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L.A.: Dangerous Place

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LisaHunter
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
Severance? What's severance?
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Aidan_ promoted this comment LisaHunter was starred LisaHunter was unstarred

Pyao lyang shen
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
ok the thumbnail of this photo looked like a screen capture from the new james bond... don't believe me? check and see for yourself. ... reminds me of those "far away" cute guys that upon approaching become more and more unattractive. very cool.
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Tart of Darkness promoted this comment Pyao lyang shen was starred Pyao lyang shen was unstarred

Tart of Darkness
10/08/09

@Pyao lyang shen: I thought it was from that movie "Falling Down". But maybe not.
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jasonelias
10/08/09

@Tart of Darkness: It is from "Falling Down" sadly it's a favorite, just watched it a few days ago.
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TheBusinessGuy
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
It figures they would lay off people from the most promising parts of the business. Attention Conde: your growth will be online in general, and in narrow vertical niches online, the very things you shun or consider backwaters (1166=backwater). Donald, you guys let Craigslist and Monster eat the newspapers' lunch. Si, you are doing the same thing with the smarter, more nimble web competitors to the magazines. And while you two remain unimaginably rich, the people who made the titles great suffer because of your lack of vision. Instead of Epicurious, start a site called Incurious. It fits.
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stew
10/08/09

@TheBusinessGuy: dude, what's "great" about 'Elegant Bride'? Or Details or HG or even the New Yorker? They're products. And when the public stops being interested in certain products, it's time to shut 'em down. No one made anything 'great.' People made a buck for a while and now it's time to make a buck someplace else.
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Pamela_ballin
10/09/09

@stew: Spoken like someone who doesn't read the New Yorker, which is actually great. Just because more people would rather watch American Idol and far fewer are interested in the New Yorker doesn't mean the latter should be shut down. It means that people in general have plebe tastes. I like to opt out of my plebe life and read about interesting shit once a week. I'm sorry others don't feel the same.
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TheBusinessGuy promoted this comment Seeräuber Jenny approved this comment Pamela_ballin was starred Pamela_ballin was unstarred

ihatetwitter
10/09/09

@Pamela_ballin: But to stew's point, even if it's great, if it's not being sold it can't continue. Sadly I don't see much of a future for mags. All the ideas don't seem to include the kind of revenue needed to sustain the existing overhead. How great would the New Yorker be with 75% less budget?
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stew
10/09/09

@Pamela_ballin: Well, or spoken like someone who, having worked at TNY, agrees with Si and Donald and really doesn't see print journalism as a place for whiny, anti-social people with narrow tastes to collect white people welfare when their audience turns elsewhere. Just because it's not American Idol doesn't mean it doesn't suck. No matter how grand its heyday, no title is entitled (heh, see what I did there?).
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SaritSanny
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
when I got laid off from Newsweek/Washington Post, I got 1 week for every year I worked there (which was 1) 1 week if I agreed not to sue them or talk shit about them and then my vacation days and any personal days I had left. Oh yeah and they heavily taxed EVERYTHING - like more than a normal paycheck.
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lionboy promoted this comment SaritSanny was starred SaritSanny was unstarred

lionboy
10/08/09

@SaritSanny: I only got a week per year for severance as well when my position was eliminated at Gannett. When they started layoffs last year it was two until they realized they were going to toss so many people they cut it back to one.
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Seeräuber Jenny approved this comment lionboy was starred lionboy was unstarred

ihatetwitter
10/09/09

@lionboy: two weeks per year at Time Inc.
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siliconvalleyman
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
I was laid off in January as part of a 35% staff reduction. I spent almost three miserable months unemployed, and then took a job in March at a steep cut in pay and position. I was promoted in July to a better position (with more pay and responsibility) than the one I lost. I recognize that I am very fortunate. My takeaway from the experience: when you least expect it, something really good happens. Here’s hoping that good fortune will soon come to those reading this who are on the beach and looking to work again.
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Cynical Media Bitch promoted this comment siliconvalleyman was starred siliconvalleyman was unstarred

