What is your boss doing to deal with the economic downturn?

I love the Morning Express – and this kind of story is why. Meaningful.

MY Boss [RadioShack] has decided to keep fewer people. We usually plan for a 'Golden Quarter 10/1 – 12/31. Each year we hire seasonal sales people starting October 1st. By Halloween they are trained and we begin rampping up sales coverage for the holiday season. This year we haven't hired any seasonals, at least not yet. Not even any talk about hiring seasonals.

Jennifer Westhoven is very good. The show should spotlight her some more.

Central Maine relies on two big companies to give good paying jobs, Huhtamaki and SAPPI. If their taxes are raised to 39% both will leave and devastate the region. An Obama win would destroy the state.

My boss was cutting way back, he just fired me.

My boss decided to cut his 401k match program, force me to detail every minute of my work day and try to avoid paying me on sick leave. He frequently had difficulty making payroll before the financial crisis. Now, with a four year degree, I am unemployed.

At this same time, my kids' school board is scrambling to make teachers' payroll this Friday. The superintendent told them to dip into savings or get a bank loan. Unbelievable. Thanks, Bush voters! Let's do it again with McCain, I hope not.

Hey Jennifer, here is my question and maybe i dont know the full picture but i DO know what it is like to be behind on bills. With all the foreclosures and people having to get out of their homes, us middle america wants to know why haven't the government done something simple. I am not behind on house payments "thank God" BUT i have been behind on automobile payments. Here is my question.... When we as a nation get behind and are at risk of loosing our homes why couldnt the government come up with a FAIR for both intrest rate. Not a balloon or something thats stupid like that but something FAIR. then make it across the board. All banks have to honor the new FAIR intrest rate, then the amount that is behind just do payment extensions. Just put the money they are behind on the end on the mortgage. The banks wouldnt be loosing that money and the people could keep their homes.THEN and only then if the forclosure is due to over buying then they would still loose the house but they couldnt afford it anyway.

My company has cut the 401k matching, started laying off people, started turning the lights on later in the morning & off earlier at night, turned the temperature down a few degrees in the building, and has sent out a company-wide request for any other money-saving ideas employees can think of (the top 3 earning $1000 prize). We've never had a Christmas party, so they couldn't cut that! I've already survived a 2-year wage freeze with this company, so I expect that will be their next idea.

I work at a YMCA child care center. Parents pay lots and lots of money to send their child(ren) to the particular center I work for. Lately, my boss has been telling all of the workers that we can't get overtime and sick time is almost gone. She also says that we don't have enough money to pay part time staff for afternoon hours.

What really frustrates me is that we don't have the staff we need anymore because of the economy. Full time workers have to work more hours each day. Instead of getting overtime for those hours, they want us to use the hours on another day and leave early.

My employer is raising the price of our healthcare dramatically. I know this is nothing new but my insurance is going up by almost $200 per month! My insurance company is also raising the copays by $10 for pcp and $20 for specialty doctors! My family was already stuggling to make it but now we are really going to have to cut back!

My employer is doing everything they can do NOT to layoff staff. They have instituted cuts such as restricting non sales related travel, as well as a hiring freeze. Interesting but probably also effective is that the company is considering to "force" everyone to take vacation the week between Christmas and New Years. This reduces vacation "pay" that is carried on the book as an expense, thus reducing expenses for Q4.

Anything the company can do to preserve jobs is welcome news.

Hi Robin.
Thank you very much for the opportunity, about my boss and the Economy, his planning in increasing the condominium fee by 9% to compensate for increments in water services and cable TV .
To alleviate the cost, we are eliminating child care services from the budget.

*Sad situation*.

Regards.
Carlos.

Can anyone explain why the government did not consider giving each household $200,000.00 instead of the banks getting $750 Billion plus? Unless my math is wrong, this would have been the cheaper and most effective way of boosting the economy. Money could have paid off many mortgages, bought new vehicles, household items etc. This would have put the money right back into the public sector and the economy in general. No, they give it to the banks, who use it to buy other banks. How does this boost the economy if it does not make money available to the public?? You have to wonder who thinks of this stuff, or maybe does not think....

