Well, my husband just got laid off

[Wicked Blue]

with two weeks' notice. He's one of 500 people being let go.

In some ways it's a mixed blessing. The job is so high-stress that I've worried he could have a heart attack. He works late nights, weekends, holidays. Last night he worked past 4 a.m. At least he's been able to work from home in recent years. Last year he couldn't even take time off for a vacation.

His employer contracts with the federal government. He has a top secret security clearance and manages databases for two US government agencies. When there's a government shutdown, his job is mission-critical so he has to keep working. He's been there about 13 years as a senior Oracle DBA. He was planning to retire after he turns 70 this fall.

Well, I just needed to let off some steam. Thanks for reading.

[ms liberty]

1. I'm so sorry not sorry!

Sounds like a blessing in disguise!

[Wicked Blue]

20. Thank you

[KS Toronado]

54. 69 is a good age to retire

[biophile]

2. I'm sorry things didn't go as planned but I hope it ends up being a blessing anyway

Sometimes, when decisions like this are made for us, it works out well. May this be the case for you and your husband!

[Wicked Blue]

21. Thank you

I hope you're right

[SheltieLover]

3. I hope he can just retire & enjoy life now!

[Wicked Blue]

22. Thanks, SheltieLover

I hope so too

[LuckyCharms]

4. Been there, security clearance, government contractor...

wicked hours.

You'll find out it's for the best.

it sounds like you will be ok financially since he was so close to retirement...so it may be a blessing!

Also, there may be a good chance that he can be hired as a consultant, maybe even hired as one by the same company, if he wishes to keep working for awhile.

[Wicked Blue]

6. Thanks for the encouragement

I'm not sure he'd want to do consulting - he'll figure something out.

Fortunately we don't have a mortgage.-

[Bristlecone]

5. Sorry to hear.

[Wicked Blue]

23. Thank you

[AverageOldGuy]

7. Get a few thumb drives . . .

. . . . 16GB, 32GB, whatever.

Copy onto the thumb drives EVERTYHING he is working on.

Keep an inventory.

Give the inventory to a trusted friend so you don't have the inventory in your possession.

Erase all that from your computer and ditch the computer, or, do the work on a public wifi on a throw-away tablet or laptop. Then throw the device away.

Secret the thumb drives somewhere.

You'll know when to pull out the thumb drives and give them to the press.

[AZ8theist]

12. I think what you're suggesting may be a crime

[Wicked Blue]

25. He has to return the laptop

and Security would find out if he tried to download stuff. They monitor everything.

I don't think there's anything actually newsworthy regarding his clients.

[lapfog_1]

51. he has a security clearance

taking data out of his workplace is a federal crime and punishable by decades in prison.

And unlike trump, he won't get away with it.

[patphil]

8. At age 69 he may have a case to sue and be allowed to retire as an alternative to being laid off.

You should get a lawyer and see what your legal alternatives are.

[dflprincess]

18. It might depend what's better retirement vs severance package.

Either way I wish him all the best.

[Wicked Blue]

26. We have to watch our pennies

It's a good idea but can't afford a lawyer.

[jlshaw47]

9. Sorry to hear this...

…. Unfortunately just another chickenshit, mean spirited attack on a hard working public servant…. I hope it turns out to be a blessing.

[Wicked Blue]

28. Thanks

Actually he's not a government employee - works for a contractor.

His sister was a federal employee at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. She managed to retire just before the layoffs there started.

[Exp]

10. Collect unemployment - then RETIRE! nt

[Wicked Blue]

30. Thanks for the reminder - I forgot about unemployment

[Xipe Totec]

11. I'll be joining him soon

I'm just waiting to deliver the news. I turn 70 on Feb 12th. I'll tender my resignation the next day, Friday the 13th.

Time to walk away.

[Wicked Blue]

31. Best of luck to you!

[Xipe Totec]

56. My notice will be polite

So, friends, Friday, February 13th, I'll be submitting my notice or retirement. With grateful acknowledgment of the wonderful opportunity to work for  company . Enormous gratitude to all my colleagues who were so welcoming and helpful in my journey. Wishing you the best, and if you need anything, you know where to find me.

