Will you go to work?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

A thought that has been in the back of my mind for sometime is a situation in which Y2K is considerably more than a bump in the road and you are requested or expected to show up for work. Well will you?

Suppose there is rioting but not in your neighborhood. Or violent entry and theft have taken a dramatic increase over current norms. You are afraid to leave your family alone. Even if you don't have to leave a family at home the supplies necessary for you to substain your household are wide open to theft because you are at work. I'm implying here that very little is available in the market place so preparations you made prior to the onset of the crisis are what you have to substain you / your family period.

This is a double edged sword. If you show up for work you may be putting you family at risk as well as the supplies to substain your family. On the other hand not showing up for work will mean your skills are not available to help resolve the crisis.

Well, will you show up for work?

-- Ed (ed@lizzardranch.com), November 10, 1999

Answers

Not a chance the way you've outlined it . Things would have to be pretty much the same as they are now for me to consider going in. I can say this knowing I am prepared to Hunker down. If I was not prepared, more difficult decisions would have to be made. Glad I won't be in that position.

-- thomas saul (thomas.saul@yale.edu), November 10, 1999.

First, should my home or family be threatened in any way, the last place I will be is at work. Fortunately, my current employer has a family-first attitude and has in the past bent over backwards to accommodate employees dealing with family issues. Much more so than many of the employers that I have worked for in the past.

I enjoy my job and respect my current employer and will do what I can to help my company succeed, thrive, and if needed, survive tough times. But where my family's safety is concerned, my employer takes the back seat. No apologies.

But FWIW, I think a far more likely scenario is that my employer could have difficulties that I may be able to assist with. If such assistance does not conflict with my first priority, I will readily make myself available.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), November 10, 1999.


Especially if you are a policeman, fireman, utility repairman, EMT person, doctor, nurse, National Guardsman----will you go to work?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), November 10, 1999.

This is an interesting question, and one that I've already thought through. I'm a middle school teacher in a large inner-city neighborhood. A friend of mine who is National Guard has already told me that they will be out on full alert downtown that night--I'm anticipating power outages that would virtually paralyse this city, at least for a week or two, if not more. I've wrestled already with duty vs. safety. These children, and their education, are very important to me...but---being an urban school teacher is dangerous enough these days. Do I want to be in a school without power, water, or security (police)? Nope. Since I commute from the suburbs, I also can't see driving in without traffic lights!

-- Kathy Lopez (klopez@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.

My husband is a utility repairman. If there's trouble in town there's no way he will be going anywhere, and his company would not allow an employee to jeopardize his/her safety. Even during severe weather, employees wait until the weather breaks to fix the problem. I'm fearful that there will be people going around sabatoging equipment just to add to the problem.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 10, 1999.


Kathy, can you see driving in without gasoline?

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), November 10, 1999.

Ed, Glad you brought up nurses as I thought you only meant people who help with Y2K remediation. I do homecare nursing for children and the few families I spend 8 hours per shift 2-3x per week are very capable of caring for their children themselves. They have to be or they are not allowed to utilize a homecare agency. I've already told my agency that I will under no circumstances work New Years. I also don't expect to be able to go to work anyway as I believe we won't have much gas after the New Years and I live 45 minutes or more from my jobs. I have 2 teens and a hubby and I will under no circumstances leave my environment if things get bad. If after the New Year things are fairly good then I will continue to work. I am a mother first and luckily none of my patients are life or death situations without me. If they were then I would find another nurse who doesn't GI (so many to choose from LOL) so that the patient wouldn't be without a nurse. I think homecare is different than working in a hospital so I don't know what hospital nurses would do. Hope this answers your query.

-- Debi (LongtimeLurker@shy.com), November 10, 1999.

As a computer geek, I am set up to telecommute if TSHTF. I have already told my client that I will NOT be here (1100 miles from home) in the event of major failures. As long as the phones work (?!?) I can earn money.

And I would NEVER leave my family alone in uncertain times. I couldn't live with myself if something BAD happened to them because I was at work.

-- Dennis (djolson@cherco.net), November 10, 1999.


I've been thinking about this for a long time and I guess the answer is It Depends. I think things will be okay for a short time after rollover then it will go downhill rapidly. I expect severe gas shortages a couple of weeks into it which will prevent me going in (33 mile commute). So it won't be entirely up to me. I work for the Gubmit so I expect some kind of emergency plan where we go to the closest facility. If the power is off there is no point in going to work wherever it is for the obvious reasons. Most workplaces don't have windows, HVAV won't work, toilets won't flush, elevators,etc. Anyway it won't be safe to be in these places if there's no power.

