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I said no party but boss insisted on a small one. It was not small, there were flowers, speeches, gifts, etc. I had been taken out to lunch earlier in the week with my work team, and the party was for anyone in the department or anyone that wanted to come. After that I still had a couple of awkward hours left. My personal stuff had already been taken home and I had cleaned out my cube for my replacement, so I just walked around and said my one on one goodbyes and left.
Coworkers suggested a luncheon for a large group but I begged off and it ended up just our dept went (much better!). A quiet lunch, one gift from all. Most of the day was doing nothing except trying to look busy. Turned in company property right after lunch and left soon after. One of the happiest days of my life!
I had found out in July that my job was being eliminated on September 30. It actually dragged on until November 30, so by the time the day came, I went out for lunch with a coworker, said "thanks, but no thanks" to a dinner invitation, and got the heck out of there. I think everyone felt like the leaving took way too long, especially me.
I was sad that the leaving wasn't on my own terms...felt like unfinished business, but by that time I wanted to kick dirt on it and be gone.
Obviously we all were somewhat "embedded" in our workplace, for good or for bad. Otherwise no emotions, right?
In my case I started "leaving" about 1 month before, taking stuff home, and recognizing that people were "terminating" with me as coworkers, friends, confidants. It went well. I wasn't stressed because I knew I had to retire at that time, in order to get the maximum $ amount in benefits. We had a lunch, it went well, then they went back to the office and I went home.
I am a retired elementary special education teacher who was partly pushed out due to my age, late 50s, because they could hire a replacement for half my salary. Partly it was because my productivity had declined, 30 years of 60 to 70 hour weeks had broken me and mostly it was because my rheumatoid arthritis was making it difficult to do parts of my job. As I said my last year, " I can still lift and carry a 40 pound child (technically we had to be able to lift and carry a 50 pound child) however, I can not safely lift and carry and physically restrain a 40 pound kicking, screaming, biting, thrashing, hitting, spitting child (every year for my last five years I had at least one student that fit this category)."
My last official day of work my fellow teachers gave me flowers, a cake, a plaque and a few speeches.
Even though I had been trying to go through things throughout my last few months, of course the students, paperwork and the regular day to day work responsibilities took priority. Since I had been teaching for 30 years, the last 15 in the same job and same school I had to sort through every corner of the classroom to divide my personal books, materials, supplies, furniture between what I was going to take home, give away, throw away and organize the rest for the new teacher.
In my case I had several thousand dollars of personal books and materials in the room and I was not going to just leave everything. It took 2 1/2 weeks (of course this was unpaid time), working from 4 to 8 hours a day to complete the task but I was finally done.
My last, last day? I was basically finished but just wanted to double check the room for one last time and I entered my classroom and discovered that my replacement teacher had visited the classroom and was starting to prepare for the upcoming school year (this was about July 1 and school started after Labor Day). I said one last goodbye, locked the classroom door and found the janitor to unlock the principals office so I could put my classroom key on her desk.
My last day was one of good byes and early departure after 38 years at the same company. The paper signing happened long before my last day and the retirement lunch was a few days before my last day. Not a lot of emotion as it was my decision to leave 5 years before I "had" to by law.
The hours at work were long but challenging working with bright, honest people who are like a family after that much time.
My favorite part of retirement was the day after when I could sleep in as late as I wanted (which wasn't late but no alarm set.) No more late day calls from Asia and no more high stress limited time frame projects too.
The job of retirement for me lasted a few years when my golf game did not get much better and I had traveled all I wanted and spent time with family in abundance.
After a few years a statement my dad made me to when he retired came home to me... retirement is the worst job you can have because you never get a day off. So retired from retirement and work some on my terms now.
I am a retired elementary special education teacher who was partly pushed out due to my age, late 50s, because they could hire a replacement for half my salary. Partly it was because my productivity had declined, 30 years of 60 to 70 hour weeks had broken me and mostly it was because my rheumatoid arthritis was making it difficult to do parts of my job. As I said my last year, " I can still lift and carry a 40 pound child (technically we had to be able to lift and carry a 50 pound child) however, I can not safely lift and carry and physically restrain a 40 pound kicking, screaming, biting, thrashing, hitting, spitting child (every year for my last five years I had at least one student that fit this category)."
My last official day of work my fellow teachers gave me flowers, a cake, a plaque and a few speeches.
Even though I had been trying to go through things throughout my last few months, of course the students, paperwork and the regular day to day work responsibilities took priority. Since I had been teaching for 30 years, the last 15 in the same job and same school I had to sort through every corner of the classroom to divide my personal books, materials, supplies, furniture between what I was going to take home, give away, throw away and organize the rest for the new teacher.
In my case I had several thousand dollars of personal books and materials in the room and I was not going to just leave everything. It took 2 1/2 weeks (of course this was unpaid time), working from 4 to 8 hours a day to complete the task but I was finally done.
My last, last day? I was basically finished but just wanted to double check the room for one last time and I entered my classroom and discovered that my replacement teacher had visited the classroom and was starting to prepare for the upcoming school year (this was about July 1 and school started after Labor Day). I said one last goodbye, locked the classroom door and found the janitor to unlock the principals office so I could put my classroom key on her desk.
My last day was one of good byes and early departure after 38 years at the same company. The paper signing happened long before my last day and the retirement lunch was a few days before my last day. Not a lot of emotion as it was my decision to leave 5 years before I "had" to by law.
The hours at work were long but challenging working with bright, honest people who are like a family after that much time.
My favorite part of retirement was the day after when I could sleep in as late as I wanted (which wasn't late but no alarm set.) No more late day calls from Asia and no more high stress limited time frame projects too.
The job of retirement for me lasted a few years when my golf game did not get much better and I had traveled all I wanted and spent time with family in abundance.
After a few years a statement my dad made me to when he retired came home to me... retirement is the worst job you can have because you never get a day off. So retired from retirement and work some on my terms now.
I think that's the best thing about retirement: you can work if you want, but on your terms.
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