Employee Transition Workshop Feb. 23

NMU employees dealing with job loss, retirement or a career change are invited to attend a transition workshop sponsored by the Joint Adjustment Committee (JAC). It is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, Feb. 23, in the Charcoal Room of the University Center .

The workshop will cover the following topics: the role of the JAC; unemployment benefits; health insurance options; job search tools; and the Emergency Relief Fund. It will also feature a presentation by Susan Morgan, former NMU employee and current full-time student. Morgan’s position in the international affairs office was eliminated June 30.

“It made a lot of sense for me and my family to take the RIF rather than bump someone else and still feel vulnerable,” Morgan said. I had started working on my teaching certification when I was working. When it became apparent that I had an opportunity to finish that up if I went to school full time, I decided to do that.”

At the workshop, Morgan will share her personal experience of dealing with the transition in the hope of helping others.

“I guess my main piece of advice would be to look for the most positive outcome you can,” she said. “I spent a few weeks feeling really bad, but then I chose to look at it as an opportunity to do something new with my life. When you turn disappointment into a positive opportunity, it helps your outlook and your motivation.”

Morgan said one aspect of losing her job that she did not anticipate was the effect it had on her children.

“It really rocked them and made them feel insecure,” she added. “It took me a couple of months to catch on. The kids thought I got fired because of something I did wrong. I had to explain that things change and there wasn’t enough money to keep my job open anymore. I would tell people that they should not assume their kids know what’s going on and I don’t think you are protecting them from keeping it from them. I tried to be as open and honest about the situation as I could be, which I think helped my kids understand it.”

Morgan consulted with the unemployment office and took advantage of some of the services at Michigan Works!

“You need to post your resume online and be actively seeking employment before you are eligible for unemployment benefits,” she said. “Thing are changing. It’s getting harder to get a hold of a real person because everything is becoming centralized and going through an automated system. I would advise people to start early if they have questions.”