-- wondering (wondering@nottoo.far), November 10, 1999.

As a reporter at a statewide radio network, I'll be on call NY's eve. My partner is also on call that night and is expected to come in to check on computers over the weekend (she works for the state).

If things start to unravel, I will absolutely make every effort to get to work. Our network (along with the state Public Television network) are considered the communications backbone for any Y2K related messages our governor will have to issue. I'll have a pair and a spare of cars with full gas tanks ready to take me back and forth to work for as long as necessary. I also have an extra 5 gallons of gas in case.

In our home we feel our extensive y2k preparations have us ready for any short term (15 days or less) problems. My partner's dad will be here and he's been a farmer living off the land for years, so I know we'll be okay.

If things do start to get pretty bad, I think for those who go to work -- the nurses, doctors, police, utility workers, emergency management agencies, relief volunteers, pastors, etc -- it could turn out to be their finest hour.

I have tons of material I can go on the air with to help listeners if all they have is a battery powered radio:

-- how to make sure your water is drinkable -- where emergency help might be available -- how long before emergency help will arrive -- how to keep your pipes from freezing -- how to help your elderly neighbors if necessary -- what to avoid so you don't kill yourself or family (kerosene heaters in a room with no ventilation, for example) -- short term first aid tips while awaiting help

etc., etc.

I have the knowledge to help and I will be held accountable to my own conscience, my maker and least of all my employer if I don't show up.

I hope I don't need to go on the air with this information. I hope it's all okay. But if I'm called to duty, so to speak, because of a terrible Y2K scenario, I will go. I will serve. I will encourage the citizens in our state to help each other where possible and to go to help when they can.

-- MSL (nprbuff@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.



By a happy accident my home is very close to an office for my company. Not of course the office where I am assigned...the SoBs will never do that (SoB does not mean "Swell Old Boy"). Short of snipers along the road I'll go in. Even if TSHTF,someday there will be a recovery. One of the most important things I have is a good reputation, and being "there" may just impress someone. If not a total collapse, I will need to preserve my status as an employee. For my main office, hell no. Too far away and too dangerous to get there, along with the natural charm of the area.

-- Mr. Mike (mikeabn@aol.com), November 10, 1999.

No.

-- Not Whistlin' Dixie (not_whistlin_dixie@yahoo.com), November 10, 1999.

After reading these responses, mostly, I guess I'll have an unpopular opinion, but that never stopped me before. Not showing up for work will mean my "skills" (such as they are) are not available to help --- Excuse me? I'm neither a programmer nor a lineman, but in the scenario you present I quit being a wage slave. My skills belong to me. They will be used to preserve my life and the lives of those I love. IMHO, any other plan is obscene.

There is something wrong with the question - though it's a comparatively (and welcome!) new thought here - it's getting back to business and I'm not criticising it. But we are all too programmed. We can't survive in a world that reverts to 1960 or 1890 or whatever it reverts to, for whatever period of time, unless we get ourselves debriefed pretty fast. How can we talk about bug-out plans and going to work in the same breath? I think a lot of us are going to be in shock after all - myself included.

I can be useful and helpful in ways that present themselves when the time comes, but not at the risk of my life or home. Frankly, I don't expect I'll be as altruistic as I'd like to be. In fact I know damn well I won't. I do not kid myself, and I do not give myself credit for traits I never needed but conscience says I should have. I have a vivid imagination and I don't like what it conjures up - but in a bad situation, my conscience will be between me and God, not between me and my employer. The word employer means user, and the word servant means exactly what it says.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), November 10, 1999.


I will not show up for work.

But then again, I don't have to show up for work tomorrow either...

If I'm on a job, I will walk away (well... drive away) and go home.

I have already planned for not HAVING to show up for a job for at least 4 months. If its THAT bad, there ain't gonna be no jobs available (at least ones that pay) in my line of work anyways.

-- plonk! (realaddress@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.


I'm not in a situation where I would *have* to go into work for a while, but it would be counted as vacation, and it's not the time of year I would want to take as vacation (what with my garden being frozen or snowed over at that time).

I won't be going in until I am very sure I will have no problems getting home again. I live in the 'burbs, but work in a high rise downtown a large city. I take public transportation to work. All sorts of reasons the high rise could be shut down, all sorts of reason I could have major problems getting back to my car. I have asked my employer to assist in employee contingency planning. We'll see if this happens.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to set up my computer so I can telecommute if necessary.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.



