Loss and shock, former public employee talks about losing her job

The news of hundreds in the Newfoundland and Labrador public service losing their management level jobs Wednesday brings back horrible memories for Christine Butler, who got a termination letter at her public sector job four years ago.

She says she cried and bawled at first, but life does go on.

"You know, I thought I was this dedicated employee, which I was. I was very a good employee, I know I was. It really didn't matter in the long run," Butler said.

She was terminated from her management level job after working for more than 34 years.

Shocking news

Butler was put in a boardroom with two people she has known for a long time and handed her termination letter.

"I didn't get too far down that letter. I didn't have any questions," she said. "I just wanted to leave. I didn't want to have anything to do with them."

She cried for about an hour saying the termination process was insensitive and cold and struggled to read through the letter because she was in shock.

Psychologist Denise Lawlor has been with hundreds of employees when they get laid off and says most are in shock over the news and can't comprehend what is happening at first.

"People are just frozen because really you can't imagine what they are going through. You cant read them. They freeze inside," said Lawlor.

Once the shock wears off, Lawlor said there is strong feeling of loss that can have an emotional and physical impact on an employee for up to a year or more.

"They also have families. They are connected to their friends their colleagues that they work with and now they realize their identity as being part of that workforce and being in that job is gone," she said. "It's a lot to handle in a short period of time."

Butler can relate to those negative emotions that Lawlor describes.

"I found it hard not getting up and going to work in the morning to see my co workers, the social aspect," said Butler.

Life goes on

Butler did eventually move on from the shock and loss. She used her small investments to get by and turned to her husband to help pay off the mortgage. Now she works part time in the retail industry and enjoys her public sector pension.

"Hang in there. It will hurt. It does sting," she said. "It is devastating but life goes on, I can tell you it does."

Lawlor, who has seen those situations hundreds of times, said in most cases people overcome the loss, if the right support is provided to the employee.

"You can have a lot of feelings. Sad, angry, anxious," she said. "You have to go through all the feelings until you get to the place where you can start living your life again — planning your life again."