Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 As of today, we've lost 1/3 of dh's take home pay due to the crappy job the gov't is doing on the budget and the small cut he took to take the day job. And even if they get the budget under control the parts they cut today won't be coming back. So in the last 9 weeks dh has lost every pay increase he has had in the past 10 years. The down side of that is the gov't didn't take our bills when they took our ability to pay them. Anyone else in this boat with me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 OMG. That is absurd. I am not there with you, but I stand next to you with a hug of support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Ugh. I'm so sorry. That is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 That just stinks. :( :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm so sorry. That is completely unfair!!! :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Sort of - after a mere three months at his new job (which took almost nine months to finalize in the first place) hubby was told his position no longer existed, bye-bye two weeks ago. Uh - oh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: :grouphug: That sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 That just stinks! Right now, it feels like our entire govt' is imploding. I think the whole thing is absurd. My dh's job will most likely feel the affects in the future, as it's a community based clinic, so it does use grants. In fact, despite the fact that I live in an area where the elected officials promise the cuts are no big deal, they will be a big deal to the entire area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyCrazyMama Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Ouch! That's terrible! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty Mathy Mom Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: We're waiting. Dh's company relies on government contracts for the majority of their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Sort of - after a mere three months at his new job (which took almost nine months to finalize in the first place) hubby was told his position no longer existed, bye-bye two weeks ago. Uh - oh. What? That is just crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Parrot, do you have any links? Dh works for DoD, in Intelligence, and we're trying to figure out if he's furloughed without him having to go in and talk to people/check his e-mail. No, I don't have any links. Dh was in meetings all day and part of it was being told the bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Apparently the furlough/layoff letters go out in March, and the first pay period to be affected will be in April. Yes, that is us too. It starts in April. Even if they come to their senses and figure this out dh said AUO won't be reinstated so we won't ever get back what they cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto5blessings Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm so sorry for all those in this thread who are affected by this. Congress needs to go!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Waste in government spending needed to be cut, but with a scalpel, not an across-the-board hacksaw :thumbdown: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Basically, dh will have to take off one day a week with no pay until September. That's what several of our friends will be doing.... 20% reduction in work at the post clinic they work at. They'll be off one day a week, without pay, through September (when the sequester ends, from what I understand, and the new budget takes effect). They are off on different days, so that the staffing isn't too low on any given day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Apparently the furlough/layoff letters go out in March, and the first pay period to be affected will be in April. That's what my friends at the post clinic were told... That it would go in to effect in April if a compromise wasn't reached by then.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Chucki, that just makes me want to puke. We haven't been in your shoes, but when the housing market tanked, we went from making almost 5 figures to making $264 a week. It was so crazy painful and it seemed like it lasted forever (16 months, in reality). We haven't entirely recovered. And I don't think I will ever get that feeling of safety and wellbeing back. I tend to over buy groceries. I hoard money (not necessarily a bad thing). I always worry that he will come home with no job. I don't have any sage advice. I got through it with the help of friends and family. One minute at a time, some days. I have to work now. We cut everything that wasn't essential. Our second vehicle was totaled my a drunk drive shortly after dh was laid off. This turned out to be a blessing is disguise. We still only have one vehicle (dh is supplied a truck to use for work). Dh has a crappy job. He hates it. He's a people person and this job has no social interaction. It's a sysiphus job. But, he's working. We're paying the bills. We're starting to save again. I still have days that I cry over the life that once was. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I think the hardest part really is that it's through no fault of your own. If dh had *done* something that brought this on, I would have resigned myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinmami01 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm sorry you all have to go through this. (((HUGS))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug:I'm so incredibly sorry :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 As of today, we've lost 1/3 of dh's take home pay due to the crappy job the gov't is doing on the budget and the small cut he took to take the day job. And even if they get the budget under control the parts they cut today won't be coming back. So in the last 9 weeks dh has lost every pay increase he has had in the past 10 years. The down side of that is the gov't didn't take our bills when they took our ability to pay them. Anyone else in this boat with me? Yep. We've been there for a while. And then, this month, Dh's company switched health insurance and increased employee contributions. He is their accountant and he's recently seen quite a bit of money being thrown away. He is determined he's going to ask for some sort of raise when his review comes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :thumbdown: Sadly, raising my hand to join in on the forced furlough. :crying: Money was already tight enough, but this pay cut will hit our finances pretty hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks. It isn't just us. Farmers, students, air traffic controllers, fishermen, medical peeps, lots of others are going to suffer losses also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 :thumbdown: Sadly, raising my hand to join on on the forced furlough. :crying: Money was already tight enough, but this pay cut will hit our finances pretty hard. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn On the Border Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Dh will have 1 day without pay per week. Because he is in law enforcement, he considered essential, so he has to work anyway. How can that be legal?! I am very upset for us, because we're trying to save for college (which is way overdue), but many people will be in much worse shape. Lots of people live paycheck-to-paycheck. What will they do? How will they pay their bills? It's one thing to put a freeze on raises, but it's another to reduce current pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Dh will have 1 day without pay per week. Because he is in law enforcement, he considered essential, so he has to work anyway. How can that be legal?! Might be worth a call to an attorney. I don't think they can do that. At least they shouldn't. Of course, if you're a whistle blower, there may be no job at all. That's why so many people remain silent. (Which is what we've always done. The silent part.