Foo - Ever get one of those uneasy feelings?

I did today. I might just be paranoid, but:

-Company I work for filed Chapter 11 last week.
-Boss asks all of us hourly workers (that are not contracted temps) what our pay rates are.

So either they are looking at potentially lifting the wage increase ban after 3 years OR they are looking at doing some more cuts...

What's really got me concerned is the fact that I've been there since this location was in start up mode. We opened up as the highest paid facility in the division. As a result, I think that I might be one of the highest paid, non-managerial types right now- if not the highest. I hired on as an hourly supervisory position, but took a pay cut ($2/hr) and voluntary demotion when the Doc declared me legally blind.

If you are a workhorse they just might keep you on. They can let go some newer hires and give you their work (unfortunately). If they let you go they would have to pay you a higher severance package.

Yes, I have that feeling every day at work. I work for a local government that is charged politically. However, some cogs and dominos may fall in the correct position form me after 1/1/2011. I may finally have the opportunity to do great work for the county.

I feel for you bud. It sucks not knowing what is going to happen to you when you have no control over the situation.

Couch

I've also had this tucked away in the far reaches of my mind- since I am legally blind, I believe that I could be considered handicapped, and as such, ADA rules apply. I'm still capable of doing the vast majority of my assigned work- the more advanced stuff takes me a bit longer or I have to enlist the aid of someone with better eyes (though I have the better knowledge base). Perhaps the company maybe afraid of a lawsuit, even though OK is an at-will state.

Have they set up the guillotine in the salary employees parking area?
If so,do not make eye contact with the guy(HR)with the black hood on.

I feel for you as well. As a fed employee, I have the feeling that rather than getting serious about cutting the deficit, there will be a number of symbolic cuts - just like at the state levels of gov't - that don't do really anything to address fiscal problems but its a lot easier to beat on gov't workers than it is to make really tough decisions about spending and taxes.

I also would love to get the hell out of California. Not being near my kids in CT is not good for them and its certainly not good for me; at times it is very depressing and frustrating...

I feel for you as well. As a fed employee, I have the feeling that rather than getting serious about cutting the deficit, there will be a number of symbolic cuts - just like at the state levels of gov't - that don't do really anything to address fiscal problems but its a lot easier to beat on gov't workers than it is to make really tough decisions about spending and taxes.

I also would love to get the hell out of California. Not being near my kids in CT is not good for them and its certainly not good for me; at times it is very depressing and frustrating...

It never rains in southern California
But boy let me tell ya
It pours..... and it pours

Best wishes. I'm in sort of a similar position where I'm pretty sure my boss has fired me, but he's keeping me on as long as he's happy with my production (which he is that the moment). Either that or he changed his mind. He told me my job would end at the beginning of October, but now he's given me projects for at least a month. But at the same time I don't want to ask him about my status, because that might force his hand into firing me (as only him, my wife, and an outsider to whom I go for advice know he fired me, I don't want it to be public so that he has to fire me to save face rather than show weakness by changing his mind).

I did today. I might just be paranoid, but:

-Company I work for filed Chapter 11 last week.
-Boss asks all of us hourly workers (that are not contracted temps) what our pay rates are.

So either they are looking at potentially lifting the wage increase ban after 3 years OR they are looking at doing some more cuts...

What's really got me concerned is the fact that I've been there since this location was in start up mode. We opened up as the highest paid facility in the division. As a result, I think that I might be one of the highest paid, non-managerial types right now- if not the highest. I hired on as an hourly supervisory position, but took a pay cut ($2/hr) and voluntary demotion when the Doc declared me legally blind.

Not to take away any hope that might be there, but I don't think that companies that file for bankruptcy are looking at raising wages in the near term.

I would say that if they have to survey their employees for salaries, then their bankruptcy filing shouldn't come as a surprise; it sounds like they don't have any clue on their expenses.

If they can pull it out, then Cbad is right... if you are a workhorse, they may keep you on as a known quantity and not have the expense of replacing you (training someone else or hiring someone at a lower wage).