How do you react to this?

[Ira]

Got this email today from the big boss, sent out to everyone:

Dear Office Staff:

I very much appreciate all the work you have done for the past year
and the previous ones too.

In appreciation for this I am closing the office from Dec. 22 through Jan 1.

Have a Happy Holiday.

I also have to say, that due to the decreasing number of students in BBSH, it is not possible to give any raises this year.

I hope this time off helps you have a Cheery Holiday Season!

Sincerely, Barbara


I'm pissed and happy at the same time, but more pissed. When I get extra time off, it doesn't really mean anything--because I have to do all of the work anyway when I get back.

Looks like a second TD is out of question.

[SkipperSue]

Yeah, cheery indeed!! I'd be pissed off myself.
Sorry Ira

[Miriam C.]

Gee Ira, you sound just like Mike. I'ts not like your in-box goes away while on vacation. And how much fun can you have without a raise.

Do you get paid while you are off?

Buy beer now hide it from yourself and don't take it to the campground so your friends can't drink it up for you.

[Ira]

Yeah, I get paid--but I haven't had a raise in three years. It's just one of those small companies that has its benefits to work for, but no chance for advancement.

But the heck with advancement--I just want more money.

[Miriam C.]

Gosh 3 years is a long time. Must be great benefits.

[mwatters]

If it were me...

I'd put as much distance between myself and that place ASAP. Assuming this is the "Barbara Brennon School of Healing", it sounds like flakes with Brennon as chief flake.

Ya gotta wonder about a place that teaching "channeling" AND "ethics". You'd think that one automatically eliminates the other.

mkw

[halfdome, Danny]

Reminds me of my last employer. From the very first year in business they would lay off the crew the later part of December to January 2nd because they figured we would be unproductive at that time. I worked there for 8 years and the last year it was a months lay off and I never returned. They went out of business the next summer, they deserved it too. Good luck Ira. Danny

[Ira]

Hey, Mike. You know about us?

FIVE YEARS I'M HERE!!!

And you nailed it right on the head.

[AmyH]

That woman needs to learn how to write better emails. Does she really think that telling you you're getting time off and you aren't getting a raise, in the same email, is going to make you all happy?!!! Geez, she should have at least sent the emails separately, not that it would make it any easier. Hang in there Ira.

[Joseph]

Ya gotta wonder about a place that teaching "channeling" AND "ethics". You'd think that one automatically eliminates the other.

I guess it depends on who you're channeling...

Sorry Ira, that does suck. I'm inclined to agree with Danny. I have no idea what what your marketable skill sets are but I'd definitely be working on expanding them while looking for employment elsewhere. Given the "decreasing number of students at BBSH," it sounds like it may not be long before you're forced to anyway, so you may as well beat the rush.

Best of luck,

Joseph

[Mary K]

What a bunch of Hooey!!!

I agree w/ mwatters!!! Get that resume out there and find an employer who appreciates their employees!! They are out there.

Mk

[mwatters]

Hey, Mike. You know about us?

Not really. I saw the bit about "declining students" and did a quick Google search. I'm in higher education (PhD in Genetics) and was ACTUALLY preparing to write something about the realities of working at a small university where your salaries are very closely tied to enrollment (the state I'm in). I turned up the Alternative medicine BS though and went off on that.

I was very serious about the suggestion of putting distance between yourself and that outfit though. Beyond the obvious flake aspects... She sells herself as a former NASA physicist - yet her own Bio only shows her with a BS and Masters in Physics. NASA isn't gonna hire Masters level people to do anything significant. Plus - for a long time now there haven't been very many serious Masters programs in the hard sciences. Masters are more likely to be handed out to folks as boobie prizes for dropping out of PhD programs.

Put more bluntly: If she's willing to bilk her 'students' what is she willing to do to employees?

mkw

[gailkaitschuck]

Ira

Might be time to check out the cheap land in Georgia again.

www.landandfarm.com lists 500+ pieces of property for sale in Georgia.

Gail

[Ira]

So now you guys know a little more about what makes me such a nut.

But here's the rub:

We actually have 200 MORE total students than when I started here 5 years ago. Wanna know why?

We started a second school in Europe the year after I started, and are opining one in Japan this year. The Europe school siphoned European students away who would have travelled to the U.S,. and the Japan school will do the same.

So she tripled operating expoenses, marketing to the same pool of prospective students.

Oh well. Maybe I'll get rich off of my magazine.

Then again, there's always Wal-Mart.

[Joseph]

So now you guys know a little more about what makes me such a nut.

It does explain a lot...

We actually have 200 MORE total students than when I started here 5 years ago. Wanna know why?

We started a second school in Europe the year after I started, and are opining one in Japan this year. The Europe school siphoned European students away who would have travelled to the U.S,. and the Japan school will do the same.

So she tripled operating expoenses, marketing to the same pool of prospective students.

OK, so how does that 200 more equate to the total population? In other words, if you only had a hundred students to begin with and you now have three hundred, it was a good business decision. Anything less and it was a poor one in the short term and you can only hope it generates more in the years to come. It may be the same pool of students world wide, but if they don't have to travel as far, or if they can travel to a location that they would prefer over South Florida (THAT I can understand! ) then it may work out to be a good investment and she can afford raises for her people.

Oh well. Maybe I'll get rich off of my magazine.

Yep. Then you'll farm out the printing to China and start voting Republican...

Then again, there's always Wal-Mart.

Did you hear they just acquired the biggest retail chain in China? I guess they're gonna sell the Chinese people cheap plastic crap made in China...?

Joseph