That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons bring us some web forums whereupon we can gather
http://octopusoverlords.com/forum/
One of my office mates just left for a job at Cigna. I got a re-offer of a job I turned down in January from another big health insurance company. They are picking off hospital admin/finance, understandably.
I know hospitals systems are not doing that well. My system has a sliding scale of pay cuts for the management, I only got a 10% paycut, but higher ups have up to 20%. Also, all my staff have to take 2 weeks unpaid. They can use PTO to get paid if they like. I donated like 80 hours of my PTO to my staff to help with that little unexpected cut. This is only for the next 10 weeks, and then upper management will determine what else to do. But we already lost our 403B match for the year, and we closed down five or six stand alone ED's. So tough times all around.
This is property insurance. That's booming right now.ImLawBoy wrote:It's odd because a couple of weeks ago Aon announced across the board pay cuts of 20% (above a certain level).
I think I mentioned it up-thread or in Viral Economy but we're similar. Mandatory 4 days PTO per month (or unpaid leave if you're out of PTO). That's basically a 20% reduction in salary liability. 403b match suspended. Top level execs and management get 30% paycuts.RMC wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 1:17 pmI know hospitals systems are not doing that well. My system has a sliding scale of pay cuts for the management, I only got a 10% paycut, but higher ups have up to 20%. Also, all my staff have to take 2 weeks unpaid. They can use PTO to get paid if they like. I donated like 80 hours of my PTO to my staff to help with that little unexpected cut. This is only for the next 10 weeks, and then upper management will determine what else to do. But we already lost our 403B match for the year, and we closed down five or six stand alone ED's. So tough times all around.
It's already started to really impact my work, as I find myself playing the part of analyst sometimes, since my 'expert' is on furlogh. So I get to work longer days for less money. But all in all, it is worth it if it helps to preserve jobs. Heck the 80 hours of PTO would most likely not have been used by me anyway, I lost like 60 hours the past year when I wasn't paying attention to that item on my paycheck stub.
Anyway, hope everyone else is doing well, and that things will start to turn around.
Yeah, I think all systems are in the same boat, and using the same formula. Heck, I heard even the larger system in Cleveland is forcing people to take the PTO. That system is the city followed by clinic, in case you were wondering. I work for the other big one in the area.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 1:46 pmI think I mentioned it up-thread or in Viral Economy but we're similar. Mandatory 4 days PTO per month (or unpaid leave if you're out of PTO). That's basically a 20% reduction in salary liability. 403b match suspended. Top level execs and management get 30% paycuts.RMC wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 1:17 pmI know hospitals systems are not doing that well. My system has a sliding scale of pay cuts for the management, I only got a 10% paycut, but higher ups have up to 20%. Also, all my staff have to take 2 weeks unpaid. They can use PTO to get paid if they like. I donated like 80 hours of my PTO to my staff to help with that little unexpected cut. This is only for the next 10 weeks, and then upper management will determine what else to do. But we already lost our 403B match for the year, and we closed down five or six stand alone ED's. So tough times all around.
It's already started to really impact my work, as I find myself playing the part of analyst sometimes, since my 'expert' is on furlogh. So I get to work longer days for less money. But all in all, it is worth it if it helps to preserve jobs. Heck the 80 hours of PTO would most likely not have been used by me anyway, I lost like 60 hours the past year when I wasn't paying attention to that item on my paycheck stub.
Anyway, hope everyone else is doing well, and that things will start to turn around.
The hosptial system I work for has a huge childrens hospital, that even the other system sends pediatric patients too. Well known and very good. I also support pediatric cardiology, and we are all taking some staff hits. I know that while the clinical frontline staff has not been touched like us in support areas. But we are closing areas, so that means that we need less clinicians, so they are being impacted that way.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 4:03 pm The unassailable children's hospital downtown furloughed 20% of staff.
What worries me most is that volume doesn't pick back up once we're back to some sort of normal. And not just for revenue's sake. Patients will forego routine checkups and annual wellness visits. Health will deteroiate. People will get sicker even without COVID. Costs will rise faster.
