So, SOOOOO much worse

It's a couple decades back, and this IT pilot fish works for an aerospace and defense contractor that's laying off 30 percent of fish's division -- including fish.

But things could be worse. "To start with, we were given 60 days' notice," says fish. "Some were walked out, but many remained during that period -- but we were told that finding another job was our number-one priority.

"Outplacement services -- resume writing, interviewing techniques, printing -- were provided during the notice period and for a year after, and we were provided a bucket of $5,000 for retraining."

And any classes begun before official termination are covered under the company's standard employee tuition reimbursement policy. Fish is already working on a masters degree, and his manager readily approves taking even more courses, and the cost doesn't come out of his $5,000 retraining money.

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