"REGARDING: Washington Federal - Sick Leave Benefit & Vaction Leave Benefit Programs"

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I just want to scream. I am so frustrated I am almost in tears.

This afternoon word started circling about letters being mailed to our homes about our vacation time and sick time with Washington Federal. Not knowing what was in the letter was killing us all and everyone started to speculate. And speculating is not always the best thing, nor does it usually lead the the correct answer.

The first think I did when I go home was check the mail and sure enough there was an envelope addressed to me from WaFed. Inside it says they are 'pleased to announce' that we can participate in the Sick and Vacation time program. Oh, and there are no waiting periods they usually make new employees abide by. It also has 'a brief explanation' of these programs.

Good news: Other then the fact that we will earn vacation time and sick time, of course. WaFed is going to "Grant a match of the available sick leave hours" from Legacy Horizon Bank. So I get to keep 91 hours of the sick time I had been saving for maternity leave.

Other then the above mention of matching out unused sick time, there was no other explanation as to how we will accumulate additional sick time.

Bad news: With Horizon we received 12 days of vacation. Automatically we loose 2 days due to WaFed only giving 10 days to its employees. But because their fiscal year is Oct - Sept we are not going to get the full 10 days. I will get 7 days! 7! To go from 12 to 7!?! Are they kidding?

The first thing that goes through my head is, "When are we going to get to go back to Spokane?" So far I need time off for Burlington-Edison's Basketball team's trip to the 2A State Champions (2 days) in March. And 1 day for being able to support my little brother, Stephen, in his Iron Man quest in June. Also at least one day so I can go to my 10 year High School Reunion, and 1 day for Jake's. So there goes more then half of my vacation time. That is what I know of so far this year. I know there will be more things that come up as the year goes by. When are we going to be able to see our family? What about the week we have always taken in August, the week of our anniversary, where we spend the whole week out at my parents lake cabin on Coeur d'Alene Lake? Ahhhhhhhhhh.

I'm. Stunned. I don't even know what to say anymore. I just don't have any words. I just don't.

Lost email

With the whole Horizon Bank failing and WaFed getting the whole bank for 'free' we have had a lot of changes. One of these changes is our email. I have saved so many emails over my 2 1/2 years of service to Horizon. Actually more then I realized.

This morning, as part of the change over, we were told that our old email system would no longer work as of close of business today. Being as slow as it was in the branch today I decided to go through all the old emails. I found emails of me asking for referral credit on new accounts, asking for my boss to 'keep the peace' and even a few trying to get someone to understand how horrible it was to work with a past coworker with all her mood swings, foul language she used and poor work ethic. Some of them were rather funny to read :O)

Along the way I found this picture of Jake and I at the Horizon Bank 2008 Company Party at the Future of Flight museum. I'm not really a fan of this picture but it is a good reminder of a great night and good company. (Wow, my hair looks almost blond.)

Nothing new to report

Even though this last week has been an emotional roller coster, there is not a lot going on.
Yes, I am still worried about keeping my job. Yes, I hate the fact that it could be another 7 weeks until we get a definite answer to if I will keep it or not. Yes, I hope that everyone I work with will have a job within WaFed.
But no, I still don't think its really the time to start looking for a new job. I really don't want to start out at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak. I really, really don't want to work for another small bank that at any moment could go through the exact same thing as Legacy Horizon branches are going through now. It sucks! I would not wish this on anyone. I now know how WaMu employees felt when they were closed. As much as people say they know what happens when a bank is closed by FDIC, they don't. Especially when they say it is going to be ok. They have no idea.
One new thing to report...On the same day Legacy Horizon was closed, Jake (my husband) found out that the school district he works for is in BIG trouble. Big enough that the State of Washington might have to step in and take over. Ugh. A broke entity taking over another broke entity. Why? What a stupid idea. And if that happens there will be lots and lots of cuts. As far as we know nothing is safe. From the Principal. To all sports. To even the teachers.
Yes, once again, even after 4 years of teaching Jake is still worried about is job and if he will have a teaching position next year. We were very fortunate that last year Jake was one of the lucky ones to keep his job. But if sports are cut, students will leave to go to schools with sports and there will be a need to cut more teachers. Eventually all you would have are those kids who don't care, who sell drugs, and who make very bad decisions.
As of now it is hard to say that there will actually be cuts at the school, and that is most likely worst case. It is hard to think of anything else.
I guess only time will tell. Both Jake and I are hoping and praying that we keep our jobs and everything works out. As it always seems to do.
I hope that there is someone out there looking out for us.