- EOM


Bitter? No! Texas doesn't breed bitter men.
We might be vengeful sometimes, but never bitter.
- Lyndon Baynes Johnson[9:00 PM]

[herding cats]

13. Hey, I hope this all ends up being a better thing.

My heart and thoughts are with you. I have faith you'll end up being good.

[Wicked Blue]

32. Thank you so much!

[Coloradan4Truth]

14. Sorry to hear that.

I left a federal job last year before I really wanted to, but I couldn't stand what was happening in the agency.

[Wicked Blue]

33. The federal government is being destroyed

and the people now running it are monsters

I hope things are working out okay for you.

[Coloradan4Truth]

44. Hi Wicked...

Yes, I am doing well. I had only about 5 years to go anyway and thought I could take the hit better than younger folks. Also, I am a woke, minority, tree-hugger, so it wasn't going to be the dream job I loved anymore. I am catching little jobs now from friends who need my talents.

[Wicked Blue]

47. Good to hear

[nilram]

15. Now, versus nine months from now?

I hope you guys have a beautiful summer!

I agree with the thought of collecting unemployment. In this environment, he is unlikely to be audited if he doesn't complete the required number of job searches each and every week.

If he eventually does some consulting, it doesn't have to be direct, he could be an hourly employee of a service bureau. I've liked that for myself, it feels very honest. An hour of work: an hour of pay. (Though if he was direct to the government, he may have had a good arrangement.)

Layoffs are unsettling, and annoying. You guys are in such a great position, though, being without a mortgage. And now you both can attend more protests!

[Wicked Blue]

35. You raise some great points

This all just happened and he hasn't really had time to think about what's next. Especially after getting only 4 hours' sleep last night because he worked until the wee hours. He's worked so many hours of unpaid OT that it could have amounted to year's pay or more.

[ms.pamela]

16. Unemployed

Oracle is not a very good company. They hired a friend of mine and had her work her ass off for about 8 to 10 months traveling all over the country making an international data base of anyone who was in any American hospitals' records with the bullshit reasoning that any doctor in the world could access your medical records if needed. After this work was almost complete, they laid about 2000 people working on this project off with little notice.

[Wicked Blue]

36. Thank goodness he didn't work for Oracle!

He worked for a federal contracting company that has contracts with various federal agencies.

[Solly Mack]

17. I'm so sorry!

[Wicked Blue]

37. Thanks, Solly!

It might be for the best.

[JT45242]

19. If they lay off 500 people they are required to give you more pay/motive than that

That should trigger the WARN act and 60 days pay. It still.sucks, but could give you time to find something.

[Wicked Blue]

38. Is that for government employees?

Because he worked for a company that contracts with the feds.

[JT45242]

43. I think it is all companies of that size...@omahasteve

Omaha Steve or one of our legal eagles may be able to clarify. If not would be worth looking into finding a pro bono labor lawyer to see if they can help

[Wicked Blue]

46. Actually my son-in-law is a labor lawyer

We'll check with him

Thank you!

[modrepub]

24. Best of Luck With This

Try and be as supportive as you can. Hopefully, in-time, things will work out for both of you.

Wife lost her job of almost 30 years in her early 50s. Work is a major part of her identity. She did eventually find something she enjoys but it took awhile and a lot of hustle.

TBH, I’d say your husband may have worked his last “real” job. Father was a main frame programmer laid off in his mid 50s. Was delivering for a deli before he finally retired.

I wish you and your husband much luck and joy in whatever you both decide to do next.

[Wicked Blue]

39. Thanks! I really hope he doesn't work full time any more

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's job loss.

I was laid off at 58 from a public relations company - had 25 years as a journalist before that. Did a little freelancing but that dried up too, and nobody seems to hire older women. I loved newspapeer reporting but I no longer have the energy for that at 73.

[area51]

27. I'm sorry to hear that.

Hope things will work out all right.

[Wicked Blue]

40. Thank you, area51

Love your screen name!