And it happened with the caveat of If Nancy Pelosi gets her "Hero" bill passed, cuts to programs and wages would be cancelled. But we all know Trump will screw us being a Blue state.naednek wrote:In about an hour and half I'll learn that our Governor is going to reduce our pay by 10% I'm hoping it's in the form of furloughs. At least we will get time off. I saw this coming from day one and I understand and accept it.
I didn't accept it back in 2008 when Arnold the asshole blamed State workers for rich greedy wallstreet people's actions and gave us 3 furloughs a month.
Everyone has always said mortgage is good debt and leveraging that debt is financial wisdom. Paying off my mortgage was such huge monkey off my back. Fuck good debt. The peace of mind of no debt has been so worth it to me. I just need the peace of mind of not needing employment now.Default wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:22 am Today will be the 40th straight workday. My last day off was April 5th. Package volume is at least peak Christmas, more some days. Everything hurts, and I need some surgery for triggerfinger, but that is going to have to wait. Douchebag has installed one of his cronies as Postmaster General, and I am bracing myself for bad shit to happen to us. Hoping like hell there is blue wave in November.
On the positive side (if such there be), I only have 19K left on the mortgage, and I don't see the work slowing down, as COVID19 cases keep rearing their ugly heads, and we send our junior people to cover other stations. All my money goes to the mortgage, because the future is so uncertain.
I ordered $50 worth of commemorative Forever stamps that I might never need. Curio City used to spend hundreds of bucks a month on postage, and now I send out about four mail pieces per year. It took them a week to ship my order. The shipping notice that I got yesterday doesn't have a tracking number -- I guess they must be coming first class. Oh, and they charged me $1.60 for postage. OK, the whole point was to support the USPS, but seriously?Default wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:22 am Today will be the 40th straight workday. My last day off was April 5th. Package volume is at least peak Christmas, more some days. Everything hurts, and I need some surgery for triggerfinger, but that is going to have to wait. Douchebag has installed one of his cronies as Postmaster General, and I am bracing myself for bad shit to happen to us. Hoping like hell there is blue wave in November.
I refuse to pay a $5 fee to pay my water bill by CC online and $8 to pay my property taxes by CC online. I've conceded to paying $2 to renew my license by CC online as the alternative is wait in line at the SOS to use a check. As a consequence, I use 8 stamps and write 8 checks a year. $50 of forever stamps would last me about eight years.Kraken wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:38 amI ordered $50 worth of commemorative Forever stamps that I might never need. Curio City used to spend hundreds of bucks a month on postage, and now I send out about four mail pieces per year. It took them a week to ship my order. The shipping notice that I got yesterday doesn't have a tracking number -- I guess they must be coming first class. Oh, and they charged me $1.60 for postage. OK, the whole point was to support the USPS, but seriously?Default wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:22 am Today will be the 40th straight workday. My last day off was April 5th. Package volume is at least peak Christmas, more some days. Everything hurts, and I need some surgery for triggerfinger, but that is going to have to wait. Douchebag has installed one of his cronies as Postmaster General, and I am bracing myself for bad shit to happen to us. Hoping like hell there is blue wave in November.
The only mail I regularly send is my quarterly 941 federal payroll tax returns. I can deposit the money online, and I can file my state return online, but the feds won't accept an online return from a non-accountant. That's four stamps per year. Other things do come up occasionally, esp. regarding my late BIL's estate, so I might actually need eight or 10 stamps.LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:58 amI refuse to pay a $5 fee to pay my water bill by CC online and $8 to pay my property taxes by CC online. I've conceded to paying $2 to renew my license by CC online as the alternative is wait in line at the SOS to use a check. As a consequence, I use 8 stamps and write 8 checks a year. $50 of forever stamps would last me about eight years.Kraken wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:38 amI ordered $50 worth of commemorative Forever stamps that I might never need. Curio City used to spend hundreds of bucks a month on postage, and now I send out about four mail pieces per year. It took them a week to ship my order. The shipping notice that I got yesterday doesn't have a tracking number -- I guess they must be coming first class. Oh, and they charged me $1.60 for postage. OK, the whole point was to support the USPS, but seriously?Default wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:22 am Today will be the 40th straight workday. My last day off was April 5th. Package volume is at least peak Christmas, more some days. Everything hurts, and I need some surgery for triggerfinger, but that is going to have to wait. Douchebag has installed one of his cronies as Postmaster General, and I am bracing myself for bad shit to happen to us. Hoping like hell there is blue wave in November.
