Very sorry to hear it. I've done the "dead man walking" thing . . . .

Practical question: why wait until your savings have run out to take unemployment? Why not take it once you're actually unemployed and make your savings last longer? Or is there a means-test issue?

Please apply for unemployment on April 11. And then use all of your sick time between now and then. Those bastards are trying to wring everything they can out of you!

Thanks for the support folks.

In fact, you can't begin collecting unemployment until all payments from your former employer are used. For instance if they give you two weeks' severance pay, then you can't collect unemployment for those two weeks.

If they pay you for a week or two of unused vacation time - you're not eligible for unemployment during that week or two.

Since it takes about six weeks to start getting payments, you can go ahead and file as soon as you're unemployed. You just mark the box that you received X hours/days of pay and then unemployment payments kick in after that number of days have passed.

Fortunately, your personal savings have nothing to do with unemployment - you don't have to use up your savings before you get unemployment. Unfortunately, I've been so focused on paying ofs my credit card over the last year that I have essentially no savings.

But I'll be ok.

Ruth - This company doesn't give you "sick days." I had a bank of days I could take for vacation or sick time - whichever I wanted or needed. At this point, I'd rather have the cash than days off.

Never burn bridges. :) I've had too many jobs to take a chance.

Well, that makes sense, OK.

Now, are they going to pay you extra if you get out without throttling anyone? They should, you know.....

Heh. I wish.

I was talking to Vela yesterday and she said she went through her email and just deleted everything from people whose projects she didn't intend to finish.(Laid-off mangement were given until the end of the week.)

Well, that sucks. Not entirely surprising, though, from what you've been telling us. Grit your teeth, last it out, get out with the potential of them writing you good letters of recommendation.