[vapor2]

29. ruthless, vile and sadistic

Last edited Sun Feb 8, 2026, 11:36 AM - Edit history (1)

Just made federal employees easier to fire. Sorry but keep your chin up

[Wicked Blue]

41. I feel terrible for the federal workers who got DOGEd.

At least my husband wasn't a fed. He worked for a government contractor.

So many people have lost jobs in the past year - I am afraid we may have a recession or worse.

[Lifeafter70]

34. Hope it turns into a blessing for you

I retired not by choice last October. Was planning on working another two years.
My son went into hospice and I'm his caregiver. I was short 21 hours to qualify for fmla.
It turned into a blessing for me because it allows me to spend time with my son and not having to split my time between him and my job.
Sometimes life decides for you.

[Wicked Blue]

42. It's good that you can spend more time with your son.

Wishing you both blessings of healing and peace.

[stollen]

45. Apply for unemployment, food stamps, whatever is currently available.

Live off that for now. No one should have such a high stress job like that with no end in sight.

[Wicked Blue]

48. Unemployment is definitely a possibility

Thank you

[ProfessorGAC]

49. While Still A Drag...

...it's only pushing retirement forward a few months, instead of a few (or more years).
Hope his retirement is as fulfilling as mine has been.

[Wicked Blue]

50. I hope so too

[Mark.b2]

52. I don't mean to be too personal, but he's still working at 69?

Does he just like working? I just don’t hear often of people working to 70, unless they’re a US Senator (hardly a grueling job!).

I’m 57 and making financial moves to retire by year-end. Finding a high-deductible/catastrophic medical plan so I can essentially self-insure is proving to be the hold up. Maybe my grandkids will get to have single payer someday so they don’t have to worry about such things!

If a person loves their job, then I’m all for them working until they want (unless they’re my airline pilot! lol).

[waterwatcher123]

53. It might be a blessing in disguise (regardless of what they say, you do not have to work until you drop).

I retired from state service after 30 years of service at age 60. There is definitely an adjustment, especially for men who define themselves largely by their jobs. But it is fun to be able to go to the beach when everyone else is working and to fly during off peak days. He can always volunteer and use his skills in a new way that enriches both of your lives.

[highplainsdem]

55. I'm so sorry he was laid off, but it does sound like the job was dangerously stressful. Maybe he

can freelance working from home, make better money and control his own schedule?

[Wicked Blue]

57. Maybe after he's had time to de-stress

I've suggested he take a bookeeping course so he could do that part time.

[MLAA]

58. So sorry to hear that. I do hope it is a blessing in disguise for you two.

[Wicked Blue]

61. Thank yoy MLAA!

[retread]

59. Hopefully he planned for the possibility. Was there a severence package?

[Wicked Blue]

60. Yes, but after taxes it may not be much

since it will probably be taxed in the bracket his paycheck was taxed in.

[FemDemERA]

62. I'm so sorry.

Even if the job wasn't the best, a change like that really throws a curve into one's plans, emotionally and mentally as well as monetarily. I'm glad you have each other. I hope everything will be okay going forward. Wishing you both the best. I hope there will be some fun and relaxation for the two of you after sorting everything out.

[Wicked Blue]

63. Thank you

We will figure something out. My biggest concern is medical coverage and prescriptions.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

64. Sorry to hear that: you guys have my sympathies.

I was laid off during the shutdown.

Some humor during the aggravation:
Q: How many FSOs (facility security officers) does it take to change a light bulb?



A: Do you have a need to know?

[Wicked Blue]

65. Thanks, I needed that

[Luciferous]

66. My husband lost his job in November. He's

lucky in that he's had plenty of interviews, but still no offers. Sounds like it might be good for your husband if his job was that stressful. Unfortunately for us, we're still a long way from retirement but I'm lucky because I have a good job so we're doing ok 🙂

[Wicked Blue]

67. I'm sorry he lost his job too

There are so many companies laying off huge numbers of people -- it's ridiculous.

Good luck to you and your husband.

[electric_blue68]

68. Just seeing this...so a few days out. I hope he's had

a bit of time to breathe, and relax.

Hopefully, you can enjoy each other's company more, especially if he can get an easier line of work, and part time.

Good luck with the medical related stuff, too!