Why are you attempting to pay by CC and not by eCheck or some other ACH type transaction (which are almost always free)?LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:58 amI refuse to pay a $5 fee to pay my water bill by CC online and $8 to pay my property taxes by CC online. I've conceded to paying $2 to renew my license by CC online as the alternative is wait in line at the SOS to use a check. As a consequence, I use 8 stamps and write 8 checks a year. $50 of forever stamps would last me about eight years.Kraken wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:38 amI ordered $50 worth of commemorative Forever stamps that I might never need. Curio City used to spend hundreds of bucks a month on postage, and now I send out about four mail pieces per year. It took them a week to ship my order. The shipping notice that I got yesterday doesn't have a tracking number -- I guess they must be coming first class. Oh, and they charged me $1.60 for postage. OK, the whole point was to support the USPS, but seriously?Default wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:22 am Today will be the 40th straight workday. My last day off was April 5th. Package volume is at least peak Christmas, more some days. Everything hurts, and I need some surgery for triggerfinger, but that is going to have to wait. Douchebag has installed one of his cronies as Postmaster General, and I am bracing myself for bad shit to happen to us. Hoping like hell there is blue wave in November.
Not listed as a payment type. I would love to pay online. All my other bills but one is online through one from of epay or another. One is by direct debit, which I hate but I do anyway because they have no other epaylike option. Water, property taxes, and SOS do not have any of those options. I'd happily do a onetime set up to save known ongoing effort and be done with it. Presumably it's just easier for them to contract out to collection company that take CCs and have me pay the fees.
Yes I am aware. They'll even certify your payment. No thank you. I'm also old enough to remember having been in tow to each of the utility offices every month so my mother would wait in line to pay bills. None for me thanks.Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:02 pm I think you're old enough now that you can saunter into town hall the day your property tax and water bills are due and pay them in person. Wave "hello" to the ladies behind the counter. Maybe have some small talk with anyone that will listen. Talk about the weather or the holiday that's closest to the day you're visiting.
/saw this all the time
I think he means do you use electronic banking? If so, it should have an option to pay a bill which, depending on the recipient, will either by a physical check out an electronic check. Either way, there is no stamp required from you.LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 12:59 pmNot listed as a payment type. I would love to pay online. All my other bills but one is online through one from of epay or another. One is by direct debit, which I hate but I do anyway because they have no other epaylike option. Water, property taxes, and SOS do not have any of those options. I'd happily do a onetime set up to save known ongoing effort and be done with it. Presumably it's just easier for them to contract out to collection company that take CCs and have me pay the fees.
I do. While my bank may have options to pay bills many different ways, it doesn't mean much if city hall doesn't receipt payment that way. (Am actually online right now to see if options have changed... They have. CC is still the only option non physical check/money order i\with payment coupon option but now they use a service called "pointandpay". I will have to evaluate when my next waterbill is due, which should be soon)
I get that but the city require a payment coupon (except for CC payment which makes no sense) to receipt the payment unless I head down to city hall and pay in person.TheMix wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:42 pm The point folks are trying to make, I believe, is that if you have Bill Pay set up for your Checking account, the bank should have an option to mail an actual physical check (when the recipient doesn't accept electronic). So while it's a physical check in both cases, only one requires that you actually write a check, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it.
Yup, that's how I pay (almost) all my bills. I don't know or care whether the bank is mailing checks or depositing electronically. I walk past town hall a couple times per week so it's easy to drop off my property taxes. A handful of creditors get ACH access to my account if they give me a discount for it.TheMix wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:42 pm The point folks are trying to make, I believe, is that if you have Bill Pay set up for your Checking account, the bank should have an option to mail an actual physical check (when the recipient doesn't accept electronic). So while it's a physical check in both cases, only one requires that you actually write a check, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it.
