Have you lost your job or had your hours reduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

No but I quit my job last month simply because I hated it. Not worried about finding another job. It’ll happen when it happens.

Nothing good comes out of living in fear.

So R1 and R2 - you both have plenty of money to see you through an extended period so that you don't have to worry about financial commitments?

My ex lost his job. His industry has been very hard hit. He's unlikely to get another job in his field. He's in his 50s. I'm worried for him.

No OP, I have not lost my job or become impoverished due to COVID-19. Like R1, I currently hate my job and am thinking of quitting. I have enough saved that I will be ok for about 20 years if it comes to that.

Why be such a seething cunt about it R5?

I am 57 and was retired early. It as been 5 weeks. I have had a few job offers, some are really ridiculous. I was with the last company for 17 years and the offers aren't even offering 30% of my pre retirement pay. I anticipated this to be the case. I'll figure it out, I have some $$ in savings and can float until Spring w/o touching 401K.

Excuse me, R6? I was answering the question. Sorry you didn't like the reality of my situation. Kindly fuck right off if you have an issue, and take YOUR cunty attitude somewhere else.

I quit my job because there was absolutely no social distancing, no masks, no temperature checks. I'm 55 with diabetes. What am I supposed to do?

OK then R5.

My career tanked with covid (advertising) . - I might not return to it. Mid 50’s. Husband few years older. We’ve invested & saved. He doesn’t want me to go back as i often have to travel , or work(nyc) in different studios - very unpredictable with possible virus exposure . Also so many companies are tanking & if i work will i get paid.? (Regardless of the new laws on the books for freelancers) we plan to retire in next five years anyway , leave the city for the weekend house & have our place & a (small) rental unit in east village for extra income. I should say i do well. He does amazing (i wrote about this before. He’s being worked around the clock & also working his staff @ the clock & is sick of it.) I’d like to work. I still like what i do. I don’t know the answer with the way everything is going.

I celebrated my 50th birthday with a ski trip with friends in Japan. While there I contracted Covid. My work contract was terminated early due to Covid layoffs and two weeks later I was hospitalised with blood clots on the lungs due to me having had Covid in January and supposedly making a full recovery. It’s becoming clear that blood clots after recovery are one of the nasty side effects of this fucking virus.

Still in hospital - hoping to be released next week.

Anybody who takes this virus lightly is a fucking idiot.

I'm sorry to hear that R12. Hope that you make a full recovery soon.

Totally Fucked

Totally Fucked

I'm American, working outside the USA for a foreign country, have had a huge pay cut for 3 months. I suspect it will be extended. If so, I'll resign. I'm 57, not up to my neck in money, but I have some, should inherit some more in the next several months. It's a bit scary, but I can only eat so much shit from a rancid employer.

I’m R11 missed the coping part. It’s difficult.it’s 3am & i’m up. Not from an over active mind but because i’m losing any need for time. It’s all open ended. The low end part of my industry - simple dot com stuff- is coming back but I’m not a part of that world. I wish i was. My agent sees it as a step down & i said it’s work. Anyway, it’s moot: i don’t have contacts on that level & a lot of work comes through contacts & relationships. Anyway. If i don’t go back i wish there was something to do - it’s all still closed down. So i cope because what else can i do?

R3 Yes. I’ve always made sure to have a year or more of savings in case I ever quit my job/got fired.

R5 I say do it if you absolutely hate it because nothing is worth your mental health and happiness. You won’t regret it if your are financially able. The day after I quit it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I don’t have enough money to never work again, but at least I can have peace while I look for a new job. The job I had was seriously so awful I felt physically sick 24/7 and was always a wreck. One day I’d finally had enough and thought “This isn’t normal.” Turned in my two weeks notice the next day.

R18 That’s awful! What kind of work do you do?

Thanks R13

Speedy recovery r12 and all best wishes!

I freelance in theater which is completely fucked and I was already having a hard time finding a job at my age - 60. I don't expect to be working in the field again. Although I never thought I would really retire, I'm facing the fact that I'm going to have to at 62 and try to make it on a low SS monthly payment augmented by the mediocre savings and at least a part-time job. I still have 10 years left on my mortgage.

Thankfully not. I work in the public sector, like 50 % of the Norwegian population. The pay is shit. Then again, I'm happy I even got a job with my useless masters degree. Anyways, despite the shit pay at least the job has some perks, like a fairly good pension, good hours (flex time, don't get paid overtime) and a safe job. It takes A LOT to get fired or laid off in the public sector. It's not as dependent on the economy as private sector jobs.

Non or less industrialized economies may be seeing the least changes from the pandemic. True? Any international economists on board?

Thanks R21!

R12, best wishes in your 2nd recovery. I wish you could talk to my 68 year old mother who just returned to her part time RETAIL job. Unfuckingbelievable. She doesn't need the shit pay either. Just lonely and wants to get out of the apartment.

