Hi, I've got fired today by megacorp...Looking for help...

[fired_need_help]

Does anyone know what are the low COLA areas, but still have plenty of non-government tech jobs/companies?

Looking through the job boards, most open positions are in Bay Area and NYC, but in our situation (not too far from FIRE) it would be counter-productive to move to high COLA area.

 

[cathy63]

Well, there aren't going to be "plenty" of tech jobs in any low COL areas, but you could try some of these places for "some" tech jobs: St. Louis, Omaha, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Houston. Though maybe moving to Houston right now is not such a good idea. Austin is a bit more expensive, but there are a good number of tech jobs there also.

 

[ivinsfan]

Does anyone know what are the low COLA areas, but still have plenty of non-government tech jobs/companies?

Looking through the job boards, most open positions are in Bay Area and NYC, but in our situation (not too far from FIRE) it would be counter-productive to move to high COLA area.

What does your spouse have to say about this moving idea? And your teenage sons ..every person here has the opinion it's a major overreaction to bug out and leave right now.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Does anyone know what are the low COLA areas, but still have plenty of non-government tech jobs/companies?

Looking through the job boards, most open positions are in Bay Area and NYC, but in our situation (not too far from FIRE) it would be counter-productive to move to high COLA area.

I can give you a good price on a almost 6 year old home in NYC., Ill throw in the hardly used furniture, It wont fit in my soon to be acquired Boca condo.

 

[Texas Proud]

Does anyone know what are the low COLA areas, but still have plenty of non-government tech jobs/companies?

Looking through the job boards, most open positions are in Bay Area and NYC, but in our situation (not too far from FIRE) it would be counter-productive to move to high COLA area.

Be aware that many low COL areas also have lower wages...

I remember when I was on temp assignment in NYC, there was one guy who thought he could become a CEO or COO for a small company in the flyover states... quickly found out that the salary mega was paying him was between 1.5 and 2.5 of what he could get doing those jobs...

BTW, he was not that good and was being WAY overpaid... but had found an area that was not managed well and bumped his salary up quickly... I was always wondering when someone in upper mgmt was going to figure it out...

 

[fired_need_help]

Ill throw in the hardly used furniture, It wont fit in my soon to be acquired Boca condo.

Are you sure that Boca Raton won't become a wasteland by tomorrow?

 

[Sojourner]

Some folks seem to frown upon MS as being unethical but I have never heard a peep about those that churn credit cards for the rewards. Whats the difference?

I think the difference is that with classic churning, you're actually spending money on goods and services to reach the spending threshold for receiving the CC signup bonus. With MS, you're just shuffling your own money around -- buying gift cards which are then used to purchase money orders that get deposited back into your own bank account. Certainly not illegal and not even directly against the rules set by the CC companies, from what I understand. But you could make a case that it's not totally ethical.

 

[Another Reader]

I think the problem may be that manufactured spending looks and smells like money laundering. Someone may have brought it to the employer's attention, probably through an investigation. The company may have decided to make an example. That's what this sounds like, based on the limited information provided.

 

[fired_need_help]

I think the difference is that with classic churning, you're actually spending money on goods and services to reach the spending threshold for receiving the CC signup bonus. With MS, you're just shuffling your own money around -- buying gift cards

gift card is definitely "goods". And you are paying fee ("service") for the privilege to buy one.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I think the problem may be that manufactured spending looks and smells like money laundering. Someone may have brought it to the employer's attention, probably through an investigation. The company may have decided to make an example. That's what this sounds like, based on the limited information provided.

As I was reading the story that someone posted a link on this, I was envisioning me as the Cop that got called to the Walmart. Not knowing exactly what I had, I would also have called the IRS, it smelled of money laundering/ some kind of general business law fraud. I never in my career had the IRS show up right after I made the call. We had/have a few joint FBI/NYPD units that have IRS agents in the team , but they are never available for a call out. they follow up on the cases weeks later. But after reading the story and doing some computer research this thing is legit.

EDIT: I want to add that in my old job, even if you did something that was legal, if it gave the public the PERCEPTION of an impropriety , you were punished. Thats why in my line of work, Church, Work, and Home, was always a safe bet.

 

[fired_need_help]

it's a major overreaction to bug out and leave right now.

Not to leave right now, but to include into the job search.

 

[ivinsfan]

Not to leave right now, but to include into the job search.

You need to narrow your focus right now to brushing up on your job application and interview skills. Also trying to actually find out if your clearance is dead in the water or if it can be renewed.

Put down on paper what a home sale and move will cost your moneywise, you can't put a price on the family stress it might cause. Also you'd have to spend time researching every area you are considering moving too. If it were me I wouldn't even waste energy thinking about this right now, especially since a new school year is underway. Don't make your life so complicated.

 

[ivinsfan]

As I was reading the story that someone posted a link on this, I was envisioning me as the Cop that got called to the Walmart. Not knowing exactly what I had, I would also have called the IRS, it smelled of money laundering/ some kind of general business law fraud. I never in my career had the IRS show up right after I made the call. We had/have a few joint FBI/NYPD units that have IRS agents in the team , but they are never available for a call out. they follow up on the cases weeks later. But after reading the story and doing some computer research this thing is legit.

