Yes, so my worry about being called "essential" even though we're really not "essential" has taken a twist. There is work coming down the pike, but even we are not immune (in a manner of speaking) to shutdowns affecting other sectors of the economy, because those sectors test people for drugs, and we are still in the business of testing.
The slowdown started, at least for me at work, last week. That Thursday, for the first time in a long time, if not ever, there was no work to be done. None. Normally, after our main work is done, we would be told to work on entering other applications, and after that, we would go into the lab and rip those applications out of their envelopes. If there wasn't that, we would get to the business of putting inserts into glass tubes and folding small trash boxes. Starting last week, there was none of that. So, we were given a choice by our bosses: You have to leave, but you can either take Paid Time Off (and we've done that from time to time during slow periods) and going unpaid, which was a first for me.
I was told by veterans that our position used to be part-time, aka work-until-work-is-done. They then converted to full-time with benefits, and I thought that was fantastic, because I sure as hell would not go from being a temp to a job where I would not be guaranteed 40 Hours per week. Well, I'm not guaranteed that now, although, to be fair, my company hasn't been hit by a global pandemic before.
Isn't it ironic?
I bitched a lot about having to go to an environment in which I will be working with people who will frequently be within six feet of me. So, theoretically at least, I should be happy with being free of that environment. And in many ways, I am. Not only can I distance physically now, I have been able to go to a park or to Lakewood and take a walk, which helps with my anxiety. Also, despite being fed very well at dinnertime, I have taken to drive-thru to indulge in as much fast food as I possibly can. I'm getting fat, and this is money that I'm spending, but damn, fast food tastes good. Cokes, too.
But even last week I could tell that getting cut early was going to happen more frequently, if not be "The New Normal" everybody's talking about. And that is going to affect my paycheck, which is something I need to look after.
I was OK last week. Thursday was the only workday where I was cut earlier than expected. See, I came in late and left early on Wednesday and Friday, but that's because I worked Sunday, and the company right now is forbidding overtime, and I decided I was going to alter my hours Wednesday and Friday. When I made that decision I didn't expect work to dry up like this. The whole department was cut early Wednesday and Friday as well as Thursday, but somehow I made my modified hours on Wednesday and Friday. Add that I leave a little later than I should and my reimbursement for the gym membership I can't use, I actually got paid more than 40 Hours last week -- which is usual.
It bit hard this week. We were cut early Tuesday through Thursday. Tuesday was the day it really hit home for me, because Tuesdays are usually our busiest day (a workweek starts on a Monday and shipments usually take a day to get here, plus many companies save up their work from Friday and Saturday, yadda-yadda-yadda). If we get cut early Tuesdays, then there really is no work. They were cut early on Friday, but I took PTO for yesterday. And with the way things are going, taking PTO one day a week isn't the worst thing in the world to do -- for social distancing as well as monetary reasons.
Nevertheless, with half-days three days last week, I estimate that took 30% off my paycheck. I can deal with that, for now; it helps that I can't go anywhere to spend my paycheck anyway. If it get worse, however, then I'll worry ... especially since I just logged onto my work e-mail and my boss and boss' boss is letting everyone know that they can get unemployment if work really dries up.
We might be "essential," but I might wind up staying at home anyway. Like I said, isn't it ironic?
The slowdown started, at least for me at work, last week. That Thursday, for the first time in a long time, if not ever, there was no work to be done. None. Normally, after our main work is done, we would be told to work on entering other applications, and after that, we would go into the lab and rip those applications out of their envelopes. If there wasn't that, we would get to the business of putting inserts into glass tubes and folding small trash boxes. Starting last week, there was none of that. So, we were given a choice by our bosses: You have to leave, but you can either take Paid Time Off (and we've done that from time to time during slow periods) and going unpaid, which was a first for me.
I was told by veterans that our position used to be part-time, aka work-until-work-is-done. They then converted to full-time with benefits, and I thought that was fantastic, because I sure as hell would not go from being a temp to a job where I would not be guaranteed 40 Hours per week. Well, I'm not guaranteed that now, although, to be fair, my company hasn't been hit by a global pandemic before.
Isn't it ironic?
I bitched a lot about having to go to an environment in which I will be working with people who will frequently be within six feet of me. So, theoretically at least, I should be happy with being free of that environment. And in many ways, I am. Not only can I distance physically now, I have been able to go to a park or to Lakewood and take a walk, which helps with my anxiety. Also, despite being fed very well at dinnertime, I have taken to drive-thru to indulge in as much fast food as I possibly can. I'm getting fat, and this is money that I'm spending, but damn, fast food tastes good. Cokes, too.
But even last week I could tell that getting cut early was going to happen more frequently, if not be "The New Normal" everybody's talking about. And that is going to affect my paycheck, which is something I need to look after.
I was OK last week. Thursday was the only workday where I was cut earlier than expected. See, I came in late and left early on Wednesday and Friday, but that's because I worked Sunday, and the company right now is forbidding overtime, and I decided I was going to alter my hours Wednesday and Friday. When I made that decision I didn't expect work to dry up like this. The whole department was cut early Wednesday and Friday as well as Thursday, but somehow I made my modified hours on Wednesday and Friday. Add that I leave a little later than I should and my reimbursement for the gym membership I can't use, I actually got paid more than 40 Hours last week -- which is usual.
It bit hard this week. We were cut early Tuesday through Thursday. Tuesday was the day it really hit home for me, because Tuesdays are usually our busiest day (a workweek starts on a Monday and shipments usually take a day to get here, plus many companies save up their work from Friday and Saturday, yadda-yadda-yadda). If we get cut early Tuesdays, then there really is no work. They were cut early on Friday, but I took PTO for yesterday. And with the way things are going, taking PTO one day a week isn't the worst thing in the world to do -- for social distancing as well as monetary reasons.
Nevertheless, with half-days three days last week, I estimate that took 30% off my paycheck. I can deal with that, for now; it helps that I can't go anywhere to spend my paycheck anyway. If it get worse, however, then I'll worry ... especially since I just logged onto my work e-mail and my boss and boss' boss is letting everyone know that they can get unemployment if work really dries up.
We might be "essential," but I might wind up staying at home anyway. Like I said, isn't it ironic?
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