Contractor Purge, Part II

OK, since you asked.

On Tuesday of this week the 11 contractors on my team was told that two of us had to be let go as of May 1. This comes on top of the 4 contractors let go on January 1.

Really the cuts are about reducing the budget so the key was that 16 months worth of contractor fees had to be cut. Through surrendering his OT budget and requiring every contractor to take time off in December the cuts were reduced to two contractors starting October 1.

I, fortunately, am not one of the two.

Unfortunately, my roommate Georgia Tony is. He's been renting my second bedroom since November. He's got a family living in Georgia and he flies to Chicago every week to work. He gets to go home and see them on weekends. The traveling life is not easy. I know. I've done it. But being unemployed is worse. I know. I've done that too.

In addition to general sadness for him I think I'm experiencing a very minor form of Survivor's Guilt.

Survivor, survivor's, or survivors guilt or syndrome is a mental condition that occurs when a person perceives himself or herself to have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event. It may be found among survivors of combat, natural disasters, epidemics, among the friends and family of those who have committed suicide, and in non-mortal situations among those whose colleagues are laid off.

I had never thought of it being a part of lay off situations before. It certainly not the more severe form as those that survive car accidents or combat when their friends don't. And I don't consciously think I've done anything wrong. Still, it is real. I'm just kind of mopey right now and don't have the least bit of motivation.

It helps knowing he's got 6 months to prepare. I know he's had contact with a recruiter lately so hopefully every thing will work out well. I'll keep my fingers crossed for him.