well, today's the day....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I didn't have a clue about which company was involved so I just did a Google search using the phrase "grocery lays off 800". I think I know which company we are talking about.

Dan,

In my 34 year career after 8 years in the US Navy, I managed to survive two sales and numerous RIFs.

The sales were an interesting event.

I initially went to work for a small privately owned corporation that due to bad business practices was bought by Johnson and Johnson.

8 years later J&J sold us to GE.

One of the "nets" J&J provided for the employees was 1 month's salary for each year you had worked of the original company IF GE didn't offer you a position. It took 3 months for the FTC to approve the sale. I know a couple managers that purposely angered their new GE managers so they wouldn't be offered a position. These managers had already found new jobs and had 10 years with the company. Yup, they collected almost a years salary and had the other job waiting for them.

I had been with the company for 10 years, figured out the same scenario but I had been living in Idaho for 4 years and after 4 previous years living in Chicago, didn't want to move back to a large city to continue my profession. GE offered me a position and in the next 24 years I managed to make myself valuable enough to escape being RIFed 6 different times.

Good things happen to good people. I'd continue to work and play out the severance thing, get everything in order, watch for openings locally, research the job market and apply. Use vacation if you have any to interview. Good things happen to good people. Something better will come around.

[Garry Foster]

Dan

Rifs and Vrifs are no fun. I survived many of them only to still be had by company changing the rules on benefits.

So I agree that it bites.... I have to deal with reps in India for my retirement benefits.. My internet problems, my credit card services. ANd though I understand all they are trying to do is make a living its very rare that they manage to solve a problem with out transferring the call back to the states. And they usually fight that.....

Best of luck with the future...

Garry

[Dan Noren]

well, since it's in the public domain, on the financial news services, and local news, there can't be too much they can do if i mention the name here. the company is supervalu.