I work from home now so as long as I can get out of bed, yes.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), November 10, 1999.


I am a burglar and I expect to work overtime

-- (getit@your.house), November 10, 1999.

I had to answer that question in L.A. during the riots. I stayed home. My employer, when I returned to work, asked me when I was going to make up the time. I pointed out that I had worked 50-60 hours per week consistently with no extra pay. That didn't matter.

I had a new job in 2 weeks. They missed me.

My work was of a nature that doing it the following week did no harm.

www.y2kkitchen.com

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 10, 1999.


Good question. Funny how the employer "just expects" everyone to show up for work even if the sky is on fire! :) I am an employer, but I do not expect anyone to leave their family in a time of possible unrest or system breakdown!!!!!!! I sure as hell am not going to the office if the SHTF!! My attitude is born of my experience of working for many years for a Fortune 30 company. Nice place to work, decent pay, good people. However the bottom line was always first and foremost the most important thing. That's fine if everything is functioning fine. There is a serious disconnect in large companies as far as this whole issue goes. I choose to run my company differently. Will I lose money? You bet I will. So what!! You can make more money later, you can't replace people if you cause them harm because of your shor sighted, bottom line attitude.

So no, I do not expect people to come to work if the powers out, the banks messing up, etc. Any organization that expects people to take vacation, make up the time, etc. is not concerned about it's people, just it's bottom line.

the boss..........

-- owner (owner1999@yahoo.com), November 10, 1999.


Good for you Sally for not taking your employers BS. When pink slips and a final pay check are handed out, they don't care how many hours you worked for them, they used you, you put out, and money is the ultimate master. I've been there and done that believe me.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 11, 1999.

Working for a GI boss is a mixed blessing in my case.

We have an answering machine, that the employees normally call on snow days etc. to see if the office will be open. Plan 1 is to call that number on 1/3 morning for a status check (we do have a plan 2 in case of extended phones out, but that's gettin' OT). We have also notified our clients that we MAY NOT be open. At least I know that the boss is a GI, and will make his decision based on many factors.

One of those factors is the status of the office. Things like no power are automatic. Otherwise, the A team (that's the OPS manager and me) are to make "every effort" to get into the office on 1/2, and "test" things. We are also to make "every effort" to notify the boss. He did remind us however, that our personal safety is the number one priority.

So that's what I'll be doing.

Tick... Tock... <:00=

PS - And good for you "owner". Many companies don't realize that their most valuable asset is their people. Say, if my company gets in trouble, do you need any help? I've been programming for almost 32 years...

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), November 11, 1999.


Coming in like a freight train, I was too curious and wanted to stand on my porch to watch the long awaited storm and when it finally hit God told me to (get in and) "close the door".

I'll be hiding away for the initial indignities.

S. David Bays

-- S. David Bays (SDBAYS@prodigy.net), November 11, 1999.


Yes I will be at work on new years day, and if the power does go out on a day that I'm not due at work, then I'll be there anyway.

Malcolm

-- Malcolm taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), November 11, 1999.


This IS relevant to me, and maybe even you, as I'm a phone software developer. But note that even if I do manage to pull of an instant fix of any emergent problems in our product, it will be two weeks AT LEAST before we can start rolling them out to customers, and that assumes that everyone else in the chain is uneffected and turns up for work. That's our admin staff, customer support, sales, our hardware suppliers, our own manufacturing staff, our third party vendors, our delivery staff (wholesale and retail) and our field engineers. I could add more, but I think we've all been there before.

Here's what will keep me at home:

No power. That won't really effect me personally in the short term, but it will probably lead to the following conditions.

No TV. If Joe Blow doesn't have TV to watch, then I shudder to think of the consequences. He might... dear god... start THINKING. And I bet his first thought will be: the cupboard is bare.

Petrol rationing or shut down pumps. I'm not going to work if I can't get home.

Any kind of rationing in supermarkets or banks. Even Joe Blow can associate "X items per customer" with "Maybe not enough for me."

No phone (ironic, eh?). If I can't contact my loved ones, I'm damn sure going to keep an eye on them.

