PRESIDENT'S LETTER
TALLAHASSEE Chapter of
National Association of Women in Construction

Message from the President  -  2/2010
Sandra Y. Davis, CIT

Happy Valentine’s Day/Month to everyone! For those of you who missed our January meeting, I just want to let you know that LiChea had an open discussion on “What to do if you are let go at your place of work?” This was very informative since we have a couple of members and/or spouses experiencing this economic trauma.

A couple of suggestions were to (1) request a letter from your employer stating the reason you are being let go. This letter will aid in your getting faster cooperation in getting your unemployment application (if you are eligible). (2) You can apply online for unemployment compensation at MyFlorida.gov.  (submitted by Tina Munroe)

Other suggestions were on “How to keep a job in a bad economy.” When the economy is bad, it can be imperative to keep your job secure. You can’t control things like layoffs, but you can control ways to make yourself a valuable employee, and increase your chances of keeping secure in your job.

(1)    Learn as many jobs as possible at your place of employment. Make
yourself as useful to the company as you possibly can. Let your managers, or
employer know you want to learn and train for things outside your scope of
duties you already do.

(2)    Keep a positive attitude. With your co-workers, with customers, always appear
positive and pleasant. Stay out of office gossip and any other form of negativity.

(3)    Be there. Get to work on time or early every day. Don’t miss work for stupid
reasons. In other words, be dependable, and it will greatly increase your value
to your employer. (submitted by Susie Hastings/Baycrest Corp.)

LiChea asked each member to write --What would be the first three things you would do if you lost your job? After each of us wrote our answers, we exchanged the papers and had other members respond in writing to those questions. Afterward, we read them aloud. This gave the members great opportunity to share in open discussion and learn from everyone’s experience. So from doing all of these things that evening, it was very educational for both those who have experienced this and those who may be in the future.