Thanks

Well my boss let me go last month. I have been out of work for a month now and have had several interviews and went to temp agencies. the pay that is out there is nowheres near what i was getting paid (and it wasn't much to start off with) and in the middle of this year my boss made all employees contractors so no taxes were taken out (to save him money). now that i got laid off, i tried getting unemployment to help me out and they said NO! I was horrified! Where is all my taxes I paid for, for the past 20 years gone? How can I not get unemployment just because my last job made us contractors! Such BS! so now i'm a month behind paying my bills with no help from the Gov. i.e. unemployment etc. as little as unemployment is, it would of helped out. Now im robbing peter to pay paul to take more money out on credit cards and im in deeper debt now than ever... Thanks Boss!

people are not speanding because the ones that still have a job who are not in losing there home are paying there morgage and putting food on the table not buying the extra stuff you do not need to have in the throw away material world we live in

ps Robin is super hot

No Christmas party for us this year....But we are managing to build a new parking lot with a nice fountain in the middle of it. I wonder sometimes, the ceo and the board of directors must be totally in a different world.
I just bet they have a nice bonus for their Christmas. I have to work that day, so I will be helping to make the money that pays them. No need to thank me Mr. Bigshot. I know you really don't care about anyone but yourself anyway. May God Bless you even more than He has already.

My company is now offering the 4 day work week. That works for some, but not so well for others. We also have not had raises this year, and it doesn't look to good for next year either.

Jennifer - you're the best, watch every day. I'm a 'boss' and we aren't changing much, don't want to overreact to media hype.

I work for a major tool manufacturer.... They just layed off 6 more, that brings the total to 10 since July. One was a lead, that will not be replaced. They're farming all his duties out to the rest of us. They just raised our quotas and I 'm sure they're still looking for more heads to roll. It worse than I've ever seen it before.I figure I'm just lucky to have a job. Without help for the economy soon we'll all be standing in the bread line.

Last year when things in my small business started to get TIGHT, instead of having a 'company employee' party only we had a bon fire in our back yard. We have several acres, went out in the woods brought in downed trees, had everyone bring a covered dish, we provided keg beer, mixers, soda, hambugers and hot dogs. In addition to our employees, family, friends we invited our retail clients, their employees, friends and family. We do custom framing for the local sport stores, local artists, photographers & some of the nicest people. The bon fire when over SOOO well we're having it again this year and the sport stores are now paying 1/2 of the cost.

Jennifer. Today I was laid off and sent out without even a thank you for your service. I worked for a finance company owned by a major inter'l bank.
My husband lost his job a year ago and still no job. I only had 12years of service. Now, both of us are out of work and we are part of the other 700K+ who have lost their jobs this year. Our odds for finding work are not good.
We had been cutting back so much, I didnt dare buy any new clothes after I had lost 80lbs. I would wear my 1 suit everyday. My one outfit has seen better days. Our 11year old daughter wears second hand from our 13year old niece.
Jennifer, you and Robin have a great look. What do you do with your wardrobe after you're done with it? If you donate it, I could really use a fresh look to use during my job search.

My boss terminated me and replaced me with someone right out of college, for half the wage, and a restructured bonus program. After 10 years of loyal service, he could have come to me and asked for an alternative to the output of salary. I would have much rather have worked something out that way, than to be looking for a job in this economy, at 46 years old.

His bonus plan included my total income, getting rid of me gave him and automatic raise!

My boss (Union Pacific Railroad) has just posted another record profit for the 3rd quarter, yet they are laying off workers across the company. Those effected range from engineers and conductors to dispatchers and clerical staff. The company expects the rest of us to pick up the slack and not take any days off!!! Whats going on?? Making record profits and still laying off people?? Sounds like ENRON to me. Love your show Robin!!

I work for a county library system so our 'overall boss' is the County Commission. There has been a hiring freeze since late summer and we've no idea when it will be lifted. The BRIGHT SPOT is that I've been able to do sub work at another branch (10-20 hours/week) as well as working my regular shift (15 hours/week) at my 'home' branch. We've got several positions that have gone unfilled since the hiring freeze and no one knows when the freeze will be lifted (January, 2009?, July, 2009?).

While I'm on total disability, i can still work part time each month so the additional. hours are actually a boon for me! I have been in the position that others have been in several years ago so I FULLY understand what they are going through. What folks DON'T think about is the effect on their marriages/relationships. My ex-wife's career was on the growth track when mine was on the downswing and we wound up divorcing, in part, over my job situation.

JENNIFER...YOU NEED TO MENTION WAYS FOR COUPLES TO DEAL WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIPS IN LIGHT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE JOB SITUATIONS!

Bill Stevens aka WSteven1

The cost cutting I have experienced at my workplace - MY RAISE - We purchase tickets for our Holiday Party - I'm sure the holiday party at our corporate headquarters is on me or my raise. I don't see the the executives that make hundreds of thousands of dolllars a year paying $25 dollors to attend the holiday party? There is something wrong with that picture, maybe at our next meeting when visitors from corporate are here at the end of the meeting they ask does anyone have questions? I will raise my hand and ask do you have to purchase tickets to your holiday party if the answer is no I will request an invitation to the party in 2009.

