C-Dog
Well-known member
Just curious... Our corporate folks have defered our raises this year (not supprising) and the class at the local Uni I was scheduled to teach got combined with another one to save $
"This Economy"
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Stayed the same for me, although I was actually given a typical 6% raise as well. I did get screwed out of a bonus because of the way accounting dictates our "fiscal year," but looking at the bonus percentages for those who did qualify, there was no immediate impact there either.
Where we did see some issues was project postponement by the clients themselves. This is making it very difficult to place site-specific personnel who are demobilizing in the near future at approximately the same time.
Where we did see some issues was project postponement by the clients themselves. This is making it very difficult to place site-specific personnel who are demobilizing in the near future at approximately the same time.
bigray76
Food & Beverage Director
I didn't get a raise this year, but we trimmed about 10% of the staff in the last two months - mostly field personnel with no new project to go to.
Chucktown PE
Well-known member
We don't typically find out what raises or going to be until the end of February so I don't know what's going to happen. My guess is that since I had a huge raise last year, this year is going to suck. Our company is doing quite well as public utilties in the water/wastewater sector are somewhat insulated from the rest of the economy. People still need to shit in toilets and drink water regardless of whether or not the economy sucks. I am thinking 5% if I'm lucky. I think between the PE, promotion, and merit raise last year I had about a 15 or 16% increase so I guess I won't be greedy. I may get a bonus this year but that will probably only be 3 or 4%.
I got laid off from my job. I survived for nearly a year before they laid off everyone except for the owners and department managers. I was working my way into management, but I guess the perception was that I was still a design engineer. It was my first consulting job (private sector). I was previously in the metal building industry, which is still strong. Because I didn't want to move from the Northwest, my new job is in telecommunications structures. Not glamorous, but it has its challenges too. 30 foot deep drilled piers are "interesting" to say the least.
So, they have owners and managers, but they lay off everyone who performs the actual consulting work? There's a brilliant business plan. That's like laying off all the mechanics at a garage, but keeping the receptionist.
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The managers are licensed engineers too. They just are trimming up to keep every department. They would rather keep a drafting manager and a surveying manager than to keep a civil PE working on the SE exams. :angry:
By the way: I was working on a two-span 140 foot long prestressed voided slab bridge that was going to cost something like $3Mil. Our fees were crazy and I was barely in budget when the 95% completion drawings were submitted. I was laid off the same day as the 95% submittal date. Sucks. That's alright though, I was able to take on all of the good projects and score almost all of them within budget. There were a few along the two years that I was there that made it tough, but it was mostly an underinflated drafting budget on our AJERA software. That's another long story about bad drafters....
klk
Well-known member
Same here. I haven't noticed too much of a difference, except that my company is being more strict about overhead expenses.
My husband is an electrical engineer and his company announced that no one would receive raises/promotions this year. Thank goodness he got his grade increase last year.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
A 1.5% raise should start with this weeks paycheck.
wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
Huge.
When I started at my first job, everybody was getting 1.5% "cost of living" raises, but since I had been there a short time, they pro-rated it. I got a 0.75% raise.
Capt Worley PE
Run silent, run deep
So far, steady as she goes...
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
I voted no, everything is the same.
We have a good backlog and are hiring new people. I can get paid OT if I want it. My wife is eyeing a grant that is no sure thing, but would bump her salary up quite a bit if awarded. We are in a comfortable economic standing at this point.
I don't know if its just that we are lucky, or the crunch hasn't hit this area to bad yet.
My retirement funds are taking a big dump, but I can't really touch them for 30 years anyway. I'm putting as much as feasible into our 401k plan here to buy in while prices are low.
We have a good backlog and are hiring new people. I can get paid OT if I want it. My wife is eyeing a grant that is no sure thing, but would bump her salary up quite a bit if awarded. We are in a comfortable economic standing at this point.
I don't know if its just that we are lucky, or the crunch hasn't hit this area to bad yet.
My retirement funds are taking a big dump, but I can't really touch them for 30 years anyway. I'm putting as much as feasible into our 401k plan here to buy in while prices are low.
MGX
Well-known member
Been in statis the past year, no raises but no layoffs either. I've been so busy studying for school or knuckling down to get work out the door to hit up my boss, who's rarely in the office, up for a raise.
We've got a small backlog but I'm running out of jobs for the long term future. I'm sure we'll keep busy with smaller jobs for the interim.
We've got a small backlog but I'm running out of jobs for the long term future. I'm sure we'll keep busy with smaller jobs for the interim.
VT,
Love your avatar. Do you work in Vermont? It seems the Northwest has been hit pretty hard unless you work in Seattle.
We live in an area that was predominantly dependent on the the housing market and developments. Once that tanked, developers put their projects on hold. Then five contractors went under because of the AIG fiasco. I don't think things are as bad as people think they are but it's hard to stop a wild imagination. It reminds me a lot of the fear that was going on in the construction industry after 911. If things don't break loose in the spring, then we may need to move to an area that offers more than building related jobs.
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
I own a chocolate lab, bht pic isn't of mine though. He's too energetic and I'm too shitty of a photographer to take a good pic like that.
I moved from VT to suburban Boston last summer. Things are pretty busy here from what I gather. As for the Northwest, I don't think things are bad in the Spokane area either. My FIL got an obscene end of year bonus. And the cost of living there is pretty low too.
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