rent

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2020, 09:47:04 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on March 28, 2020, 11:35:01 pmAt the moment banks are working with people who can't pay their mortgages (and that includes landlords). So, it does not seem unreasonable in the given circumstances to also be giving renters the protection of not being out on the street because the government is hell bent on Fcking the country by placing everyone (but themselves) under house arrest.

author: ddavidebor
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2020, 10:55:12 pm
content: I was changing job when the pandemic started. All interview cancelled, all position suspended.Moved country, can't go back, can't work here.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2020, 10:00:43 am
content: I am so glad I did not take the contract position I was offered 4 months ago, because I would probably be without work for the future. It paid well, but not well enough for the risk of finding another position.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2020, 06:11:53 pm
content: Quote from: ddavidebor on March 29, 2020, 10:55:12 pmIn hindsight: don't move before having a signature on a contract!

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2020, 11:02:36 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 30, 2020, 06:11:53 pmYES, in stable economic times with no global outbreak of flying pigs spreading the sniffles and PSBut that-signature-won't be worth the ink used if the business is in a next level shtf lock down and doors closedor jobs need to be culled, and locals and long timer employees favored firstThere's most likelyfine printin work contracts that bails out the employer if they are gov coaxedand or hoaxedfrom business operationsand if you're a foreigner in another nation expecting some form of internationalshafted touristcontractual 'rights',good luck chasing up someone at the embassy when they are self imprisoned at their home or shoe box apartment,zealously guarding their hoarded toilet paper stocks in the event of a surprise zombie offensivei.e. FYI to anyone thinking about it: this is not the time for a major sea change or career upheaval or to 'follow your dreams'

author: ddavidebor
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 11:59:32 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 30, 2020, 11:02:36 pmI honestly do not care - got rather fed up of working and living in Italy.

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 12:10:12 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on March 27, 2020, 05:58:14 amYep, I'm afraid most people don't realize that most companies are not sitting on loads on money waiting to be spent. Money rushes through a company like diarrhea, if you don't keep up the supply, they're quick to dry out and die.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 05:25:22 pm
content: Currently working part time here in Shenzhen for a company back in Portugal. At least the IT/Networking is still needing people, since someone have to support the systems that most use to work remotely.But yes, I worry a little about my wife, a client support in a company that sells offset printing machinery. She is currently at home because of our newborn, until July, but after that if this still continues we don't know what could happen, since 2019 was a year that the revenue saw a decrease compared with other years.Of course I always have Portugal but as a country that had put all their eggs in the tourism basket after the 2008 crisis and the Troika (European Commission (EC), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)) bailout/economic hoes that affected Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain (the so called PIIGS as we got to be known outside, originally only the 4 Mediterranean states) Portugal reformed everything to tourism, were most of the buildings in Lisbon were bought and reproposed to be Hostels and Hotels, Restaurants, Tourism/Souvenir/Traditional Arts Shops, etc.Now with this most of tourism is non existent, specially in Lisbon, the south of the country know by their beaches and resorts will be mostly empty, leading to unemployment and lack of seasonal working, as we approach the high season (May to September). As an IT guy probably I would get something, even if it was fixing computers, something I've done since I was 16 to get money for my own things, but regarding her and the kid I don't know. Although I try not to think too much into the future and just adapt to the present.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 06:01:48 pm
content: Quote from: thinkfat on March 31, 2020, 12:10:12 pmThat is not entirely true. A lot of companies get their working capital through a credit line from a bank. In the end letting money sit without using it is more expensive (no interest) compared to paying interest over money that is actually used to make a profit. Trouble starts if the expenses continue and sales dry up. A viable company should be able to extend the line of credit somehow. Several countries have instated government backed loans to companies for example.

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 06:18:20 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 31, 2020, 06:01:48 pmI said nothing else. Companies don't have money in the bank waiting to be spent. They cannot afford it, it's not reasonably to have money and not using it for generating profit. It's just worse if your working capital is a bank loan.Try extending your credit line (which just means you're going deeper into debt as a company) when the bank doesn't see a perspective in your business. You have no customers now, what makes you think this will change, is the question you'll get asked. You better come up with a convincing projection. For example, you sell shoes. But the bank doesn't expect shoe stores reopening for several months. You'll not get money for sitting around. You'll get money for investing into selling "differently" so that they can be sure to get the money back eventually. While every other shoe store is doing the same.

