[Please do not quote: Nothing online should ever be considered legal advice]Today has been super weird.
I.) No good deed goes unpunished. From the Patched Holey Messenger. Warning to get another job before the current one starts firing.
"Follow the money." Low budget requests yield layoffs. Laws require public but difficult to understand budget expenditure justifications. Not my client/no forbidden knowledge/they just think I'm too stupid to see what's public like most are; I know, see, and understand; most don't. Decreased FY 25 vs FY 24 budget exactly to someone's total cost of employment is no coincidence. Then the executive speak (language of the destroyers) magic words, from multiple other filings, "adjusting to meet work availability," "to align our concerns with the projections," and
"Right sizing," .... Someone had been empire building at another's expense. I avoid office politics through mutually assured destruction MAD. Cross referencing position classification numbers, fewer in FY 25 than FY 24....
Not me and if it was see above about MAD, but....
I see the chopping block for her; she does not. TPTB (the powers that be) will string her along until the butchery. Don't believe in good, but I have a code. (See also Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil depending on who you ask). I call her personal cell on Saturday, "We need to talk; you need me to talk and you need to hear it.... This stays strictly between us and no one else, for your sake. Are you sitting down?" Off hours. No work lines; no work computers; IT Monitors calls and keystrokes (her employer does for her and my employer would for mine). I explain and offer to send proof copy to her NON WORK email (See above). FY 25 starts October 1; that's her clock. Complicated but: Her salary, benefits, expenses, and position are not included in next year's budget request.... Down to the cent; the fix is in.
She initially gets pissed at me for a.) calling off work hours, b.) calling her personal cell phone (and how did I get her number), and c.) how the hell I know this. a.) and b.) I am not stupid enough to call during work hours on work communications lines (they are effectively bugged via VOIP and they've watched the computer keystrokes for years/ you aren't using a VPN anyhow much less leap frogging...) and c.) I know how stuff works in the real world. Note, not how it "should" but how it does.... I didn't cause any of this, and I cannot change it without massive costs in currency that practically can't be spent. I essentially say fuck it, take charge and explain what "shooting the messenger" means and how the powers that be would string her along until they want the trap to shut on her. I totally understand the panic of coworker calling you off hours being cause for girlpanic, believe me, and several of you know why I know. However, this way she has 6 months notice (unofficial/they can't prove it so it doesn't count against any deadlines for that to be used against her for notice, severance, etc), but she needs to keep her mouth shut about it all or they will just fire her sooner. She could try to get me in trouble but I've planned for that eventuality and I called her from a burner phone among other measures. This way, forewarned is forearmed is forarmed for her and she does not need tossed out on the street/get another job.
This way she can look for another job while still employed (no break of employment on resume) and with a paycheck still coming in. Also, I would avoid making any major purchases during this time until something else lined up. I never "liked" this person, but I didn't hate her either (to the extent I somehow might hate much of humanity but meh). I also offer her a letter of recommendation and reference information, because you WANT that when applying for jobs.
Here's hoping she realizes what I just did for her by warning her and doesn't do anything stupid (although there are countermeasures in place should she try it). I assumed full control of situation and dictated what was going to happen next to her, which I find distasteful, but I am not getting screwed for doing a good deed. While countermeasures would counter any issues anyhow, I'd rather not fight a battle to save someone who turns around and screws me for it; it already cost me a burner phone.... I could've waited and watched while they slow cooked her. See also shooting the messenger.
II.) Evidently I now get some free drinks at a local restaurant for something I did probably ... 13-15 years ago.... I politely decline; they insist and intentionally leave the charge off my bill when they serve the crippled customer.... Whatever, I'm hungry and work unpaid overtime. I explain I cannot drink alcohol and they actually totally understand so I get soda. Lovely bit of unexpected thing for busting a corrupt as hell pig (not police officer, not cop, pig, there's a reason he's in prison as he is a disgrace to decent law enforcement. I unlike many here have seen good police officers, have defended them and maintain they exist, but I fought that fight before it was cool).
III.) The State is moving to ban all gender affirming care for all ages after the recent ban on anyone under 18 including going after doctors for providing it. I warned about this and am too tired to fight it/I just got done paying several thousand in medical copays on care to live.
IV.) I have talked yet another veteran friend out of unaliving himself. Technically this was Friday night/Saturday morning. I have done this a couple dozen times and have stopped counting. I am growing oddly and disturbingly proficient at it to the point only two individuals out of many (though one was not a veteran...). I don't put in trigger warnings but:
completed the action successfully, one found that way the other at time.... In this instance he got his dog first under the idea they would "go together," but was talked down before carrying through. Kandahar was a train wreck.
The VA has approximately 1/3 of the funding required to meet its mission; this funding shortage is a national disgrace. We owe them more. If you are considering this, do not do it. There is always another way.
https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Policy-Priorities/Responding-to-Crises/National-Hotline-for-Mental-Health-Crises-and-Suicide-Prevention _______________________________________________________________
Yes. Listen to this man concerning job interview.
See above in re listening to Nenjin. You know I don't believe in much. I believe you did the right thing. Keep it up. I can't tell you how this person thinks but if It were me, I would end the interview prematurely if I was pissed at the candidate/thought they were doing something weird/wrong. It does not appear they ended the interview early. That said, always remember,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TCX90yALsICan't guarentee you'd get it, but from what you said, seems good. Best of luck.
Scams targeting the vulnerable have always been a pet peeve of mine. Suffice it to say there are a lot of them out there and far more than there should be.
[Please do not quote: Nothing online should ever be considered legal advice]