I got some brilliant comments on the post from yesterday titled HP Layoffs…
From reinkefj:
I’d also suggest to IMMEDIATELY get medical and dental appointments. Assuming that your benefits are tied to your employment, it’s time to find out what problems you have. (Physical problems; everyone has problems! Unemployment might be the least of them. If you have a problem, NOW is the time to find it not when COBRA runs out.) Ditto for ALL family members. QUICK, time flies.
From Katy:
And cash in what’s left of your FSA funds before you lose them. Drugstore.com has a great FSA area where you can order easily. With last minute doctor appointments, eye exams, new glasses and prescription renewals we were able to use up most of our FSA when my husband got laid off a couple weeks ago.
Is this advice to help you gouge the company, or take advantage of something that you shouldn’t?
Absolutely not. You have paid into the system, you still have benefits, so USE THEM. Seriously, life isn’t going to get easier during your unemployment – make sure you take advantage of what the company committed to you.
Not doing it is like the company handing out a new car to everyone as they leave and you not taking it. It’s there, it’s for you, take it.
Thanks Reinkefj and Katy, for the insight!
May I make one other suggestion to the recently laid off, at risk (everyone), or everyone reading this?
Remember the sources of my education: I’m just a fat old white guy injineer with: Law “degree” from watching Judge Judy, Medical “degree” from watching Doctor Phil, Building “degree” from watching “Holmes on Homes”, and Investing “degree” from reading about Bernie Made-off.
(Yeah, I know doctor phil ain’t a “real” doctor. That’s kinda of the point!)
I’m not a “real” doctor either. I don’t play one on TV or radio. And, I’m not one of those “99 out of 100” agree to follow anything you read on the inter tubes, Facebook, or MySpace.
That all being said, I can only tell you personally what I do and what I urge my baby turkeys (i.e., newly nuked clueless jobseekers) to do.
Take some large does of Vitamin D.
I find three 5k unit gelcaps morning and night helps me with my moods. I’ve had blood tests that show I’m only at 30% in the normal range. (That in and of itself is scary. Maybe the week before my next blood test, I’ll triple the dose. My doc tells me you really can’t OD on the stuff, you’re just urinating away your money. Only Vitamin A can be toxic.) Low levels of Vitamin D are reported to be present in those suffering depression, Seasonally Affected Disorder, and other such mental conditions.
As I learnt in injineering skrool, “Gentlemen: coincidence doesn’t mean causation. Correlation is proved statistically.” (Thank you, Brother Austin Barry, for your brief words of wisdom.)
So, with the utmost awareness of my lack of scientific understanding, I urge my fellow turkeys to take some Vitamin D. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll make some expensive urine. At best, you may alter your mood and make yourself more objective.
(Yeah, I have heard about the placebo and nocebo effect. But I think I feel better. So ain’t I better?)
FWIW YMMV FAIWWYPFI TANSTAFL,
the big fat old turkey hisself