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 08:39:33 pm
content: Quote from: thinkfat on March 31, 2020, 12:10:12 pmThere are a lot of companies that are just trying to survive and they don't have the resources to weather this though without aid. I'm all for the government helping these businesses out given the current situation where the government has forced most business to close down. Work from home is not viable when your business cannot ship it's products.However, there are some truly horrible business out there taking advantage of the situation and it taints public perspective of businesses as a whole. Some businesses here for example have applied for the wage subsidy which requires employees consent and then fired their employees once the paper work is done to keep the government subsidy (illegal), others are getting the subsidy but not paying it there employees or claiming the employee has to use holiday/sick leave (illegal). I'm sure some companies are using this as an excuse to fire workers without consequence. The government here is going to publish the names of all companies that get the wage subsidy so the ones abusing it can be reported on.One a side note, I also read in the US companies are claiming the stimulus package money given to people will be deducted from peoples pay checks. The greed is really bottomless.Unfortunately, when people hear of these cases they don't think about the majority of business that are doing everything they can for there employees. It's like any group, a small minority of aholes taint the group as a whole.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 10:07:32 pm
content: Quote from: blacksheeplogic on March 31, 2020, 08:39:33 pmPerhaps your government isn't applying the subsidy properly?In the UK, the company will have to continue to pay their employees 80% of their wage up to £2000 per month, then claim it back from the government.Fortunately I've been given full pay, even though the company can't claim all of it back from the government. The only thing I'll lose is a four days annual leave, but I don't care about that.

author: MapleLeaf
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 10:21:43 pm
content: I was just was told that my 5 days a week became a 3 day work week. But, get this, the two days that i am off i get payed full for the next 8 weeks. Something to do with the gov. After that i will have to burn vacation time. I have accumulated 300 hours of it so i am good for another few months.As long as i keep this up i get full benefits also. This may be the best summer I have had in 40 yearsAlmost as good as a sabbatical.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 11:00:08 pm
content: Quote from: MapleLeaf on March 31, 2020, 10:21:43 pmI agree, always nice to work less hours. That offer is about as good as you can get.Allowing you to use vacation hours however doesn't make sense to me, unless they want the building shut down 2 days/week. That or they have the cash to burn now knowing you'll be working full hours when its over.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 11:26:47 pm
content: Before people start sinking the boots in on businesses, think about this:Decent business owners cop it many ways:concern for their own families,doing the right thing for their employees,staying in business without going under and losing their homes,with little to no 'career downgrade' opportunity for a low paying employee job, to put food on the table.undecided on whether to keep going till things may get better eventually/gradually/too long,or pull the plug, close shop asap and cut losses before everything gets wiped out....meanwhile the rent and outgoings, bank payments/interest and employee wages need to be paidSo go easy on the decent battling businesses folksand pray those businesses run by assh0les will get what's coming to them

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2020, 11:40:14 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 31, 2020, 11:26:47 pmI had a conversation with a relative the other day. Their business had to close but they are hellbound on keeping the employees as they will need them more than ever to chew through the backlog of work that is accumulating. I hope the bank takes it easy on their to postpone interest payments.

author: TomS_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 07:27:21 am
content: I have two friends that have been furloughed in the UK, although one of them was brought back in relatively quickly.He and myself are both stuck in Australia at the moment due to the resulting flight cancellations, and me personally, I am forcibly unable to work (I could to an extent, but they wont allow me to) while Im stuck here. My day job is network engineer, so mostly working at command lines etc, and that in theory can be done from the beach. There are some internal rules that prevent me from working in this situation though, as strange as it seems there may be some legalities involved (specifically about being in a foreign country to where I am employed and I surmise because Im not here for business reasons).My airline managed to get me rebooked onto a flight in early May, and Im sort of half expecting that I may be furloughed aswell. The only silver lining I see so far is they said I would continue to be paid.So not exactly lost it yet, but I feel like Im on a knifes edge, definitely not exactlyenjoyingmy "extended holiday".

