my husband took the fork and also medically retired. He is 54. It was a great deal. He is officially retired. He is volunteering at a local museum and seems to have gotten into a hobby. I have a good non-government related job so we are totally good. He has become a much happier person

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse hasn't even started to look. The months before he took Fork 2 were emotional torture and a roller coaster as he watched the agency he dedicated himself to for 33 years go into the crapper. Being "voluntarily" forced out in his mid-50's devastated us financially and our plans for the future are completely out the window. It's been a shock, a huge one.

I am anxious because of course he needs a job. But he's paralyzed, depressed, and despairing.

So no. No job.

I'm so sorry. It's very tough when you're pushed out at that age, and even more so when your life's work is being actively destroyed. At NIH people are suicidal. Some labs don't have money to keep their research, because so much of it is delicate: in vials of deep-frozen DNA, or kept alive in petri dishes or animal models. Imagine spending 20 years of your life working on cancer pathways in a model organism and not having the funds to even preserve your own results.

It's infinitely heartbreaking and infuriating. We need those scientists and that research. I am so sorry.

My DH is day drinking now. In secret.

Anonymous wrote:My spouse hasn't even started to look. The months before he took Fork 2 were emotional torture and a roller coaster as he watched the agency he dedicated himself to for 33 years go into the crapper. Being "voluntarily" forced out in his mid-50's devastated us financially and our plans for the future are completely out the window. It's been a shock, a huge one.

I am anxious because of course he needs a job. But he's paralyzed, depressed, and despairing.

So no. No job.

I'm so sorry. It's very tough when you're pushed out at that age, and even more so when your life's work is being actively destroyed. At NIH people are suicidal. Some labs don't have money to keep their research, because so much of it is delicate: in vials of deep-frozen DNA, or kept alive in petri dishes or animal models. Imagine spending 20 years of your life working on cancer pathways in a model organism and not having the funds to even preserve your own results.

My spouse hasn't even started to look. The months before he took Fork 2 were emotional torture and a roller coaster as he watched the agency he dedicated himself to for 33 years go into the crapper. Being "voluntarily" forced out in his mid-50's devastated us financially and our plans for the future are completely out the window. It's been a shock, a huge one.

I am anxious because of course he needs a job. But he's paralyzed, depressed, and despairing.

So no. No job.

Anonymous wrote:It’s almost September. 3 mos is almost up. Did you get a new job yet?

Nope. I have been paid as promised. I'll start collecting my annuity in the fall. I'd like another PT job or a job with flexibility/telework. But I haven't been doing a ton of applying. Though I will say that, in the past, when applying I have had my pick of interviews and jobs. My last job was the first one I applied to when I started to look. But it is not the case now. I am assuming my age is playing a role in that now, which is unfortunate. But it's also a market where "transferable skills" isn't going to cut it since I'm competing with others with direct experience in non-gov jobs and fields I could transition to.

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone NOT get paid? My friend is still waiting to get paid

I took DRP1 and getting paid since then. No problem on that front.

Anonymous wrote:There won’t be a 3.0. Planned rifs at my agency were canceled. Doge as a menace to federal workers is over. It was bad but I do think it is done.

You’re naive. Doge is still very much around and active. New security cameras just popped up all over my building. Flexibilities like aws and breaks are being taken away from Feds. They’re an active menace-watching, waiting and will RIF again as soon as they can.

Anonymous wrote:There won’t be a 3.0. Planned rifs at my agency were canceled. Doge as a menace to federal workers is over. It was bad but I do think it is done.

DOGE is still camped out in conference rooms in my agency (not going to name agency)

There won’t be a 3.0. Planned rifs at my agency were canceled. Doge as a menace to federal workers is over. It was bad but I do think it is done.

Did anyone NOT get paid? My friend is still waiting to get paid

Not looking. May look for a low stress part time job in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:not looking. retiring.

This is my dream! Do you think they’ll offer VERA again next year?

+1 retiring
Most likely at 3.0, Op!

Anonymous wrote:not looking. retiring.

This is my dream! Do you think they’ll offer VERA again next year?

not looking. retiring.

It’s almost September. 3 mos is almost up. Did you get a new job yet?