Any dodgy looking geezers wandering around my local area. If there's even a hint of trouble in my neighbourhood, I'm going into Civic Hero mode. I live in a lovely low density estate full of good people, but there's a high density assisted housing scheme up the road. With the best will in the world, some of the people in there are scum, plain and simple. Fortunately, they fear fire, so I can drive them back with burning torches. ;)

Reports of suburban rioting elsewhere. I'm not going to panic if the known inner city hotspots erupt, but if Joe Blow sees any images of looted or burning houses that look anything like mine, I'll throw my hat in the "TV is a cause, not just an indicator" ring and prepare for the worst.

I don't think any of this will happen. I'm neither polly nor doomer; I expect problems, but I expect them to be a long running series of BITRs. If none of the above events happen, then - as far as Joe Blow and the media will be concerned - Y2K never happened. The long term minor snafus and disruption that I think will follow will be too boring and (note!) complicated to attract any media attention.

One thing though: unless all really is sweetness-and-light, I'll be inviting my partner to come to work with me for at least a few days, or I'll be going to work with her. As she's a tax inspector, I know you won't be too upset by this. :)

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 11, 1999.


To those who don't know a para ed is "classified" employee of the school district. Basicly we are paid staff part (not teachers) that help run a school. I'm lucky enough that I can walk to work, and my children attend the school where I work at. I probably will go and check things out with kids in tow, if no power, no school, no work. I only worry if there is "no" school how many will not go to work/or go to work when schools are closed.

-- Para Ed (para@ed.atSchool), November 11, 1999.

Emphatically No. My family's safety is always first priority. Besides I would not be worth a damn on-site, if I were worrying about my loved ones.

-- karla (karlacalif@aol.com), November 11, 1999.

Can't work (usefully or productfully) if the power, telecom's, network, internet, other officers (outside of US), other offices (at client sites - or at other US offices are down.

Can do a little here (without interacting with anything else) if and only iff the city here itself is okay in all services in all respects AND if house and family are okay.

BUT - I've got over 350 hours of vacation time that I've not been able to use this spring/summer/fall - so I'm not too worried about showing up on the 3rd/4th/5th...

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 11, 1999.


I'm just a temporary contractor working at AT&T...part of me is tempted to volunteer to stay late just to see if our local networks stay up. Another, somewhat more insistant, part is telling me to just go home, lock the door, and listen to shortwave radio transmissions from the security of my apartment.

As an aside, it kind of amazes me how most of my coworkers here are only concerned with Y2K insofar as none of them are able to take vacations during the holidays. Besides that, they are all pretty apathetic. And so were the dinosaurs before the meteor hit...

-- Ludi (ludi@rollin.com), November 11, 1999.


I have just been a lurker here for about 6 mo. Both my husband and I have been "GI" for 1 yr. I posted for the first time in my life anywhere on the ask Dale Way a Question thread. I guess that broke the ice for me. My work is, for lack of a more dignified title, Housewife. My husband is a Staff Sergeant in the National Guard.From the looks of things, he will probably have to "go to work". I will then be compelled to do his job at home.I am very proud of him. Please don't shoot him, He is there to help you. Thank you, Hatti

-- Hatti (klavine@tco.com), November 11, 1999.

If things are dangerous and/or gas short, then no. Fortunately, I am self-employed so no big deal. Unfortunately I do income tax preparation - so may not have a job to go to.(I know this breaks everyones heart):) However, my hubby, who has non-emergency type job goes to work no matter what, and short of civil war nothing I do will keep him home. My live-in son-in-law who is a cop will also go in no matter what. So I guess me and pregnant daughter will be home protecting granddaughter. Always wanted to be a housewife but not this way!

-- (Wishing@inone.hand), November 11, 1999.

---Hatti, of all the posts on this thread, yours touched me. I'm one of those folks who is highly suspicious of the prez and what sort of orders he gives troops if/when there's a big breakdown. one of the scenarios is that, national guard going out and "following orders", orders that are wrong, and that enslave the people. Illegal orders, unconstitutional orders. bad orders.

No one wants to shoot your husband, but you have to realize that no one wants to get SHOT by your husband, or have their property confiscated, or sent to a camp or anything. So, you see where we stand. If your husband is smart and brave and honorable, he'll do the right thing, and no harm will befall anyone. It's up to all of us, as individuals to make correct choices and search our souls and consciousnesses. Let's hope no one gets shot or hurt, what ya say? zog the preparer

as to the original question, I'm a survival consultant, and my "work" consists of preparing. Yep, I'll be on the job!

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 11, 1999.


