Question from a reader

One of the recently cut asks:

The severance agreement contains a requirement that you not seek re-employment or any remunerative relationship with the company. This would seem to prohibit freelancing. But some who left in prior layoffs and buyouts have freelanced for the paper.

Anyone know if this was part of past agreements? Wondering if it's just not enforced or if this is a new issue.

Thanks.

I know there are managers out there who read this blog. Can we have something like a definitive answer, please? Anonymous would be fine.

Question from the comments

A reader writes:

What are they going to do about the reporter rotations? We're 11 people short now. Will projects people be included in the rotations--how can they not be? Many of us don't mind getting the overtime (and many of us are now the sole supporters in our homes), but I can't imagine they'll keep paying OT every weekend, holiday etc. Clerks are already short and having to rotate regularly. What's the plan here?

Speaking for myself that's a very good question.

Quo Vadimus?

This blog was created for a very specific purpose: To provide information about this round of layoffs. The layoffs are over. Before we move on, I think we need to note that we all committed some remarkable journalism on deadline.

With no help or hindrance from our corporate overlords we: Were able to publish the size, departments and categories of the layoffs in one day. Which if you missed it was:

11 from Local News. 10 reporters, one news clerk
1 production editor from Editorial
6 from Lifestyles: Two part-time editors, one full-time editor, two writers, one Guide listings editor/writer.
3 from business: One reporter, a wire editor and an assistant editor.
13 from the sports: 8 from desk, 4 writers, 1 phone clerk
6 from Photo (Photo details: 4 photographers, 1 color tech, 1 photo librarian)
3 from News Art: One graphic artist, two designers
6 off the news copy desk
1 off the news desk

(As I look at it, we could still use the specifics from Photo and News Art. Update: Photo and News Art info now supplied. )

Engage a community in spirited and sometimes useful discussions. Feature some astonishingly good writing -- not mine, but some of the farewell notes are amazingly good. Distributed useful information about some of the kinds of help our now-former colleagues might be able to find.

If only dallasnews.com was as consistently successful at taking advantage of the possibilities of online journalism. Cloud-sourcing, immediacy, error correction, interactivity. Also, with very few exceptions, the tone of the comments has been civil enough. Some were pretty strong, but we were all entitled to that.

Are we done? I'm still getting a trickle of farewell notes, and I promise I will always get those posted. A few job and seminar notes are also coming in.

My question for this community: Do I need to keep DMNCuts going after this week? Is there a purpose that is not being met in other places? I'm incredibly proud of what we all did here, but like all of us, I need to spend my energy and time wisely. I'm open to staying open. I could go on hiatus and shut off the comments until the next round of cuts is announced. Or I could let the mask pass to someone else, as Mr. Sunbeam and RockOfTruth did to me.

What do you think?

I've put all the farewell notes on one post

And the link is in the "links" list on the right. If anybody else wants to send me a note or to post one in comments, the invitation remains open. I will, of course, add any new ones to that other post.

Here's a new one that was posted in comments that I'll pull out here:

Though the ax has fallen on my head this go-round, too, i will always be glad for having had the opportunity to be a part of The Dallas Morning News.

And while it may sound like patting myself on the back, I can truly look back and know that while I felt lucky to be there, I also worked hard to stay. While I may not have walked away with any big journalism awards in my box, I could walk away knowing i did a good job.

In my time there I led the Metro coverage of the first Breeder's Cup race ever in the Southwest, I was the first to report on Farmers Branch's efforts to make illegal immigrants unwelcome there - a story that would put them in the national spotlight - and continued to top every other media outlet in the country in following that story over the next two years, and my reporting on a mayor's lies about her background derailed her bid for re-election.
Not bad for a small-town girl with no degree, lol.

I am proud to have been a part of what was long considered one of the best papers in the country, and to have known each and every one of you.

Today, i remain heartbroken to have been let go after 13 years with the company. I also am at a loss to explain it. Coming in from the old suburban newspapers I know my salary never reached those of many of my colleagues. So the didn't save much by letting me go.

But it is what it is, and it was time to move on.

I with all of you who remain the best of luck. i really don't expect newspapers to be around much longer, and that's the saddest part of all.

To those of you who were laid off, this time or previous times, I hope you find happiness and fulfillment and stability, whereever the road takes you.

