Okally-dokally

[Thinkimjob]

Been away for a while, mainly because my employer (big national media company) is trying to get us all to take a tremendously low redundancy pay out.

When I say "low", I mean utterly insulting. Nine and a half years of high-quality work, and aarrggh. Earn more doing the unspeakable, in a night, even with my wheelie walker.
And even if they let you have redundancy, you have to keep on keeping on working until August next year.

Spoke to the Magistrate in our local court today. I do the court report. He likes me, and he swears a lot. So does the police prosecutor, and the Legal Aid lawyer. (I'm quite nice, really.)

They all told me to reject the redundancy offer, (or slap in the face) and to play my "disabled" card. Only time it is ever worth anything in your hand.

Tomorrow morning I have an hour long interview to keep a wee part of my job.
It's good to get out of the house, obviously, and ah well
I have some "feral" genes and I will have to control my need to express my true feelings.

It is soooo depressing.

I keep telling myself I'm so plucky and brave to keep working but the other half of my brain says I am so stupid, just take the disability pension, and sit quietly on the couch, pat the cat and watch Nurse Jackie.

I trust all of you are well.

[alishape]

Good luck!

Sounds like a tough decision. I just wanted to tell you disability retirement is boring as ****! Lol, I know you can't base life decisions on that, but jeez it is pretty sucky. Sounds like you're between a rock and a hard place though.

Please keep us posted.

[Karenkay]

I think that if you feel that you can continue to work, you should.

[Waydwnsouth1]

What a terrible position to be in. I noticed you said you were a nice person. Well perhaps it's time to let those claws out and fight for what you want.

I think you should follow the advice of the Magistrate, Legal Aid Lawyer and the Police Prosecuter and play the disabled card. You have everything to win and nothing to lose.

Good Luck to you and I wish you well. Keep us posted on how things turn out.

[palmtree]

I have been wondering where you were. This sounds like a maddening situation. I can't give advice because I don't know anything about the Australian system.

Instead of giving up work and sitting on the couch all day, how about starting your own newspaper? Granted you need start up capital and all. Are there any papers in town you would like to work for? If you have some other options it will give you more bargaining power.

With your talent for writing I hope this guy realizes how lucky he is to have you.📇

[Thinkimjob]

[QUOTE=palmtree;1486674]I have been wondering where you were. This sounds like a maddening situation.
You said it. The interview was an hour-long conference call with two women. I could hear one typing my answers down in the background. Hmmm.

At the end, one of them asked, "how are you feeling?"
They have to ask everyone that, on workplace health & safety grounds, just in case the stress makes you start drinking yourself to death.

I allowed myself a brief, honest reply at the end for minute or three.

"How do you think I feel? Stress is extremely bad for MS, and your company has put me through months of it.

"You expect people to keep turning up and working extra hard with a smile on their face, when everyone with whom they work is angry or depressed or both.

"And then you won't tell us what you are going to do until the night before Christmas. How do you think I feel?"

Oh, and tonight is the staff Christmas Party. Attendance is mandatory.

Ho buddy Ho.

I may have to start a blog.