Be creative, innovative as never before when dealing with layoffs

TINA VANDERWAL

Originally published Monday, March 18, 2002

My previous three columns have focused on reduction-in-force layoffs and their impact on state employees.

I hope these columns will unravel the mysteries about the layoff process and help state employees understand the process, their rights, and how to help keep themselves well physically, emotionally and financially.

One of the most difficult parts of being laid off is losing your employer-paid benefits.

When you are in reduction-in-force status, you must pay your own premiums at the group premium rate to continue your medical or dental benefits.

You can keep most coverage for up to 29 months. You can elect to continue your medical and dental, or medical only, or dental only.

You can also continue the $5,000 basic life insurance and all or part of your optional life coverage. Unfortunately, you cannot continue any disability coverage.

Your employer-paid coverage ends on the last day of the month that you have pay status. You can obtain self-pay packets from your personnel or payroll office.

Surviving

At this point, you might be wondering how can state employees survive a reduction-in-force layoff?

Their income is gone.

Yes, they get unemployment insurance, but in many cases that is much less than their regular paycheck. On top of that, they have to pay the premiums on their insurance policies.

A reduction-in-force layoff does require state employees to be creative and innovative in ways they have never before.

Many employees who are part of a reduction-in-force layoffs opt to take lower-paying positions while they wait to have their name referred off the reduction-in-force register.

The benefits to this are the pay and the ability to continue employer-paid coverage.

Temporary jobs

Ironically, you will also find the greatest amount of temporary state job openings during a reduction-in-force in state government.

Laid-off employees can also take a temporary job, while waiting for their name to be referred off the reduction-in-force register. If the temporary position is slated to last six months or more, the employee is eligible for medical and dental insurance.

Silver lining

Believe it or not, for some employees a reduction-in-force layoff has actually been a positive force in their lives.

They didn't feel that benefit when their layoff occurred, but looking back, some employees who were laid off have actually told me that they were now glad that their position was eliminated.

For some, it forced them out of a comfortable job they never would have left -- and into a different career field that they love.

For some, it gave them time to re-evaluate their career and life goals and make positive changes in those areas.

I wish I could tell you that a reduction in force is easy, but the truth is that it will be a struggle. It forces a state employee into a foreign world of unemployment, financial balancing acts and job search.

If you are part of a reduction in force, it will be one of your greatest life challenges -- but you will survive!

Tina VanderWal is human resources manager in the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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