What type of work do you do and has the economy affected you

[J88ROCK]

Healthcare .

Not yet, but I think it will soon. You can only treat so many people without getting reimbursed for the services provided. before it starts having it's effect on hospitals and their employees. If public insurance only pays the hospital 10-22% of what the private insurers use to pay I believe it will be very bad for one of the last big job providing industries in our country. I have been in healthcare for nearly 15 yrs and this is the first time we have had to cut overtime, have hiring freezes, eliminate raises, and have had negative changes made to eveyones 401k and 403b programs. The thing is our census (# of pts in our facility) is still high. So what gives?

[bane]

I'm a contractor, and yes, it has effected the motherfucking fuck out of me.

[MickeyG]

Yes, I work for a furniture company and we had to cut down to 4 days a week for a while.

What also happened is that management finally had to run the place like a business.

[LadyJaneGrey]

So far, the economy hasn't had a direct effect on either of my jobs, although considering that my library job is technically through the city, and much of our revenue depends on sales taxes, I do worry about hours getting cut.

[Calexxia]

I work in customer service for a major cellphone provider.

Obviously, with the economy in the crapper, we are having more issues with customers being unable to pay their bills (we are certainly not the least-expensive option), and thus a lot of focus right now is on customer retention.

[krazeebaybee]

Funeral Industry - we're pretty much recession proof.

[Calexxia]

Funeral Industry - we're pretty much recession proof.

Depends on your specific area, though...think about it...in a recession, there will likely be more cremations than burials, due to the cost factor, so if your job (for example) was embalming or such....it COULD have an impact.

[krazeebaybee]

Funeral Industry - we're pretty much recession proof.

Depends on your specific area, though...think about it...in a recession, there will likely be more cremations than burials, due to the cost factor, so if your job (for example) was embalming or such....it COULD have an impact.

Yes, but I work for a Jewish funeral company.
Strict rules and all. No embalming, no cremations etc.
The only thing people are doing differently is they are going for more of the basic services, ie. graveside services only as opposed to chapel services and internment services.

The monument and inscription side of the business has slowed some, but it's still busy...really busy.

[Calexxia]

Oh, then you're golden if you work with the Orthodox!

(But my point was valid that the industry as a whole isn't recession proof.)

[WhiteHouseSubsAC]

Food & Beverage

I saw the writing on the wall when I was laid off from my Senior Management position at Hilton a year and a half ago. Nine months later the small restaurant that I was running closed. I'm just now getting back on my feet with a different company. In the meantime I lost my house and one of my cars, so I would say that the economy has affected me in a decidedly negative way.

[CliffByford]

I, too, work in the healthcare sector though ours is markedly different from the American model. Essentially, my job security is dictated by the allocation of government funding. Right now my position is looking precarious, especially if the rule of "last in, first out" applies. Funding, in real terms, looks like it's going to be cut year on year and that means efficiency savings, one of which could quite easily be personnel. I'm looking out for myself and continue to apply for other (better paying) jobs.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Two years ago, I was laid off from a CNC machinist position at a major automotive supplier. Now I work in a small shop welding, occasionally running a machine and doing maintenance for half the wages of my previous job. I think the economy has had a little impact on me.

[tin00can]

Last August I retired from the Navy after 20 years, and spent the next eight months looking for decent work. I finally did find a kick-ass job doing what I love, but I had to relocate. Fair enough compromise. So, the economy did have some effect on me.

[Calexxia]

There is no industry that is recession proof. Except for maybe the Casinos.

They're down, too. The line my dad works for has had to reduce from 7 day to 4 day schedules at this point (casino boats out of Miami). The gambling destinations are having to try to pump up incentives to get folks in the door, thus cannibalizing their margins.

[Calexxia]

Fair enough; most of the casino employees I know (as I mentioned) are either non-reservation or are on casino boats.

It's very true, though, that the "sinful addictions" such as gambling, drinking, smoking, etc. tend to still post profits during bad economic downturns. Everyone wants an escape.

[BigDrewHalenite]

The school district I work for cut 5 workdays from our contract in order to balance its budget. I'm losing about $1000 this year.

Of course, only teachers had their contract days cut. The money-sucking douchenozzles's salaries at the district office were unaffected, including the $262,000-a-year superindendent.