She worked hard most of her life and raised two kids on her own. Retired with no hobbies, interests or friends. Went back to work part time. Lesson here is to have a fulfilling life outside of work. And don't work a retail job in an epidemic when you're a senior citizen.

I was very close to being laid off. You'd think the motivation to work would be high after the close call. But no, still loafing when I can get away with it. Too scared to walk away from the income.

I got laid off from my job in March when they forced us to close due to Covid. It's been a nice staycation with the unemployment insurance.

My employer offered me my job back half-time at half-pay. I can't survive on that, but I'll take it until I figure out what to do.

I've been wanting to move, anyway. I'm open to recommendations where to go. I'm just over 50, I'd like a city (large or mid-sized) with a lower cost of living, job opportunities, warmer climate (I'm in New England now), and a decent gay community.

Considering Vegas, San Diego, New Orleans... maybe Florida somewhere...

Help me, Dataloungers! Where should I go?

DH came home other evening and after cocktails announced firm was cutting partner draw by 25% and asked if one could economize on household expenses.

I've closed our place in town and let the girl go, but out in the country what does he expect me to do? Sacked the night and weekend nanny, moved gardener to fortnightly instead of weekly, am only sending shirts and linens from master bed and guest bedrooms to laundry, everything else Gussie will have to do which is really too bad as she has enough on her plate already.

Why does one have to do these things?

My partner was let go the end of March. Gets severance pay (not much, 2 weeks salary) and collects over $6000 on unemployment in 2 months. The job calls him back and offers a job. But it's not the old better paying job, but they wanted him in the dredge job, which he's already contributed about 16 years worth. So after negotiating, back at $12.50 hour doing an more entry job. Can't refuse, as it will cut off unemployment. It's seems okay, but it's active and his work ethic is to take on too much, no matter what job it is. He's collecting SSA at the same time and can make as much as he wants. I would rather him doing a less taxing job, M-F 9 to 5. Sing it Dolly.

I lost my job in June even after working c!one to 60 hours a week for last 6 months. My industry is in term oil however I !ost my job because of my ducking idiot boss who had no idea as to what was happening in his groyp. He was an import from UK and had never managed a team before and had zero people management skills.So I lost my job not necessarily because of covid but my ducking idiotic boss.

Yes I lost my job and now I’m out of shape and have high blood pressure and every time I get up and walk around, I can feel my pulse in my throat and sometimes I get light headed.

The good news is I think I’m going to get back unemployment pay!

I worked from home from March to the end of May. I have been "temporarily furloughed" since the beginning of June, and am supposed to go back on July 26th. But I don't see that happening. I've never had to use unemployment before, but I don't mind it currently. I'm using all of this time to build my portfolio (paintings, and designing and making masks, and costume pieces). This will aid me in getting a job in my chosen field. As soon as all of this bullshit is over, I hope.

[quote] I celebrated my 50th birthday with a ski trip with friends in Japan. While there I contracted Covid.

R12, I'm sorry about the clots, sounds horrible. When was your Japan ski trip? Was it right before March of this year?

Can't everyone just work from home?

R26, if your mother is happy working at her part time job, more power to her! Stop being so controlling.

I work part-time for a small nonprofit as an admInistrative assistant. My hours are much more sporadic than they were pre-pandemic- some weeks I actually work more hours than I used to; others fewer. More importantly, I have been working harder/smarter than I used to so I become indispensable, since my primary occupation (theatre actor) is in the toilet for at least a year or so.

R34 It was in January - just when what was called Corona virus was hitting Hokkaido in Japan, which is where I was skiing. Arrived 2nd January from California.

I was in hospital in Tokyo for two weeks, got home to Australia, two weeks in bed, two weeks in the office on the new contract then self isolated at home while WFH then everybody got sent home as Australia went into lockdown. Contract terminated. Back in hospital in Sydney which is where I am now. On blood thinners injected into the abdomen (ouch), having multiple tests, got a bronchoscopy on Monday, lung biopsy Tuesday or Wednesday and then hopefully they can lock down the cause and agree on ongoing treatment and I can go home.

It has been a fucking awful ride - I’m fairly resilient but this has pushed me.

That sounds horrible, r38. I hope you are better soon.

Thanks R39

Its sad for those that do get really sick and of course for the ones that wind up dying, but seems like most cases do not get that bad.

53 and debating if I can just call it quits. Have $500k saved - which isnt enough for retirement. But I hate work. - and now fear for an early death. The idea of dying before 60 without ever having retired terrifies me. What a wasted life. Part of me wants to just not work, live cheaply and plan on an early death. Seeing so many people due has made me realIze It could all end in a flash. Why am I so worried about how to pay for life at 80?

I’m a nurse in the California Department of Public Health. We just had our pay cut by nearly 10% this past week. They gave us 2 days As “Personal Leave” days to use in lieu.

R38, thank you for answering my question. You do sound like a strong person. To lose your job on top of all of that would test all of us. I'll follow this thread in case you want to post updates.