author: donotdespisethesnake
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 12:01:15 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on March 31, 2020, 11:26:47 pmYeah, I'm just worried for all those shareholders who might lose their dividends.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 09:41:25 pm
content: Turns out in my place some are being furloughed, some are being made redundant and the rest are taking between a 10% and 30% pay cut (people in the higher salaries are 30%), and they have in no uncertain terms stated no annual pay-rise this year.As far as I know consultations are already taking place for redundancies and everyone has been told by Friday gone who they were, those who have been furloughed have already been notified - i've heard nothing so I'm guessing i'm one of the "lucky" ones with a pay cut and working from home (i'm in the lowest pay cut percentage for those wondering, no chance of that payrise now!)So, is it fair in that case to do 10% less work?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 09:54:24 pm
content: I've been furloughed since 27thMarch. Fortunately I'm on full pay, as the company has topped up the shortfall from the government subsidy, but I'll lose 4 days annual leave, which I'm not bothered about. I've not been into work since the 18thMarch, as I was coughing quite a lot on that day and was told not to come in for at least 7 days, then the manager told me not to go in, until further notice.The company will reopen in a couple of weeks time and I'll be back on the 21st. The manager emailed everyone telling them they're making changes to the working environment and procedures to enable us to stick to the 2m social distance and provide everyone with gloves and hand sanitiser.I'll probably have more money this month, than normal, simply because I'm not socialising so will save more. I think I'll donate most of the money I've not spent to charity, although I can't be too generous, in case I lose my job.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 10:04:44 pm
content: We recently had a company wide 10% pay cut which they have assured us is temporary depending of course on the length of the downturn in the money coming in. I can easily absorb that cut even without the fact that by working fulltime from home I'm not spending anything on transportation and not eating out for lunch. There was also a handful of layoffs, from what I saw it was a mix of low performers who were already on the potential chopping block and some good people who were unfortunate to be on teams that were hard hit by the current conditions. I've been impressed so far with the candor of the CEO and other execs, unlike other places I've worked I get the impression that they're being as open as they can and making a good effort to do what they can, having talked to our customers and analyzed everything they can, preparing for the current worst-case predictions. Unfortunately I suspect things will actually be far worse than the worst case predictions we currently have but I'd be very happy to be utterly wrong. Apparently they are continuing to provide the medical insurance for those who were let go for a couple of months which is more than most companies do.I still hold out hope that this pandemic will finally be the catalyst needed to fix our horribly broken and incredibly inefficient health insurance industry which is exactly that, an industry focused not on providing care but in earning a profit. While deficient in the best of times, a global pandemic really puts the glaring faults in the spotlight, millions of people losing their healthcare in the middle of a pandemic is a colossal and inexcusable failure that harms us all and costs incalculable amounts of money and lives.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 10:10:08 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on April 04, 2020, 09:54:24 pmI strongly suggest to hold on to your money. If you want to help then donate your time by volunteering somewhere.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 10:13:51 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on April 04, 2020, 10:10:08 pmThat's my inclination too, however I'm annoyed by the fact that people holding onto their money out of fear of an economic crash creates a self-fulfilling prophecy because the economy WILL crash if everyone does that. If everyone continued with life as normal as possible under the circumstances we could adapt and keep spending money to keep the economy going despite having to alter our behavior but it's in any individual's own best interest to not do so.

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2020, 03:25:17 am
content: Quote from: james_s on April 04, 2020, 10:13:51 pmThe government here placed everyone they consider non-essential under house arrest. The only safe workers are those on the government pay roll. There is no continue with a normal life here and few outside of the government pay roll can depend on the jobs they have. It took almost no time for the government to take there kind of actions. Expenditure has to be prioritized towards the basics and keeping the mortgage paid. There will be a huge number of people without an steady income in the coming months so it's not about keeping the economy going or avoiding an economic crash, it's about how do you pay your mortgage and put food on the table in the coming weeks.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2020, 03:44:13 am
content: How to pay your mortgage and put food on the table is exactly what the economy is all about. I know a lot of other people in the tech industry and they're all working from home now. Stores that sell food, pet supplies, hardware and supplies for the trades and various other essential businesses are open, restaurants can still serve takeout. All the usual mail order suppliers seem to be up and running still. I've continued to buy and sell on ebay, though I've disinfected the items I've packed and washed off stuff I receive. My friend's machine shop is running because they make aerospace and some medical stuff, they're busier than usual due to other shops being closed. My partner manages an animal hospital and they're much busier than usual for the same reason. There is still plenty of economic activity that can occur. My own life is not THAT different than usual since I'm kind of a homebody anyway though I've relied more on mail order than usual and instead of going to the store every 2-3 days for groceries we bought a month or so worth of food at Costco. Unfortunately since my partner is working I'm not protected despite barely leaving my house however I suspect we already had Covid several weeks ago. The symptoms checked most of the boxes but it was very mild. Whatever it bug I had was mild enough for me that under normal circumstances I don't think I would have even taken a day off work. We wouldn't have gotten approved to be tested even had we asked so unless I get something later that is confirmed to be Covid I'll never know.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2020, 07:59:29 am
content: Quote from: blacksheeplogic on April 05, 2020, 03:25:17 amI wouldn't want to be a poolitician, bs authority/expert or news media clown facing streets of angry Maories very soon..when they finally realize they got taken for a ride by assh0les they trusted,with no jobs, no prospects, no decent food on the table for their familiesand insult to injury > STILL no dunny paper!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2020, 07:36:58 pm
content: In hindsight I suppose we should have probably locked down EVERYTHING except for emergency services for 2 weeks early on and isolated it but in practice that is not likely to have flown. My worry now is that this half assed patchwork of lockdowns is going to cause things to drag out on and on as hotspots flare up and the virus keeps spreading.On an individual basis the risk is low, most of us will be exposed sooner or later, most will have minor to moderate symptoms if any at all and the vast majority will recover without complications. The rate at which it has been spreading though is unlike anything I've ever witnessed and that's going to result in some very sobering numbers of deaths despite being only a very small percentage of the population. I read last night that New Orleans is running out of refrigerated storage for corpses and morgues are filled to capacity.On the bright side, I suspect flu deaths will be noticeably low for a few years after this as Covid culls the herd and wipes out many who would have died of the flu in the next couple of seasons.