daveyjonesisdead
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
Helpful hint (maybe): tell them you're thinking about not signing the severance agreement. Their law dept will be so eager to have everyone sign that maybe they'll bump up the severance a bit. The odds that they'll withdraw the offer of serverance are slim, so it may be worthwhile to give it a shot.
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sweetpickles
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
The scary thing is, I don't think a lot of the jobs we've lost are coming back. Eventually, we'll all be on some thunderdome reality show trying to win an apple. I think this is what happens when you make your economy into a service one instead of, you know, like, one that produces actual things.
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TroisFilles
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
My hub lost his job in 1991 and got 12 months severance having been on the job for seven years. That's when companies had generous relo packages too. We had two companies pay our moving expenses, pay to have pros pack our houses, all commission, pay for babysitters to watch the kids while we house hunted in a new city, bought all meals, etc. That ended in about 2000 I think. Now it's every (wo)man for himself. I'm "only" in my 40s and I remember 401K matches, corporate trips w/ the spouse, nice holiday gifts and many other perks that instilled loyalty and worker continuity. It's kind of depressing.
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Cynical Media Bitch promoted this comment TroisFilles was starred TroisFilles was unstarred

Meiyou Wenti
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
Having been laid of twice in a year, which must be some kind of record, I feel for this person. One week a year. Or one month a year in severance, really is meaningless. You are out of work in a bad economy. You lose your self worth and question your professionalism. You face the unknown with no money coming in and a lot going out for rent or the mortgage, COBRA, car payment, food, etc.

The only upside is having more free time to waste responding to postings on the Internet...

God bless America.
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triplethreat promoted this comment Meiyou Wenti was starred Meiyou Wenti was unstarred

missing_piece
10/08/09

@Meiyou Wenti: I have also been laid off twice this year.

The irony? I left the company I was with for five years because they were outsourcing my department over the course of two years, and I didn't want to have to wait until I was unemployed - you know, trying to be proactive. I left a year and a half into the transition to the other company.

I was laid off from the new job in five months. Then I had my last job, lost it a few months later, and the department I used to work for that is to be outsourced is still there and will be until at least June.

This blows.
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ShanghaiLil promoted this comment missing_piece was starred missing_piece was unstarred

triplethreat
10/08/09

@Meiyou Wenti: "You are out of work in a bad economy."

And one where half the people with your skill set are also looking, and half the outlets are closed or with a hiring freeze and no freelance budget, and the new ones, with .com at the end of their name, don't pay a living wage for the most part.
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ShanghaiLil
10/08/09

@missing_piece: Aaaaaaand now we understand what Unions were for.
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elinorwhyme
10/08/09

@triplethreat: I hear you. And those jobs aren't coming back. I wonder what publishing will look like five to ten years from now.
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triplethreat promoted this comment elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred

triplethreat
10/08/09

@elinorwhyme: I think it will be even more elitist and less diverse than it used to be. I'm including online publishing in that as well. Only people who have other sources of income will have the time and resources to be able to do research and investigations, and yes, think. I know that sounds grandiose but I think it is true. There probably will still be great writing, and great reporting that is widely seen and read, but it will be coming from a very small group of people whose circumstances allow it.
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missing_piece
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
I thought two weeks for every year of employment was pretty standard.

Oh, and when I got laid off with five other people a month and a half ago, our severance agreement stated that we were not to every apply to or work for the company ever again. Then last week they posted my old job, but I can't apply, so they're going to have to hire someone else and have them go through six month training. Smart.
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Trulymadlyme promoted this comment Edited by missing_piece at 10/08/09 4:53 PM missing_piece was starred missing_piece was unstarred

labyrinthine IS DOING THIS
10/08/09

@missing_piece: I was with my company for two and a half years and I got two weeks' pay as severance. they don't have to give you a thing, and it sucks.
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Cynical Media Bitch promoted this comment Edited by labyrinthine IS DOING THIS at 10/08/09 5:47 PM

daveyjonesisdead
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
Hmmm, did they let enough people go that the state and federal WARN Acts apply? Because then they'd have to give at least 60 days notice (under the fed law, not sure what it is under NY), and if they don't they have to pay employees 60 days of salary.
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missing_piece
10/08/09

@daveyjonesisdead: My understanding is that if it's at-will employment, they can let you go at any time for any reason. There are a few states that don't have at-will employment where they wouldn't be able to do this, but I don't think NY is one of them.
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Seeräuber Jenny promoted this comment missing_piece was starred missing_piece was unstarred

winner
10/08/09

@daveyjonesisdead: WARN Acts only apply when 33% of a company's employees are laid off.
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Trulymadlyme promoted this comment winner was starred winner was unstarred

PlacesLikeSuchAs
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
If she'd read her employment manual, she would have known AGES ago that she'd only get two weeks per year of service. Trust me, it's there.

