Hundreds of workers at several different companies around the state are getting pink slips for Christmas. And that's not always easy to handle.
Dr. Don Ferguson, a psychiatrist with Dean Health in Madison, says getting fired at Christmas time is a hard pill to swallow. Even when the reason given is the economy or the business climate the worker tends to take it personally and it can be a blow to self esteem.
380 workers at Kimberly Clark in Neenah are going through the lay off process. Another 380 workers at Sunny Industries in Mazomanie found out their printing plant will likely close down Christmas Eve. About a hundred workers at Spectrum Brands learned this week the batteries they make will be produced in China.
Dr. Ferguson advises people about to be out of work to come up with new holiday traditions that stress togetherness rather than money or the number of presents under the tree.
Dr. Ferguson says anger is another byproduct of a lay off and he says it's best to deal that anger out of sign of the family. Go outside, walk it off or find other ways not to explode around loved ones.