Stephanie Sandoval

Job fairs in the near future

A reader sends this in:

Link to complete list of upcoming job fairs:
http://www.cityofirving.org/library/jobfairs.html


Tuesday, April 14
Cities of Carrollton and Farmers Branch Job Fair, 2 to 6 p.m., Addison Convention Center, 15650 Addison Road, Addison, TX 75001, (972) 573-3533
University of Phoenix Career Fair, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West, 1590 LBJ Freeway at Luna Road, Dallas, TX 75234, (214) 675-3059

Wednesday, April 15
Grand Prairie WorkForce Solutions Greater Dallas Job Fair, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 801 W. Freeway St., Suite 500, Grand Prairie, TX 75051, (972) 264-5881
Spring Career Fair, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mountain View College, 4849 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas, TX 75211, (214) 860-8553


Additional Job Openings:
Dallas County Community College District
Openings for teaching and non-teaching. The pay is good. I'm happy to provide my name for applicants. They ask for people you know who work in the district. Appplication is online and timed so have your materials ready.
http://www.dcccd.edu/Business+Community/Jobs/DCCCD+Job+Openings/

Collin County Community College District
Also an online application. Have your materials ready.

https://jobs.ccccd.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1239472779857

UPDATE: Check the comments for more job ops. If you have more jobs, this is a good post to use. Add to the comments.

Help with resumes

A reader writes:

I was wondering if you could get word out on the blog that Assistant News Editor Michael Apuan and I willing to help anyone who might need a resume designed …

We’ve been helping some folks with this already — we have the graphics equipment at home to handle almost any project. We’ll tailor your work history to fit your needs; it won’t be a templated resume that will get lost in a heap of others.

We both work night shifts, so this would mean we’d be available during the day to have discussions on what would work best for you.

We lost a hell of a lot of great colleagues this week across multiple departments. If we can help anyone with this or anything else, please don’t hesitate fire one of us an e-mail at jschnick@dallasnews.com or mapuan@dallasnews.com.

Thanks …

Jeff Schnick
Assistant Business Editor

Enough with the dark

When I started this blog I chose the dark template because that seemed appropriate and somber and respectful. Now that the cuts have happened, I think that it is more respectful to those who have left and those who remain to change the look. For all of us, we need to figure out how to get on with things. This is not to make light of the terrible event we have all gone through. The content will not change.

The truth is, I found the white-on-black hard on my eyes. Since I'm the owner, this is a place I can make a change without calling a meeting or assembling a focus group or getting six sets of signatures. Unlike where I work and still draw a paycheck.

Enough with the dark.

Good people want to help

I have heard that previous SPJ events have been useful.

SPJ WANTS TO HELP

The Fort Worth SPJ pro chapter wants to help. We've put on several "how to survive a layoff" programs for folks from the DMN and Star-Telegram over the last several years, featuring things like financial advice on 401K rollovers. This time we're thinking about organizing a freelancers' "summit" -- probably a half-day program on a Saturday. To do that, we want to hear from you -- what advice or help do you need most? How to handle the finances? Find clients? Negotiate prices? Build a website? Learn new skills? What else?
Please write back and let me know. We will try to build a program around what we hear from you.

Thanks

Gayle Reaves
(SPJ-Fort Worth board member and editor, Fort Worth Weekly)
gayle.reaves@fwweekly.com

Health insurance advice?

I'm not endorsing but a reader writes:

Hi! I am a fellow DMN employee, but I also own a health insurance agency. Undoubtedly those who are affected are going to have concerns and questions about their options, including COBRA subsidy eligibility. Our advice is free and confidential and we would be happy to help anyone who needs answers. Please feel free to direct anyone my way if they would like to speak to someone. And thank you for providing the blog for all of us! It is nice to see everyone coming together to help each other.

Best regards,


Amanda (Carruth) Wray
Tailor Made Insurance
4618 Cedar Springs Road
Suite A
Dallas, TX 75219

214-437-1410 cell
214-558-7908 office

amandawray@me.com
www.tminsure.com

A reminder about the rules

Don't put a name in a comment unless it's yours or it's someone who has posted their own name. I just had to kill an otherwise fine comment because it mentioned someone who sent me a note asking that the name not be there. Let's be extra kind to those who have lost jobs.