bruce19

Ah, money...each month the Federal and State governments send me checks. My theory is that they are happy that I'm still here. And, of course, they love me.

LuckySailor

Nice! And if you go to Tractor Forums dot com there is a Kubota Section. I will welcome you there! What a great tractor. and a fabulous gift!

YotaBota

Cougrrcj

Not a damn thing!

Another USPS worker here. I carried mail for almost 33 years, and the arthritis got too bad to continue. I left with no speech, no cake, no nothing. I haven't been back since I picked up my last check (which you must do in person) last June 5th. I save $400/month in commuting costs alone! Plus no fast food lunches, so that's another $100/month I save.

Now I also have what most people call weekends! Whoopee, I got eight Saturdays off/year. Just try not having Saturdays off for 33 years! I missed a lot of weddings, parties, golf outings, organized bike rides, and other fun activities that 'normal' people do on weekends.

Yes, I get a 'government pension', but now I need to get a 'retirement job' so I can finish off my minimum requirements for Social Security. I was US Civil Service before, so that was a separate pension. Other jobs that I've worked gave me 21 'credits' and 40 credits are required for the minimum SS benefit. So, I gotta work at least another five- to seven years.

rubic

Five weeks to go and counting.

maddmaxx 

They laid me off 6 months before I got to my full retirement date.

Worknomore

A plaque that said "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out" It was a tough crowd.

sirupate

I will get nothing, and expect nothing when I retire in about a year. I'm even leaning toward saying no to the usual cake and punch retirement party with co-workers. I'd really rather meet with those who care at a local bar for a couple of farewell drinks.

sirupate

Wow! A Kimber? Impressive retirement gift. They must have loved having you there.

Old Sarge

Or loved having me leave. (Truthfully, I still work as a reserve and am the office's firearms qualification officer...I worked with a good crew.) At least one person was happy to see me leave. I would probably have worked a couple more years but the idiot county commissioners were cutting position and by my leaving (at age 69) a younger officer with a family got to keep his job. And my wife and I travel whenever the mood strikes me.

rydabent

Large corporations of course have their "usual" retirements. But what I cant understand is the small to medium companies that are privately owned not doing anything for their retirees. Anything they spend can be deducted from income tax. Why not give it to the people that made the company sucessful rather than giving it to the government. When younger workers see that, it will make them more loyal and harder workers.

At one time the very large corp I worked for saw it that way too. I was fortunate enough to get out under the old rules before they were run by the money grubbers that operates like other companies.

phoebeisis

Gold Watch
Retirement benefits-yeah that is from another time-very short period 1950's-1960's
But most folks even back then-got ZILCH

In 2002-24 years as employee/contractor
we all come to work-door is locked
We-20 employees- are let into the front room-regional manager is there-with a rent a cop
Tells us we are closing-now- employees escorted to back-rent a cop-allowed to get any belongings-given some info about severance benefits-bascially just unemployment-and that was that
Now I was a contractor/employee-so no severance-but I was kept around for 5 more weeks to finish up various stuff

Went to work for same bunch-50 miles away-
after 1 year 3 months-same story in new place-
door locked-met by rent a cop at door-
and that was that.

Yeah-if you see an UNFAMILIAR RENT A COP the day before on the premises-and he stays around ALL DAY doing nothing
BIG HINT he is there to prevent any employees that have tumbled to the next days activity from stealing tearing up the place-murdering manager etc

Yeah-new rent a cop-doing nothing-BIG HINT

Oh I was not one bit surprised we were closed-but other employees were-and they had worked there many many years

This is pretty typical of how places are closed now-
get bought out by some BIG CORP- they spin a story etc how great things will be
But they bought it to close it
They were making money-but they were selling excess production to competitors
so they could make more $$ closing us-raising prices since there would now be a shortage

Anyone in the pharmacy-pharmaceutical business-will be aware of what is happening to the prices of various formerly DIRT CHEAP meds
antibiotics-erythromycin etc- 500 cost $50 wholesale not many years ago-now they cost $1900
The smart folks who brought you 2008-are buying up generic manufacturers-offshore(india) and in the USA- closing them or in other ways restricting production
Yeah-monopolies-and in some cases they are blaming the FDA- claiming the FDA closed them after they failed(INTENTIONALLY FAILED) and inspection

It is an open secret but the GOV so far-isn't doing anything- DESPITE the GOV being on the hook for these increases?
Puzzling?


