Reinvention/Intervention
Jan 30th, 2010 by Wendy
It is shocking how many people I know who are nearing retirement age yet find themselves needing to reinvent themselves. Reinvention can be a good thing, but when it is an intervention due to job loss, it is just plain scary. Last night while strolling around downtown in the rain I saw some old friends and their news was more of the same…working part time due to cuts, not working at all due to closures. I found myself actually physically backing away from the conversation (what was I thinking? that these things are contagious?).
We’ve been hearing for some years now that the model is broken, the standard that says one can get and keep a job in the same field and enjoy health and savings benefits until one hits retirement. Perhaps this is not so true for government and school employees (yet) but it certainly is true in the private business sector. The entire system needs an intervention…but until then many of us are stuck with trying for reinvention. I hope my heart can take it.
I hope so to. This nagging sense of uncertainty is painful!
…Perhaps this is not so true for government and school employees …..
Regretfully if you want to get something done at the DMV or the County, the City or the library, you might have a painful surprise.
School is still in session but we’re looking at a $5.3 million cut for next fiscal year and I think the budget was under $60 mil to start with. Last year’s cuts were 3.4 million.
We’re looking at possibly 7 furlough days next year (relatively few compared to the State of CA or SC County) as well as layoffs and diminished programs. I’ll share my story with you when I see you next.