R43, some colleagues and I were furloughed (certain Fridays off) during the recession ~ 10 years ago. The impact on my gross pay was about 10%, also. (Some people got furloughed more days than I did.) People complained, at first, but then ended up liking the time off. I hope you can ride this out & enjoy the time.

Yes lost my job at 64. No hope of finding another job. I needed to work until 70. I feel and look great, have an outstanding resume but ageism is real.

And now this - The WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that there would be “no return to the old normal for the foreseeable future”, adding: “There are no short cuts out of this pandemic.”l

Late 50's, likely my hours will be reduced to 20 and I will not have benefits in 2021. I may need to touch my small 401k. Biden supports medicare at 60, that would help. My other part time job was teaching, also gone. I am borderline.

Working in medical device engineering. I've never worked this hard in my life, it's been absolutely nuts since covid hit. Before covid, I worked 40-45 hours per week. I've been up to 60 since covid hit and I'm completely burned out with no end in sight. I'm trying to be grateful, but the stress and completely lost balance have me coping not so well anymore. I asked to take one of my first vacation days of the year in two weeks and was strongly encouraged not to, "this just isn't a good time to be taking off" (meaning, due to workload).

R49, don't let them tell you not to take a day off, you should take a week off. Who cares what they want, you need and should use take vacation time.

Good grief. How did we arrive at this worrisome situation? We can't blame it all on Trump tho the crook has made it much worse.

R51

It was actually a well studied fact that American workers on average do not take entitled PTO days. Unlike say many Europeans who clear out for weeks at a time in summer or winter, people have this thing that they have to go in or they are letting down the team.

Some people won't even stay home when they are obviously ill. They come in looking like death warmed over spreading whatever they've got to co-workers.

Didn’t have hours reduced but everyone at my company who makes over a certain amount got a 10% pay cut, including me. And our raises were also not put into effect. But I am grateful more people have not been fired!

R12 and R38 here - bit of an update as a couple of you asked me to keep you posted. I was discharged from hospital a week ago. Had a follow up ultrasound of my legs this afternoon to rule out deep vein thrombosis and they have found another fucking clot in my left leg. No explanation for that unless I got it on the last flight that I took which was in January - overnight from Tokyo to Sydney but it’s rare for clots to lurk in the lower body for six months. But again, there’s a link between Covid recovered people and the development of blood clots afterwards. So I’m pretty sure that I’ll be heading back into hospital tomorrow. I’m finding this all pretty frightening now as “they” (doctors) know so little about the ongoing prognosis of people who’ve had it.

I’m 50 which I know is ancient in gay years but I am very active, I surf and swim, work out five days per week, was scheduled to go skiing next week. This whole thing has knocked me sideways. Could be worse - I’m not on a ventilator in an induced coma.

Wear your fucking masks, people!

OP - People over 50 are worried about catching the virus, not only their job if they still have one.

I'm 50 and a solo practitioner attorney. While I have my own clients I also depended heavily on contract work from large firms. That has almost completely dissapeared because so many courts have moved to telephone and video hearings only. Since there is no travel involved the large firms can do most of the hearings with their own people. I have some savings and got some PUC. I'm just having to hustle more to get my own clients and rethink my marketing and business plan.

The Medicare eligibility age HAS to come down to match other age-related retirement points - Biden's age 60 Medicare eligibility is a good start. So many "get retired" through no choice of their own and age discrimination is real. Health insurance costs can ruin a person who has worked and tried to be responsible throughout their working years.

My nonprofit has implemented a few furlough weeks through the next 12 months. It works out to a 10% pay cut but they say we can apply for unemployment for those weeks, my first one is late summer. At the moment I am ok with the forced unpaid vacation time but I see the writing on the wall, a reduction in force on the way once the PPP funds run out.

I quit my job because I hated it, and have nothing saved. Then COVID hit. I'm in my 50s so unlikely to get a job. But staying at my previous job would've driven me to suicide, so I'm happy.

Is it some kind of greed that makes all employers so hateful and mean? If you like your job they will soon make the job a horrorshow.

I think it's a power thing, r60. People want to feel big and in control.

I am lucky. Turned seventy last month and have been running a nonprofit. Retiring next month when my replacement takes over. My partner and I own our home and have no debt. Partner retired last month at 65 with a pension and savings and will not take social security until 70. I will live off of Social Security and a small annuity. We plan to use 401 money for travel and if necessary for other unexpected expenses. You have to plan for retirement and we did it reasonably well.

Well, SMELL her^

I am lucky as well. I still have work through the end of this year although next year it’s very unclear. If Biden does get in and the Medicare age changes to 60 I’ll just retire.

Yes. I'm in the film industry. Haven't worked since end of January. Thank the gods I had 4 years of tax returns owed to me.

With people living longer, Medicare and Social Security eligibility should actually be pushed back to age 70.

r1 and r2 are assholes

R66

Get with the program; those born after 1960 already have full retirement age (FRA) of 67, how much of a difference do you think two more years is going to make?

Yes they most certainly are R67. There's a few others in this thread looking to shit all over other people too.