Australia has universal health care!

I suspect being laid off in Australia is much less rough than being laid off in the States.

Damnit, billytea--that sucks rocks. Good luck to you with finding another job!

I'm sorry, billytea. I hope you find something great soon.

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It's donut day at work today, meaning that in celebration of National Library week, I get leave the house early to go pick up 8 dozen donuts, then figure out how to get them to work.

After that though, there will be donuts, which will be good.

Aw hell, billy-- that sucks (the being laid off part, obviously).

Nah, it's cool. Really. Given my length of service, they're legally obliged to provide a pretty substantial payout. We'll be fine. This decision gives me three things:

1. Time to be at home with our new baby (once he's born).
2. A chance to review my career direction and refresh my skill set.
3. An escape from a work situation that had been progressively deteriorating for the last couple of years.

Honestly, if I hadn't got laid off, I'd still have been looking for a new job. This way, I get paid for it.

Oh, crappity, billytea! Does Australia even do Unemployment benefits? (I mean, probably, but do you lose your healthcare too, or whatever?)

We do have unemployment banefits, though I'm pretty sure the Howard govt made some efforts to reduce the government's liability in this area. I'll have to look into it; at the moment I'm not placing any reliance on them.

Our healthcare provision isn't tied to employment as in the US, so that isn't compromised. Australia has a govt-run health insurance system (Medicare) to cover compulsory medical costs, and a private system to cover everything else. We have the same adverse selection problem that all private schemes face; while the US deals with that by more or less forcing people to opt in through their employment, here the govt offers a tax rebate on health insurance costs and requires insurers to set prices based on your age when you first took out insurance (so young and healthy people have an incentive to join up even if they don't think they need it yet). The upshot of which is that I have private cover that is unrelated to my employer.

Honestly, if I hadn't got laid off, I'd still have been looking for a new job. This way, I get paid for it.

That's a great way to see it, so good for you! (I have heard only good things from the people who got laid off here... on the other hand, it's only been two weeks.)

bt, when's the baby due?

bt, when's the baby due?

April 29 (yes, two weeks' time), though the bub's a little on the large side, so maybe he'll arrive a bit early.

April 29 (yes, two weeks' time)

Oh wow! So exciting!

Boo and yay, bt!

And crap, I'm really not better mentally today. The prospect of dealing with my employer's website kinda sent me into a tailspin.