[JakeYonkel]

The school district I work for cut 5 workdays from our contract in order to balance its budget. I'm losing about $1000 this year.

Of course, only teachers had their contract days cut. The money-sucking douchenozzles's salaries at the district office were unaffected, including the $262,000-a-year superindendent.

I hear you. Well, not personally, of course.

My wife is a teacher. The district was royally fucked them all over. Health care benefits are not through the roof to maintain last year's coverage plan, or you can continue to pay what you were paying last year but get a far lousier health plan.

They made all the teachers now teach 7 periods a day instead of 8 with no added compensation. Also, she is the head of her department and is not being paid extra for the extra work.

All the while the teacher stipends have been cut so the money she paid out of pocket for supplies will not be reimbursed.

Yet the unions do nothing.

But at least she has a job, right?

[J88ROCK]

Thank you for your service

Last August I retired from the Navy after 20 years, and spent the next eight months looking for decent work. I finally did find a kick-ass job doing what I love, but I had to relocate. Fair enough compromise. So, the economy did have some effect on me.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

What should they do, Jake? It must be quite a shock to learn Rush is wrong and teachers unions are not all powerful entities ruling over school districts like dark and forbidding gods. I'm sure they would have got a raise and a boost in coverage but for that damned union.

Your states primary source of revenue is property taxes. Property values are in the cellar and people are abandoning those properties in droves. Florida is going broke because your elected officials spend money like Paris Hilton on Rodeo Drive.

Read this: http://www.time.com/time/business/artic ... 98,00.html

[JakeYonkel]

Well, 2 weeks ago the state announced they were jacking up the cost of auto registartion renewals, drivers' license costs, etc. For example to register a 5,000+ lb. car like mine previously cost $46 - will now cost about $75 moving forward. They're doing that to help the deficit a bit.

On the article you posted, I'm thinking maybe it's time to institute a state income tax. It's funny they say the property taxes are so high, I've seen it to be exactly the opposite (coming from a very rich county in New Jersey). The property tax on my house equates to roughly 3/4 of a percent of the property value. Yeah, I've got a homestead exemption, but still. That's dirt cheap (not that I'm complaining).

The funny thing is when I bought the house the assessed value was about half of what it currently is, because of the homestead exemption for the previous owner. Naturally when I purchased it in 2006, the property tax doubled to an appropriate level based on the actual property value.

Back to the teachers... they've been especially hurt because they haven't gotten a raise in 3 years. The health benefits cost go up, the cost of living increases, yet there's not even a small raise to try and offset that a bit. The unions here are basically useless, though. The monthly flyer is full of shit they're "trying" to do, and very little they'e actually gotten done.

[killeverything]

I work in wine distribution. Hell no is the economy effecting me. People are drunks, all of them. They need their booze. I think the only industry that hasn't been effected is the alcohol industry.

Had a bad day? Drink to forget. Had a good day? Drink to celebrate.

[SkyDog112046]

Business Development for an IT firm. IT got hit hard last year and a lot of people are out of work. Last winter my company had to let a few developers go that supported a technology that isn't in demand but fortunately we have a nice niche so the people still with the company have stayed busy, albeit with smaller projects. Just recently we started getting more work so we have started hiring again.

The biggest hit I took myself was the annual summer slowdown coming on the heels of last fall/winter's economic meltdown. A lot of stuff got put on hold and then people disappeared over the summer. I actually made nice bonuses right through May. June was down a little but then July & August combined only equaled a half month's bonus. So I lost 3/4 of my bonus money over the past couple of months, but I really can't complain because other people in my industry have taken a much worse hit.

Fortunately things are picking up again and September already looks good less than a week in. People are saying that our industry is a leading indicator and we are looking at the upswing so hopefully it means that we as a whole are starting to pull out of it.

[Caustic Queen]

I work primarily as a writer, and also in band relations for a promotions company.

My print writing jobs have been cut in half. The internet pay-per-article circle of jobs is still doing fine..

As for promotions side.. bands are having a hard time affording travel.
But we're still doing fine on ticket sales.
(fingers crossed)

[MickeyG]

Business Development for an IT firm. IT got hit hard last year and a lot of people are out of work. Last winter my company had to let a few developers go that supported a technology that isn't in demand but fortunately we have a nice niche so the people still with the company have stayed busy, albeit with smaller projects. Just recently we started getting more work so we have started hiring again.