That's crazy. Can't you just put the invoice number in the Memo section on the check? They can't require the actual coupon... because, as you noted, they accept CC. That's ridiculous. Do they take cash? I'd be tempted to get it all in pennies and dump it off personally. That's an absurd requirement.LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:48 pmI get that but the city require a payment coupon (except for CC payment which makes no sense) to receipt the payment unless I head down to city hall and pay in person.TheMix wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:42 pm The point folks are trying to make, I believe, is that if you have Bill Pay set up for your Checking account, the bank should have an option to mail an actual physical check (when the recipient doesn't accept electronic). So while it's a physical check in both cases, only one requires that you actually write a check, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it.
I haven't mailed a condo assn. check in years. It's all been done online.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:03 am That's how it is here. They farm out all electronic payment to a vendor who takes a cut. I mail out two checks a month for the condo assn for water/trash and electric. Just bought stamps yesterday in fact.
Also ordered a few sheets of moon landing commemorative stamps. Theys cool looking.
That's the same way in Michigan. It took me almost two hours of filling out an application and I still felt like I did it wrong. There were odd questions like "laid off due to COVID 19 shut down" but then if you checked that box you had to be in food/bar/gym/hair etc... , so then I'd back out to something generic even though I was laid off due to COVID 19 shutdown. Then it would ask questions about abbreviations not mentioned by anyone anywhere. After 30 minutes online I discover it has to do with liability for payment. I still worry that will come back to bite me in the ass.stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 10:25 am The process was not easy. Took about an hour online and I'm not sure I did it right. There was no online help or FAQ to refer to. My biggest question now is that technically I have to do two job searches a week and apply of something is in the right salary range, but I'm going back to my job in two weeks. Seems like a waste of time for both me and anyone I apply to. I'm going to try getting an answer to that tomorrow.
Yeah, I had something weird like that too. In one place you could use a drop down to select "Covid 19" as the cause and then another drop down as "lack of work/lay off" as the actual event. Then later, to certify it was a COVID 19 layoff, I had to select "Covid 19" and then a big list of items ending with OTHER. OTHER was the only thing that fit (the others were all about actually being diagnosed with or taking care of someone with Covid) and then there was a free text box that you had to enter "laid off / lack of work". So very odd.LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 12:29 pmThat's the same way in Michigan. It took me almost two hours of filling out an application and I still felt like I did it wrong. There were odd questions like "laid off due to COVID 19 shut down" but then if you checked that box you had to be in food/bar/gym/hair etc... , so then I'd back out to something generic even though I was laid off due to COVID 19 shutdown.stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 10:25 am The process was not easy. Took about an hour online and I'm not sure I did it right. There was no online help or FAQ to refer to. My biggest question now is that technically I have to do two job searches a week and apply of something is in the right salary range, but I'm going back to my job in two weeks. Seems like a waste of time for both me and anyone I apply to. I'm going to try getting an answer to that tomorrow.
I got those and the T Rex stamps. Yes, I'm still 8 years old: dinosaurs and spaceships!LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:03 am Also ordered a few sheets of moon landing commemorative stamps. Theys cool looking.
They do. I mean that I mail them out on behalf of the assn to the city utilities and the electric company. It's a small 4 member association and I'm not just the president, I'm also member.pr0ner wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:40 amI haven't mailed a condo assn. check in years. It's all been done online.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:03 am That's how it is here. They farm out all electronic payment to a vendor who takes a cut. I mail out two checks a month for the condo assn for water/trash and electric. Just bought stamps yesterday in fact.
Also ordered a few sheets of moon landing commemorative stamps. Theys cool looking.
Also, it's weird your condo dues don't take care of water/trash for you.
Well, that makes a lot more sense now! Thanks.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 12:48 pmThey do. I mean that I mail them out on behalf of the assn to the city utilities and the electric company. It's a small 4 member association and I'm not just the president, I'm also member.pr0ner wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:40 amI haven't mailed a condo assn. check in years. It's all been done online.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 11:03 am That's how it is here. They farm out all electronic payment to a vendor who takes a cut. I mail out two checks a month for the condo assn for water/trash and electric. Just bought stamps yesterday in fact.
Also ordered a few sheets of moon landing commemorative stamps. Theys cool looking.
Also, it's weird your condo dues don't take care of water/trash for you.
We get all our dues payments via autopay. The city? Not so sophisticated.