Correction there:

Your work (as housewife) is the MOST important one listed; and no, I don't recommend you "leave home" to go to work....wait, that doesn't sound right.

Stay at home and go to work......no, that's not right either.

Stay at home and keep working.....doesn't sound fun either.....

Keep right on working at home while he goes off and has fun in the field kitchen serving soup, cleaning up trash, wiping down toilets, taking care of screaming kids and hungry parents in the cold and snow? Shoot - sounds like you have the easy job! ... or that you both have the same job....

Nah....it'd better if he stayed at home did that stuff.

Might just as well just keep on keepin' on doing it......cause we can't do it for ya. (Well, actually, we could do the housework part of it - but then our wive would get mad ... but you've got an irreplaceable "mommy" job that's most important right now .....

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 11, 1999.


Mr. getit@yourhouse,

The only thing you will "get" at my house is LEAD...

Come on over...

growlin'...

The Dog

-- The Dog (DesertDog@-sand.com), November 11, 1999.


Don't know if I'll go to "work" or not (I don't have a REAL job), depends on whether I get a call....

I produce CDROMs on Solar powered living for a living which I do mainly from home. However as a county Disaster Services volunteer I may be called and asked to help out (in fact I'm assuming such will be the case). Assuming I get the call, if I'm all set up here (my son is safe here) I will go and do my community duty. Generally I respond and provide emergency radio communications for floods, landslides and the normal type disasters (earthquake, severe storm) but we do whatever we can even if the mission doesn't fit into a convienient "box". We'll see....I can turn out in MOPP gear if need be (Gawd, I hope not...)

Kathy, can you see driving in without gasoline?

I'm not Kathy but it would be an issue here if I hadn't stored 200 gallons of gas. Also extracted a promise from the emergency services director that if fuel is scarce they will provide fuel from the county stocks to replace what I use daily on their behalf (...of course I didn't tell them I have fuel stores...:@).

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 11, 1999.


No I won't

I just hope we have a blizzard with 4 feet of snow :-)

No rioting here then:-)

No work to go to either:-)

-- Rickjohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), November 11, 1999.


To Robert A. Cook, Thank you, you made me laugh! I hope that is all he will be doing! He has "worked" fires,riots and floods. But he can wash potties too.

Zog, He is an honorable man,I will see if he is willing to respond to some of the martial law threads this evening. I do not speak for my husband.

By the way, I am very proud of what I do. Thanks, Hatti

-- Hatti (klavine@tco.com), November 11, 1999.


Ed --

Actually, I will be doing a 'command performance' the night of the event. (I drew the dreaded 'Ace of Spades' so caught the rollover itself, eith 8 or 10 pm till either 2 or 4 in the morning, exact hours as yet undetermined, they have waffled on it a couple of times.)

Of course, it comes with the promise of what amounts to about a months pay, and some time off. Even threats wouldn't have worked otherwise. I am scheduled to work several shifts over that weekend. BUT -- I will be watching the early reports from around the world. If it looks like it is TEOTWAWKI then I will probably not go. Also will be prepared in the event I go, and *then* things fall apart.

But the wife, kids, and grandkids have the preparations, and how-to's, and checklists, and an understanding of the problem, so even if I can't make it home, I feel confident in their chances.

-- just another (another@engineer.com), November 11, 1999.


Hatti--

"You go Girl" I am jelous. I have a full time career, and I am also a mommy. Nothing has ever been as gut-wrenching to me than having my three year old Brittney say, "I don't want to go to Learning to Learn, I want to stay with you." Y2k has made me re-evaluate a great many things about my life, and the main one is trying to successfully have two careers. Regardless the outcome of y2k, things will definately be changing for us. I love to work/learn but I can't do it all, I am 35 and I am tired. Balance will be my New Years Resolution for many years to come.

Robert - I don't know you but I love!!!!!

-- balanceisgood (karlacalif@aol.com), November 11, 1999.


Anyone ever lived in Georgia during a winter storm? Three to seven day storm they say --- WE stay home, only the Yankees try to go to work :-)

Honestly, Unless the ones in charge of keeping civil order are ---in charge ---I will not leave my home. They keep the control and I may venture out with my child in tow. To much to risk for to little reward. My job is not life altering for anyone. I will not leave my daughter at home alone if schools are closed and there are major problems around; she is top priority not the business world! I will not work to save --- a man's business --- at the cost of my daughters life or safety period!

-- Onebyone (susanwater@excite.com), November 12, 1999.


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