The biggest hit I took myself was the annual summer slowdown coming on the heels of last fall/winter's economic meltdown. A lot of stuff got put on hold and then people disappeared over the summer. I actually made nice bonuses right through May. June was down a little but then July & August combined only equaled a half month's bonus. So I lost 3/4 of my bonus money over the past couple of months, but I really can't complain because other people in my industry have taken a much worse hit.

Fortunately things are picking up again and September already looks good less than a week in. People are saying that our industry is a leading indicator and we are looking at the upswing so hopefully it means that we as a whole are starting to pull out of it.

That's interesting because in the furniture business we find our boom time is spring/summer. Our shitty time is Oct through Dec.

[LadyJaneGrey]

Already posted in this thread I have, but being as this involves my admin. assistant job....I've gotten a slight increase with people who come into the church office to ask for help with food, so I've been having to spend more time organizing/keeping tabs on what we have, and putting out reminders when the supply is running low.

[Bridget]

I'm a vet technician, and yes, the economy has had a large effect on my job. For most families, their pets come last, so they wait until the pet is really sick, instead of coming in every time the thing sniffles like they used to do. The problem is that it often ends up being more expensive that way, because the animal's condition has become harder to fix. A bunch of jobs have been cut, and people who have quit are not being replaced.

[pooldude]

When we see a halt to the slide in home values, & foreclosure activity slows down, & then stops, because enough of these distressed homes got snapped up to where housing inventory regains equilibrium...

..& then, when home values start to once again appreciate...

..that is when this recession will end.

I think we still have a ways to go.

My own contracting business is in almost complete hibernation, because California is still perceived as a declining market by lending institutions, & therefore there is virtually zero 2nd mortgage lending & credit available for otherwise qualified buyers on large ticket items like swimming pools, or any other home improvement like solar panels or masonry or landscaping.

Imagine if the local high end car dealer offered absolutely no financing, & had to hang out for that rare all-cash buyer! Most businesses close down if there is no financing.

Luckily for my wife & myself, we have the resources to weather the severe downturn.

It's the folks living paycheck to paycheck who are sadly the ones suffering the most in these stormy financial seas.

But it will change again, one day.

[absolutely fabulous]

i'm not sure what will happen..

it was funds taken from the stimulus, specifically from the green project,
and i heard no resistance.
throughout the next couple of months, it better show some sort of benefit, or be prepared for backlash..

[bane]

When we see a halt to the slide in home values, & foreclosure activity slows down, & then stops, because enough of these distressed homes got snapped up to where housing inventory regains equilibrium...

..& then, when home values start to once again appreciate...

..that is when this recession will end.

I think we still have a ways to go.

My own contracting business is in almost complete hibernation, because California is still perceived as a declining market by lending institutions, & therefore there is virtually zero 2nd mortgage lending & credit available for otherwise qualified buyers on large ticket items like swimming pools, or any other home improvement like solar panels or masonry or landscaping.

Imagine if the local high end car dealer offered absolutely no financing, & had to hang out for that rare all-cash buyer! Most businesses close down if there is no financing.

Luckily for my wife & myself, we have the resources to weather the severe downturn.

It's the folks living paycheck to paycheck who are sadly the ones suffering the most in these stormy financial seas.

But it will change again, one day.

You guys are paying the piper for a decade or so of massive over pricing in your market. This was inevitable for you guys, national slump or not. In Cali, it's just a market correction (coupled with the larger economic downturn). I feel for those of you that are getting hammered for it, but all of y'all had to know this was coming sooner or later, no?

[pooldude]

In Cali, it's just a market correction (coupled with the larger economic downturn). I feel for those of you that are getting hammered for it, but all of y'all had to know this was coming sooner or later, no?

While many of us were concerned about the housing bubble, not many imagined that home improvement construction industries would be off by as much as 95% in the wake of the crash.

During the last deflationary housing correction of 1991-92, we didn't see a complete melt down in the lending sector like we have today.

Yes, I was among the better prepared.

But I know a lot people who are hanging on by their fingernails, & I expect that this will be a very long winter, with more casualties.