My HOPE-delusion really-is the GOV types- are allowing this
Figuring eventually the cost will be soooo high
we will all insist that BIG PHARM manufacturing BE RETURNED TO THE USA
Big tax benefits awarded for corps that will open new manufacturing plants
Heck jobs CAN return the the USA-the reasons they left
high labor costs-aren't so important anymore
Unions-are all broken-real wages are down-plenty of unemployed
and PHAR is pretty automated now
the raw chemicals-not much cheaper in india than here-equipment same cost
and fewer adulteration QC problems here than in india or china
China is aiming to get in the high end pharm industry also-MABs etc
Do you really really want to take Chinese sourced drugs
same folks who poisoned 300,000 chinese babies-adulterated baby formula-melamine-

so maybe there is a grand plan to make costs soooo high we return the jobs to the USA where we can monitor competition monopoly etc


Oh-we traveled a little-drove to Flagstaff with dog-from NOLA
It worked out ok because my wife got really sick in 2006-if I hadn't been "retired" we wouldn't have gotten in those last trips-she is doing OK-ish-
but the closing actually worked out-sorta-except for being broke of course
but you learn to be very frugal when you have to
SS at 62 now- sub teach when I want to-so all is well-ish

Worknomore

No, deducted from taxable income, saving some tax, not the entire expense. And assuming they actually are generating a profit.

smorris 

I got one of these, because I designed it.



I was there for 30 years, and retired four years ago at age 56. Got the traditional department party with a cake and then to the local bar after work with some of my closer friends.

Ludkeh

After 35 years working for the same employer they gave me my FREEDOM!!!! That was 8 years ago and loving retirement. No regrets.

Cougrrcj

Rigid Tool used to be a good company to work for... BTW, I'm 10 miles south of you... Let's RIDE!!

Leastbest

Work gave me a watch. I consider the pension reparations.

Bandera

[QUOTE=Leastbest;16702497]Work gave me a watch. I consider the pension reparations.[/QUOTE

1st pension check coming next month from an outfit I left in '97 fully vested.

-Bandera

rdtompki

Update to my earlier post - retired last November. Working part time for a small company - the GM used to work for me. Having fun, chilling out, picking up new hobbies. I did get a retirement clock and it's still in the box. Fortunately, I'm the last generation with defined benefit plans and pretty good social security. I'm putting off collecting until I'm 70 to maximize my take from the government (if I live long enough!).

Zinger

Well my coworkers weren't expecting my retirement (providing I stay that way) because I volunteered for a layoff that I knew was coming and didn't tell too many people about it. But my company unexpectedly gave me an extra two weeks vacation pay that I wasn't entitled to as I'd already used mine up.

Doug64

A silver belt buckle, and nice plaque from my employer. An obsidian knife, hand crafted by an expert flint knapper; An antique ice ax (1937); several books; and a beautiful set of carving tools; all from the people I worked with. And, most importantly, about 6 dozen hugs!

I actually enjoyed my 37 years of doing what I liked.

I was employed for another ten years by a different agency, and when I retired from that position, I was just happy with the hugs; and a chance to have 10 more years, of challenging and satisfying employment. I would have probably stayed a couple more years, but we had real budget crunch; and leaving my position made it possible to retain a couple of younger folks. Besides, retirement is pretty nice. However, my wife, also a professional in the same field, and I still do some short-term contracting which pays for our travel and is also a lot of fun to boot.

Brodie01

I planned my retirement to include the company's pension, my 401k plan and SSA. We are very comfortable with our retirement. Just recently I started riding my bicycle (s) and wouldn't have time to work now that I ride. The company gave me a lamp with an electric meter built into it. The best gift of all is this wonderful retirement life.

nkfrench 

The running joke is that my company gives retirees a Harley motorcycle and no helmet. Presumably the idea is to limit the time they have to pay benefits.

rydabent

Several years ago the owner of a memory chip company gave his workers their Christmas bonus. The oldest members that had been with him from the start got over a million dollars. A janitor that had been there 3 months got $30,000. The owner said im in my 80s, I cant even spend all the money I have now, so why not share it with the people that built the company with me. I think his thinking is first rate. His people got the money rather than the fools in Washington. I think it would follow that any of his people that retire will get a generous retirement gift.

UtahRider

I retired last June. Had a luncheon, received a signed picture (A-10), letter from the Governor, suppose to get one from the President (have not received yet, maybe never will).

BF_Bob44

I retired from an IT job at the end of July last year. My co-workers and people I worked with from other departments had an office party and we said our good byes. I enjoyed my job and the people I worked with, but it was time to go after 30 years.

They took up a collection and gave me a gift certificate to amazon. I bought a hammock for bike camping and a light weight chair for sitting at the campfire when bike camping. I hope I have good health and can enjoy them for the next decade.

This year was spent watching my grandson 3 or 4 days a week. Next year will only be 2 days per week and I plan on a lot more short bike tours.