Unemployment Chronicles, Day -3: D-Day

There is something I may have alluded to, but never really got too specific about, and I still have to address this carefully.  If you look at the title of this post -- not the D-Day part, but the part that says day minus 3 -- you can maybe guess.  The truth is that all the time I have been writing the Unemployment Chronicles, I have been employed, technically.  I have not been working, and I have been looking for work and using outplacement services, but in terms of benefits and my tenure at Farmers, I am still employed.  It's complicated.

July 31 is my last day of this status.  After that, barring a last-minute miracle, I will be truly unemployed, no benefits, file-for-unemployment-payments unemployed.

So this will mean a few new activities.  Obviously I will want to apply for unemployment and start tracking my job search activities for the unemployment people.  Also, I already received information about COBRA, with the first payment due August 1.  The way things are going, I can't get by without health insurance.

Beyond that, because I passed my 55th birthday last weekend, I am early retiring, which means I have a few small benefits that I have to manage.  I can take my pension immediately, or I can defer it, and I think there is a decision to be made regarding whether it pays out until I die or until Jackie and I both die (with a lower payout.)  Since Jackie is younger and female and in better health, that part might be an easy choice.  In addition, retirement means I can get some help with my medical insurance, which is nice because COBRAs are expensive.

I can't remember for sure, but I don't think that Jackie and I have ever been unemployed at the same time since we got together almost 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, I applied for a job Friday and noticed that the HR director for the company looked at my Linked-In profile a few hours later.  I also contacted another recruiter, sent him resume, and made plans to meet him next week.  The search goes on.