Everyday Heroes think of co-workers when it comes to layoffs

Human resources directors are the souls of discretion. But last week one poured out her heart in an e-mail about the everyday heroes she sees at work.

"I think these everyday people, the ones who are just trying to make ends meet and take care of their families, are the Everyday Heroes. I hate to see the resignation and fear when you have to break the news to someone that their job has been eliminated or that there just isn't enough business to keep them working."

We met to discuss her experiences in more detail. Without identifying anyone by name and asking me to say only that the company she works for is engaged in sales and has about 400 employees, she then shared some stories.

Before this year, for several years, her company has laid off one or two people a year. But this year, as the economy stumbles and falls, they're laying off one a month. Now, this can't compare to the large numbers laid off in construction or the gaming industry, and I doubt the extraordinary thing that happened at her firm can possibly happen in big corporations.

But in her company, several people came to her and said, "Lay me off. Let somebody else keep their job."

Out of 10 layoffs this year, one third were people who volunteered to save someone else's job, she said.

"Lay me off. I don't have kids. I'll get by," one worker told her, saving the job of a single parent with a child who was going to get laid off.

"I have had a supervisor tell me, 'My team is my responsibility. Lay me off. It is my job to make sure my guys are OK.'"

Women in the business office, hearing that one layoff was anticipated, went to the human resources director and volunteered to work fewer hours in order to save the woman's job. Even when informed they would lose their insurance benefits, they were still willing to take the hit; but then one of them got another job, so no one in that department was laid off.

Raised in a small Western town of 500 people, the HR director moved to Las Vegas nearly 20 years ago without a job herself and has worked 18 years in human resources.

It's a job where she knows about people's families and finances. When someone marries, has a child, or buys a new home, there's always paperwork for HR. When there are financial woes and someone dips into their 401(k), or wages are garnisheed, liens are filed or payday loans are missed, HR knows.

"I've never seen our economy affecting people like this before. And I've never seen people step up to the plate like this," she said.

She's the one who has to tell people they're laid off. She has to explain the insurance situation and watch as they often gamble to go uninsured.

"It weighs on me," she admitted. "I do it without tears but with compassion, but no emotion."

But she's awed by the way workers are carrying on, and she's still optimistic because of the good she sees in people.

"I truly believe the people who have sacrificed like those who volunteered to be laid off in a bad economy are Everyday Heroes," she said.

In her opinion (and in mine) the true American heroes are those who are just trying to make ends meet despite a terrible economy, who put their families first, who sacrifice on a daily basis for the ones they love and have been doing it without our "financial experts" telling them they are in a crisis.

"Hell, the only ones who didn't seem to know we were in a financial crisis were the financial experts," she said.

Like all of us, she knows her job could disappear for one reason or another. Consider the abrupt closure of two Bill Heard car dealerships last week. And when KLAS-TV, Channel 8, announced 17 layoffs, the emphasis was on the three on-air staff. But one of those who lost a job was the human resources director. No job is guaranteed.

So the tough question: Would you volunteer to be laid off to save someone else's job?

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275.