EDIT: I want to add that in my old job, even if you did something that was legal, if it gave the public the PERCEPTION of an impropriety , you were punished. Thats why in my line of work, Church, Work, and Home, was always a safe bet.

You know couldn't Wal.Mart have just not sold the money orders instead of calling the cops and IRS on this guy..it make no sense.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

You know couldn't Wal.Mart have just not sold the money orders instead of calling the cops and IRS on this guy..it make no sense.

Absolutely, But once i get the call I had to follow thru to the best of my ability.

 

[fired_need_help]

Put down on paper what a home sale and move will cost your moneywise

Interesting question.
How could someone can actually calculate that number?

 

[ivinsfan]

Does your house need updating for a good price. closing fees, cost per mile to move household possessions,renting while settling in the new area.do your homework.How can you consider moving without having these numbers?

 

[fired_need_help]

Does your house need updating for a good price. closing fees, cost per mile to move household possessions,renting while settling in the new area.do your homework.How can you consider moving without having these numbers?

- House will definitely need to be updated before selling. Don't know the costs.

- I am not considering moving, I am considering extending my job search to potential areas where we could move. It is not the same thing. Some companies (probably not that many) do offer relocation packages.
For example, currently I am looking at the list of the cities that @kathy63 has suggested above. And if the right opportunity will come up in those areas then we might consider moving there. But we will never move without having a job there first (and, yes, I know, it is very hard to find a job remotely).

 

[fired_need_help]

Also trying to actually find out if your clearance is dead in the water or if it can be renewed.

Why would you want to trust your national security to someone like me?

I truly don't think that I have any way to find anything out, short of spending $$$$ on lawyers with unknown results.

 

[ivinsfan]

Why would you want to trust your national security to someone like me?

I truly don't think that I have any way to find anything out, short of spending $$$$ on lawyers with unknown results.

You know its answers like that this that make me think you are a troll...I guess it's funny you lost your livelihood, maybe have forever damaged your security clearances playing with the big boys on FlyerTalk and might need to relocate your whole family.

 

[cathy63]

Why would you want to trust your national security to someone like me?

I truly don't think that I have any way to find anything out, short of spending $$$$ on lawyers with unknown results.

A lawyer can't do any more for you right now than you can do yourself. You can ask the clearing agency, which is probably either DoD or DHS, for your clearance status and expiration date. They should have a form to fill out, but I have no idea how long it takes them to process these requests. If your clearance is ok, then the response should be that your status is inactive, and the expiration date will be the earlier of 24 months from now or when your next renewal investigation would have been due.

Alternatively, a security officer at another contractor can look it up for you. I think that's what the guy at the job fair tried to do, but it's very hard to tell if he did it correctly.

Good luck with your job search, wherever you end up.

 

[fired_need_help]

You know its answers like that this that make me think you are a troll...I guess it's funny you lost your livelihood, maybe have forever damaged your security clearances playing with the big boys on FlyerTalk and might need to relocate your whole family.

I did not say that it was funny. I was just copy/paste several posts in this thread that have implied that.

 

[Johanson]

I think the problem may be that manufactured spending looks and smells like money laundering. Someone may have brought it to the employer's attention, probably through an investigation. The company may have decided to make an example. That's what this sounds like, based on the limited information provided.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It looks exactly like money laundering!

 

[Johanson]

This reminded me of something I read on FT. I can't find it now but one of the more interesting things I've read on Flyertalk was, I believe, in the MS forum but it could have been in the Delta forum where I normally hang out. Anyhoo, back in the 80s, a guy found out about a regular fare within Asia that cost about US $8 for a round trip ticket on an airline that was affiliated with AA. At the time, the airline would credit miles to the person purchasing a ticket and not the traveler like it is today. So, he found a number of people to fly this route every day and he would credit all of it to AA. It turns out this route was in the heart of of the opium triangle and it didn't take long for the FBI to subject him to a very indepth interview. He said after all was said and done, the FBI agents that interviewed him were doing the same thing. He ended up earning millions of miles on AA and traveled the world in F and J.

 

[akidagain2018]

Ethics are generally viewed from a perspective of "when it looks wrong, it is wrong". I work in a field where ethics is primary. I've been responsible for aspects of this type of thing. An appearance of impropriety is defined to be an impropriety in the application of some ethics rules/policies. That's why ethics violations are handled so sharply. Appearances can be as bad as the actual thing. Also, if an employee signs a 'resignation letter', I suspect that covers the company from any termination liability. That's why they have you sign this, and non-compete or non-disclosure forms, BEFORE you exit and before you get your last....paycheck, bonus, letter of recommendation. It's the realities of ethics liability management. So, I suggest not underestimating the significance of actions that "look" wrong but didn't .....technically violate a rule, didn't really hurt anyone.....etc. Corporate or Gov routines and work tools of a job, like credit cards, are for use in the scope of the job only. Period. NO chargy the personal stuff, ever. Just FYI For what it's worth.

 

[pb4uski]

So an employee does something legal, but perhaps a bit shady, like in the OP or in post #198 and gets sacked as a result because of "appearances" (rather than reprimanded) that is a-ok.

OTOH, if the employer holds the terminated employee's last paycheck, bonus, letter of recomendation etc hostage to the terminated employee signing non-compete, NDA, etc then the employer is acting ethically? I think that is totally warped.