What about cost cutting for small business? I have ran a small business in construction for most of my working life.22 years of construction work and I have never seen it this bad.I cannot provide medical,401,or any other perks for my employees,I can't cut back on employees or I could not run my business.The price for labor is 1/2 what it was 6 months ago.Work has been non-existent the last 4 months.It is very hard with 6 kids (no medical) no unemployment to survive these times.To top it off I sit and watch the news and see all these "big corporations" expectig to be bailed out by the government....What about the little guy??? It is frustrating to see how everybody thinks the government should bail them out,as I sit here and watch my business and family ready to go under

I think that I should clarify that the cost of billing labor is 1/2 what it was 6 months ago,while payroll labor remains the same

How did my boss deal with cost-cutting at my workplace?

My millionaire boss of 8 years SOLD the company to our competitor for 4x the company worth, leaving 55 of us without jobs, while he's living in a mansion.

So, knowing that I'd need my $600 stimulus check by July, I filed my taxes on April 15. But this year, I had to pay in $1700, so IRS grabbed my stimulus check. Now they say I still owe $1100, so they want to levy against my unemployment check.

I've already lost my apartment, and all of my remaining belongings are in a $50 storage unit. I only have my prepaid cell phone and PO Box. (I have worked continuously since age 15, and I'm now 55.)

I am not the only one. A retired couple on a fixed income had filed bankruptcy 20 years ago. IRS grabbed their stimulus check, too.

I hope President Obama can BAR the IRS from grabbing stimulus checks, and make them pay us back for the checks they have already grabbed, WITH interest. - Annie in KC

My boss refused to give me health insurance followed by cutting my wage almost in have and then started telling me haw fair he was to me, I quit my job and have been unemployed for six months. He made it my fault. Republicans have an odd idea of fair.

I had to relocate my small business because my lease was up. I ended up getting a much larger space with my own office for my Braiding Acamedy and Braid Salon. I was blessed to be able to enter into a lease for my busiess paying the same amount I was paying at my previous location because of the economy and they just didnt want the property sitting idle and not making any money. My business teaches others the skilled trade art of braiding the natural hair. And is idle for supplementing your income.

Kelissa

hi i watch your show every morning with my hubby does and i was wanting to know with all these business going down are we going to get another stimulus check or what because we do need it besides i have a child that her birthday day is 5 days from christmas ok and i do have bills thanks laura w

How long must we endure bailing out companies that continue to employ those same persons who have caused this economic meltdown? Now, AIG is being bailed out a second time. The Government needs to know that enough is enough.

Every year we join as a global community and volunteer to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. Each year there have been appreciation gifts handed out as well as lunch. This year we received neither.

Also for employee appreciation day, we would receive two tickets to a local amusement park. Obviously they provide one for the employee and one for their spouse. This year it was cut down to only one ticket.

But we still get our coffee, tea and hot chocolate in the break room. Oh yeah, and the soda machines have gone up a quarter.

Why bail out the Auto Industry?
The majority of the American people don't work for the Auto Industry. And who can afford a new car? Why is the bailout package focused on the big & rich companies again? When will the working and now retired people get a big package? We had to reach deep into in our pockets these past eight yrs. to survive and we're broke too. Stop with the big companies. If the American people had money, they would be buy things for they're familes.Wheres our 700 billion package?

Jonny Meyer
Winona Minnesota

I find it immoral and illegal when CEO's and their exec's make 10 to 20 million a year while the company is suffering. Their solution no raises, no 401k match, 8,000 jobs gone and another 10,000 rebadged to another company for lower pay. The middle class is being crushed and the exec's don't care.

hi jen ;
i would like to know what would happen if the USA announces that it has discovered a new source of energy , would this turn the economy around ? we have in our posesssion 100% clean electrical energy , no fuel or propellent and no pollution , it is a massive design with unlimited output of power . do you america would be interested ?

My husband has beenworking for a company for 13 years and is the top man there.....He is a truck driver..His boss decided about a year ago he needed a couple of temp drivers to pick up the slack, ... now with the economy and lots of less work he has kept the temp workers,and now my husband and the other guys are down to less hours that the temp guys..My husband has lost about 20 hous a week, coz of this. . Is there honestly anything we can do legally about this... Please say yes. My husband actually has the day off tomorrow, as the temps are working.........please give me some advice....debbie