How is your life in the US better than the UK?
Mar 27th 2015, 12:23 am
#406
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: North East Ohio, USA
Posts: 1,931
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
How is my life better here than in the UK?
This (from last night, tonight will be equally spectacular, it's gorgeous here)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...76D9C264A8.jpg
..... and this
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...4999CF5757.jpg
This (from last night, tonight will be equally spectacular, it's gorgeous here)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...76D9C264A8.jpg
..... and this
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...4999CF5757.jpg
You live in a nice part of the country. I've been to Monterey once - loved it there. Drove down Pacific Highway 1(?) to Carmel. Beautiful there, but I am sure it is expensive to live there.
Mar 27th 2015, 12:26 am
#407
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Monterey, CA
Posts: 2,554
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
Mar 27th 2015, 7:40 pm
#408
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Alliance AL
Posts: 304
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
Example of the cons, wife works for Board of Education here in 'bama with 20+ years in. They have just announced 200 job reduction so she has been dismissed as of June, no recompense, no redundancy, nothing you are just GONE end of. The american way.
Mar 27th 2015, 7:45 pm
#409
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 3
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
The weather improvement is huge. Things are a ton cheaper too.
Mar 28th 2015, 2:57 pm
#410
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
I'm in Ohio and I pay over $6K a year property taxes on a 2 bed 2 bath condo. It is nearly killing me - my biggest expense by far. I realize it would probably be more in the NE, but it's a lot for one person on one salary. I've actually considered selling and just renting an apartment, but unfortunately I bought back in 05 before the housing property crash so I would lose too much money.
FWIW - I challenged our property tax assessment, and just received a letter from the Town letting me know it's going down by $1.5k. So worth a shot - you have nothing to lose!
Mar 28th 2015, 3:03 pm
#411
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
We just got our assessment, with instructions on how to appeal. .... It says the appeal could result in an upwards adjustment, so, for us at least, there is a risk to appealing.
Mar 28th 2015, 7:00 pm
#412
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 237
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
Aimie06, that is terrible particularly after 20 years! Hope she can find something else soon- and then perhaps hire a lawyer!
Mar 28th 2015, 7:27 pm
#414
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 237
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
I understand she could be fired at will but after 20 years, no redundancy?
. Not sure if any State has anything similar to redundancy as it is in the UK.
Mar 28th 2015, 9:53 pm
#416
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Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Alliance AL
Posts: 304
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
When we spoke about the situation the wife had never heard of redundancy, it would appear here that once a Reduction in Force is put in place then that's it goodbye. I do not know yet if Union is pursuing the issue, but as stated AL is an at Will state. It sure sucks 
Mar 28th 2015, 9:56 pm
#417
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 28th 2015 at 10:19 pm.
Mar 28th 2015, 10:03 pm
#418
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Alliance AL
Posts: 304
Re: How is your life in the US better than the UK?
As Lansbury said, their is no such thing as mandatory redundancy payment in most states in the US. Some employers pay a severance, most do not. Furthermore, the further south you go, the more pressure there is a to minimize the cost of providing services and therefore any sort of pay to government employees. With the school system being the largest state cost, and payroll the biggest expense, working for the school system down here, in any capacity, is just asking to be screwed over.