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 We're not in the same boat yet, but we might be. DH works as a civilian on a government contract, and contractors all around him are being cut. What really kills me is that the sequester was designed to be a deterrent. Some in congress have actually gone on record to say that it was "designed to be stupid". The thinking was that the sequestration cuts are so painful - and yes, so stupid - that congress would take action to avoid sequestration at all costs. Instead, the deterrent that congress itself created failed to move congress towards taking appropriate action. When you really stop and think about what this says about our congress, it's mind-blowing. :blink: We need fiscal responsibility. We need government accountability. We need spending cuts. We do not need the sheer idiocy represented by sequestration. :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Dh will have 1 day without pay per week. Because he is in law enforcement, he considered essential, so he has to work anyway. How can that be legal?! I am very upset for us, because we're trying to save for college (which is way overdue), but many people will be in much worse shape. Lots of people live paycheck-to-paycheck. What will they do? How will they pay their bills? It's one thing to put a freeze on raises, but it's another to reduce current pay. This would have been dh if he hadn't taken the desk job in December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 :grouphug: The news last night was focusing on what might happen on March 27 when funding for the federal government is set to expire. :thumbdown: When it comes to politics, I guess I am in the pessimist camp and waiting for California state govt to ask for more money and blaming it on federal funding :(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Not in the situation, but :grouphug: to everyone affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Yuck. I am so sorry, Chucki. The whole situation just stinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Anyone else in this boat with me? Because of the health care reform :glare: , dh makes $12 less in his take home pay despite a 3% plus a dollar raise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 While our pay won't be less because we're military, we will be seeing much longer work hours to accommodate for those who won't be able to work due to the sequester. We don't get paid enough for some of why my husband is asked to do already. I'm sorry everyone is in this bind. I don't have much hope for budget fixes, though. Congress hasn't passed a budget in a long, long while... And even with the sequestration cuts, government spending is still projected to be so much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 What really kills me is that the sequester was designed to be a deterrent. Some in congress have actually gone on record to say that it was "designed to be stupid". The thinking was that the sequestration cuts are so painful - and yes, so stupid - that congress would take action to avoid sequestration at all costs. Instead, the deterrent that congress itself created failed to move congress towards taking appropriate action. When you really stop and think about what this says about our congress, it's mind-blowing. :blink: We need fiscal responsibility. We need government accountability. We need spending cuts. We do not need the sheer idiocy represented by sequestration. :banghead: This is what gets me too. Aren't these people parents or at least grown ups? They should know better than to make threats they don't want to keep. The Senate, House, and the President all deserve blame for being stupid enough to support this in the first place. I think they (all sides) intentionally designed the cuts to hurt people so they could then claim that the other side "is playing politics while people are hurting." We live near a big military post and many of my friends are hurting over this. My DH's job will not be affected but he is now unable to fill some positions that he really needs filled. He has gone through a long hiring process and now he has to tell everyone that they wasted their time. In the meantime, people who aren't furloughed will be making up the work with no extra pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 It's a sad state of affairs. I am truly saddened to see that WIC will be hurt by this as well. I was a breastfeeding counselor for WIC before my last baby, and I can really say we helped mothers and children. It makes me cry thinking of those women who can't get this little extra help now. Sorry to all those hurt by this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 ... What really kills me is that the sequester was designed to be a deterrent. Some in congress have actually gone on record to say that it was "designed to be stupid". The thinking was that the sequestration cuts are so painful - and yes, so stupid - that congress would take action to avoid sequestration at all costs. Instead, the deterrent that congress itself created failed to move congress towards taking appropriate action. When you really stop and think about what this says about our congress, it's mind-blowing. :blink: I don't want to get too political per board rules - but then, this is a political issue. It was Obama that proposed sequestration to force Congress' hand. Here's one link; there's lots more info out there. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/obamas-fanciful-claim-that-congress-proposed-the-sequester/2012/10/25/8651dc6a-1eed-11e2-ba31-3083ca97c314_blog.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garddwr Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Dh will be on the 1 day a week furlough plan. We'll be OK--not happy about it, but we live frugally. Mostly means we'll have to stop paying down our mortgage. I have friends who don't know how they will pay their mortgage. Someone's bluff got called. I'm still optimistic. Curious to see how things work out (since they're pretty much beyond my control, curious is about all I can be). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Parrot, do you have any links? Dh works for DoD, in Intelligence, and we're trying to figure out if he's furloughed without him having to go in and talk to people/check his e-mail. You need to get official notice from the head of your agency. Not all agencies are on the same schedule. The union at my husband's agency is still in negotiations and there is no official notice as of today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Parrothead, I am sorry. I feel your pain. We are just waiting for official notice and when it would start. Some are saying if it goes into effect, the end of April will be the start of my husband's furlough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddykate Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Waste in government spending needed to be cut, but with a scalpel, not an across-the-board hacksaw :thumbdown: I agree and some of the scalpel cutting should start with the ones making these decisions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I don't want to get too political per board rules - but then, this is a political issue. It was Obama that proposed sequestration to force Congress' hand. Here's one link; there's lots more info out there. http://www.washingto...7c314_blog.html I don't want to derail this thread either. While Obama may have proposed this option, the concept actually goes back to the 1985 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction plan (as the article you linked also mentioned). It's nothing new. I'm not absolving Obama in this issue at all - but I also hold congress responsible, as they voted to approve it. It was a bipartisan vote in congress that led to the approval of the Budget Control Act, which included sequestration. That's why we have our system of checks and balances - so that measures like sequestration can be stopped, even if they're proposed by the President. If we want to place blame, it really belongs with the "Supercommittee" (a bipartisan committee comprised of senators and congressmen). Here's a good article explaining what happened (or more accurately, *didn't* happen) that ultimately paved the way for sequestration. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/heres-who-is-really-to-blame-for-sequestration/273587/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I agree and some of the scalpel cutting should start with the ones making these decisions! while it sounds political, to me, it's not. Flat out, if you create a problem, overspend, destroy someone's property, injure someone, etc. you should fix that problem yourself. Pay your debt, repair their property, pay for their medical, or whatever else restitution is needed. With that as my viewpoint, the first cuts should begin in congress. Then see how long it takes them to fix it :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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