BigNick
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
For the last couple of years we've had a very a small number of layoffs, based on taking people who volunteer to go. I threw my hat into the ring a year ago, because we have an exceptionally generous payoff system(*), which I think is probably unsustainable.
Last January, my boss talked to his boss about it for the 2011 round and got a "no".
In September, when 2012's and 2013's layoff quotas were announced - still small, but larger than last year's - my boss asked me if I was still interested. I said I was. He went to his (new) boss, but came back with the report that she thought that my position was too politically visible (vis-a-vis the rest of the staff - I'm called HR Development Manager, and we "can't be seen not to be doing staff development") to be removed.
Then, in December, he told me that my job was back on the table. The numbers will have been very tempting for him and his boss, as our sector (admin) needs to cut proportionately more posts *and* save a minimum amount of money per post, and although I'm probably only in the top 200 in the place on seniority, I'm in the top 100 on monthly remuneration, as I get a lot of benefits.
Well, I got the news today. My job and name are on the head honcho's desk. Being a public organisation, we still have some more hoops to jump through, but my boss told me that there was a 90% chance that I would be chosen - apart from anything else, they don't have enough volunteers, and every involuntary departure will be like pulling teeth.
So, even allowing for the shenanigans and the notice period, with my accumulated vacation entitlement, I could be out by May 31.
(*) One month's pay, with most benefits and no deductions, for every year of service up to 24; I have 19 months service and will walk away with something just short of 200K, once I've bought 19 months of extra pension entitlement (which is a no-brainer - it works out at about 8% per year return). I can take a fully COLAed pension of 30K/year now, or wait until 60 and take 45K/year. And 12K/year of benefits will be transferred to DW, who works at the same place and currently is excluded under our double-dipping rules.
Last January, my boss talked to his boss about it for the 2011 round and got a "no".
In September, when 2012's and 2013's layoff quotas were announced - still small, but larger than last year's - my boss asked me if I was still interested. I said I was. He went to his (new) boss, but came back with the report that she thought that my position was too politically visible (vis-a-vis the rest of the staff - I'm called HR Development Manager, and we "can't be seen not to be doing staff development") to be removed.
Then, in December, he told me that my job was back on the table. The numbers will have been very tempting for him and his boss, as our sector (admin) needs to cut proportionately more posts *and* save a minimum amount of money per post, and although I'm probably only in the top 200 in the place on seniority, I'm in the top 100 on monthly remuneration, as I get a lot of benefits.
Well, I got the news today. My job and name are on the head honcho's desk. Being a public organisation, we still have some more hoops to jump through, but my boss told me that there was a 90% chance that I would be chosen - apart from anything else, they don't have enough volunteers, and every involuntary departure will be like pulling teeth.
So, even allowing for the shenanigans and the notice period, with my accumulated vacation entitlement, I could be out by May 31.
(*) One month's pay, with most benefits and no deductions, for every year of service up to 24; I have 19 months service and will walk away with something just short of 200K, once I've bought 19 months of extra pension entitlement (which is a no-brainer - it works out at about 8% per year return). I can take a fully COLAed pension of 30K/year now, or wait until 60 and take 45K/year. And 12K/year of benefits will be transferred to DW, who works at the same place and currently is excluded under our double-dipping rules.
