Covid-19 Related....Job Issue....

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As some of you may know, I have been planning on finalizing my retirement this month (last day will be April 30th, 2020). I've been planning this for well over a year and a half, as I turned 65 years old in November, 2019. So this past Monday (March 30th) my boss came in and told all of us that the company wanted to get a list of everyone that would qualify as "High Risk" as per the CDC guidelines. That includes anyone that is 65 years of age, has underlying medical issues, etc. So obviously, I was considered "high risk" because of my age (I do not have any underlying medical issues). He stated that the company was most likely going to issue a standing order to allow anyone/everyone that fell into the high risk category, 30 calendar days off....WITH FULL PAY. Wednesday (April 1st) he told me that I was to report to the Director's office and sign my paperwork for the 30 day release and then I could head for the house. So on Wed, April 1st (not an April Fools Day joke, BTW) around noon, I quietly packed my stuff and went home.

Now the "icing" on the proverbial cake.....
1. The 4 1/2 weeks that I am off and drawing full pay, will also count towards "hours worked" for PTO accrual too, so another almost 18 hours of PTO.
2. I am still retiring on April 30th, so when I left work this past Wed, I will not have to go back in until the 30th for my exit interview, debrief, and turning in of my badge. So basically an additional 4 1/2 weeks of paid vacation that will carry me through until my retirement day.

Let me just state this. I am very blessed/thankful for this, especially in light of the circumstances that are presently in place. I've got 50 years of work history and I had planned to work right up to the last day, as I've done my whole working life. I'm especially thankful though for the opportunity to get out early, as our plant of over 5000 people have had at least 6 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus. I'm still pinching myself to make sure that I'm awake and not dreaming this whole thing. This certainly gives me an opportunity to lay low and reduce my risk as it pertains to possible exposure to the virus.

I am grateful to have such an employer and truly hope that all of you do what is necessary to keep and stay healthy during this crisis. It will be over and behind us at some point in time and hopefully it will have given all of us a new appreciation for how fragile live can be at times.

[chuckster57]

You truly are a blessed man. Congrats and enjoy your new life. You don’t have much of a choice for now, but as soon as you can, get out and be active. I think that’s the secret to a long retirement.

[ctbruce]

Vern, good for you. Congrats and blessings to you and your family.

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Originally Posted by chuckster57

You truly are a blessed man. Congrats and enjoy your new life. You don’t have much of a choice for now, but as soon as you can, get out and be active. I think that’s the secret to a long retirement.

Chuckster.....Yes I am....and I'm not sure why. We had made reservations for attending a Rally during the first week of May, just 5 days after I retire (reservations made in Nov. 2019) and I cancelled them about two weeks ago. As much as I want to be able to enjoy the freedom of being retired and be able to come and go as I please, it's just not worth the risk to jeopardize mine and my wife's health to attend. We have plenty of activities planned....bicycling, motorcycling, hiking, camping, exercising....but all of that will be done using common sense and social distancing until this thing is history. Thanks for the well wishes Chuckster...I appreciate that.

[JRTJH]

Vern,

First congratulations on your retirement !!!! Sometimes pleasant and unexpected things make a "not so good situation" more tolerable. These last few weeks and the near future are not going to be what any of us want to live through, but being smart, taking precautions and following the advice of those who are managing the situation will get most of us through this without significant problems....

Enjoy, stay safe, stay healthy and don't stop planning those "weeks away".... They'll be here before we know it, but the wait is going to seem "endless"...

Take a few days to relax and enjoy your retirement, then, like most of us, you'll find yourself so busy you will wonder how you ever found the time to go to work.....

Again, congratulations !!!

[notanlines]

Vern, if this isn't just the 'feel good story' of the day! I believe my kids (g-kids) would say you're a lucky duck...
Jim

[sourdough]

Hi Vern,

Congratulations on the retirement! I know it's a bit premature but effectively you have now got "time on your hands" and yes, it's a wonderful retirement "gift" from your employer.

Having an effective retirement date in the middle of all this is kind of a downer but just look at the bright side and how lucky you are with the way it turned out. Biding your time before trying to get into full retirement mode is the best thing to do right now as we all try to come to grips with this virus. Things will be back to normal soon enough if we all just try to take the outlined precautions.

You will probably be wondering what you're going to do but.....just ask DW!! I'll bet she can line you out for the next month and never have to leave the house! Nowadays we wonder how we ever had time to work! So, congrats, keep those plans on the hotplate and enjoy every minute no matter where you are!!

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Thank you to everyone that responded. My wife has been retired for 2 1/2 years......so you can imagine, with all that time off, the size of the worklist she has prepared for me! Someone told me one time, there is only one problem with being retired.........."You NEVER have a scheduled day off! Hope that isn't true!