Also, no one owes you a job, and that's a fact, sir. We are ALL employed at will.
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Seeräuber Jenny promoted this comment DahlELama approved this comment PlacesLikeSuchAs was starred PlacesLikeSuchAs was unstarred

crookedE
10/08/09

@PlacesLikeSuchAs: ...unless you have a union, which sadly these people mostly did not, I bet.
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Seeräuber Jenny promoted this comment crookedE was starred crookedE was unstarred

no I said no I won't no
10/08/09

@crookedE: Or an employment agreement, which only their bosses do.
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Seeräuber Jenny promoted this comment

TroisFilles
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
Old, young, married, single, kids, no kids, unemployment in this economy is a life changer. I know few folks who are ever as financially stable, if they were to begin with or not. You suck your savings, lose your healthcare or go broke paying for COBRA, find a lower paying job and, being lower on the totem pole, get even less in severance the next time you're shitcanned. I feel for these young'uns in publishing. Where the hell do they go? Unemployment is the pits. I wish them all well. Can't snark them. TF
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DahlELama promoted this comment TroisFilles was starred TroisFilles was unstarred

DahlELama
10/08/09

@TroisFilles: Everything's not quite that equal. Single means going broke paying for COBRA, while married may mean you can just jump on your spouse's insurance. My friend's husband got laid off about 8 months ago. Yes, it sucks, but he's on her insurance and makes about as much through unemployment as I do through my full-time job. Getting laid off is lousy, but the level of lousiness per employee has a massive range.
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TroisFilles
10/08/09

@DahlELama: You're right. Though the married couple may then have 2 or 3 kids to support unlike the single person who might be able to bunk in with a friend. And often only 1 spouse has insurance. It's just a mess for anyone who loses a job, that's more my point, even if I didn't make it terribly well. I hope your job is safe.
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raincoaster
10/08/09

@TroisFilles: Lots of single people have kids too.
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Atilla the Bun
10/08/09

@TroisFilles: I was unemployed last year for several months and it was the most soul-sucking experience I've ever had. The money issues were a headache, but worse was that feeling of no self-worth. It sounds so dramatic and Oprahfied, but it's so true. There was nothing "fun" about my funemployment. It was more like getting sad drunk in my pajamas and not leaving the house for six months.

So while I do think the "only two weeks severance for every year" complaint is a bit much, I feel nothing but pity for these people or anyone laid off a job (well, unless they are independently wealthy; then I'm just jealous).
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Cynical Media Bitch promoted this comment Atilla the Bun was starred Atilla the Bun was unstarred

TroisFilles
10/08/09

@raincoaster: I'm not trying to make a major social statement here. Yes single people have children. I am aware of them. Some are divorced. Some gay and can not marry. Others have had babies without getting married. I'm hip. Really. I'm talking about the fresh out of college adult who lands a job in her field and moves to the city with great expectations and is let go. I'm not trying to pigeonhole everyone into the old traditional ways. Lord you're being fussy.
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WitteeFool
10/08/09

@TroisFilles: I moved across the country, took 3 months finding a job, then got laid off. It sucks to be unemployed just as your career is supposed to be beginning.

But it sucks for everyone equally.
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snugbug promoted this comment WitteeFool was starred WitteeFool was unstarred

TroisFilles
10/08/09

@WitteeFool: Ugh, you poor thing! It's like life is not just walikng on thin ice, waiting to drop into the murky water. Hang on everyone! (I feel like a den mother. Can't I at least be a cougar den mother?)
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TroisFilles was starred TroisFilles was unstarred

Penny
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
...only offering 2 weeks for every year of employment for severance.

My company used to do 1 week/year, now they just give 2 weeks, regardless of time spent.

So, I'm having trouble feeling sorry for her.
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Edited by Penny at 10/08/09 4:03 PM Penny was starred Penny was unstarred

Mediahohoho
10/08/09

In reply to Laid-Off Conde Nasties: Armed and Dangerous
They came for Cargo and I said, "whew."

They came for Domino and I said, "whew."

They came for Portfolio and I said, "whew."

They came for the bridal books and everyone else in the building said, "whew."
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raincoaster
10/08/09

@Mediahohoho: The thing about bridal mags is, doesn't everyone there have an Mrs degree to fall back on?
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