It is part of the World's history.

I got an email from my mom today about the Holocaust and some people wanting it taken out of the history books because it might offend them/someone or even some people saying it never happened. It truly saddens me that this could ever happen. Millions of people died. And even more peoples' lives were forever changed. It did happen. It is part of the World's history. And it is not something that can just be taken out of or history books because someone doesn't like it. Here is the email:

When I was a kid, Ike was president, I couldn't ever imagine why he was so popular. Maybe this has something to do with it:

General Eisenhower Warned Us

It is a matter of history that when the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower,found the victims of the death camps he ordered all possible photographs to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead.

He did this because he said in words to this effect:

'Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses -because somewhere down the road of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened'

This week, the UK debated whether to remove The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offends' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. It is not removed as yet.. However, this is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the 6 million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, and 1,900 Catholic priests Who were 'murdered, raped, burned, starved, beat, experimented on and humiliated' while the German people looked the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran , among others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth',it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.?

This e-mail is intended to reach 400 million people! Be a link in the memorial chain and help distribute this around the world.

How many years will it be before the attack on the World Trade Center 'NEVER HAPPENED',

because it offends some Muslim in the U.S. ???

Do not just delete this message; it will take only a minute to pass this along.?

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE...SOMEONE HAD TO PAY FOR IT

Welcome to WaFed

So I must say, I am feeling much better about being bought by Washington Federal. They held a meeting for all the NEW WaFed employees up in Bellingham. I cant for the life of me remember the name of the hotel, but oh man I wanna go there for a weekend. Anyway, from what they said I think WaFed will be a good company to work for. Good and honest.

Now the problem is going to be just keeping my job and staying on. It is for sure that the Mount Vernon branch of the ex-Horizon will be closed. The branch I work at will be closed. We have no idea when it will happen, but it will be months not weeks. Even just that part alone makes me feel a little better.

So here is to good luck, keeping my job, and liking my new employer. I'm kinda excited for the change.

Unknown future...

This afternoon the bank I currently work for, Horizon Bank, was taken over by the FDIC and sold to Washington Federal Savings. It has been looming in the distance for so long, it felt like it was never going to happen. We all worried that the bank was going to be sold to a 'big' bank like U.S. Bank or B.O.A. but never did we really think that a local bank would buy us. Its a good thing, I guess. But, and here is the kicker, there is a Washington Federal Savings less then 20 feet from the Mount Vernon office. 20 feet from where I work! You can say I'm a little nervous. No, nervous is not the right word. I am straight FREAKING OUT! I have no idea if I will have a job in a week, a month, or a year. No idea. No idea what so ever.

As I was driving home, all I could think through the tears, was what bills we were going to pay off with the $8000 tax credit and would it be enough to live on if I didn't have a job. Would we be able to survive if I worked part time? Finding a job right now isn't the easiest thing to do you know. Do we know enough people here that I could find a job with one? Could I go back to Big Blue if there was something open? What is going to happen to all the people that are now my friends from the Mount Vernon Branch?

So many questions. But yet no answers. I might have more information tomorrow after a meeting that Washington Federal is hosting for all the EX Horizon Bank employees. My fingers are crossed that everything will work out and that I will keep my job.

Here is the FDIC website with the article about the sale of Horizon Bank to Washington Federal Savings. http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10004.html
And another website with some more information. http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/horizon-wa.html

Everything happens for a reason. Please keep my husband and I in your thoughts and prayers.