Job: Escrow Officer (United States)

Five years ago today my life situation was very different. One day,...I had a great job (for a 48 year old high school graduate) working for a major title insurance company in the midwest making $46,000 per year, with 401K, annual bonuses, fully paid health, dental & vision insurance for myself & my spouse, 4 weeks paid vacation & paid sick leave & 18 of the best co-workers ever to work with. The next, I found myself in a small start-up company making less than 2/3 of my former salary, NO benefits (including retirement of any kind) except a ridiculously horrible major medical plan that SERIOUSLY pays squat & that I have to pay almost $5000 a year out of my own pocket in order to include my self-employed husband on. This turn of events is based solely on our immediate area's economical woes since the onset of the "recession" (which according to financial projectionists we're not in by the way). When the bottom started dropping out of the real estate market a few years ago, so did it drop out of the economy's need for some of us. The only bit of advice I can offer to those of you who seem to be having a rough time of it in the position you now occupy, I'd like to say, "Enjoy it!" It may not be there tomorrow.

Be careful of your current employer and/or immediate supervisor. I worked for this company for 16 years. My monthly numbers were the same as every other Escrow Officer at the company that had an assistant. I, however, did not have an assistant. Apparently, it turns out, that my immediate supervisor had a personal problem with me for a long time and found a way to terminate me. He refused to hire me an assistant, stating that corporate would not allow it (I found out was a lie), while telling me I had to keep the same monthly numbers as my peers (who had assistants), knowing that I could not possibly do this for long and would eventually fail. While on maternity leave, he decided this was the time to get rid of me and asked the human resources manager to advise me that I would not be able to return to work. 2 weeks later, my immediate supervisor finally answered my phone calls to tell me to come in and speak with him which he said "I am asking you not to come back". With not a reason for dismissal. What could I do? I agreed. Why would I work for someone who made it impossible for me to work there and under constant stress? Life is not worth that. There are other better jobs. And I am sure that the higher managers or corporate never knew what happened. Their big loss!!!!

Yes, I know I am being under paid by my employer. We have no 401K, dental or any benefits except medical. I have worked for my Escrow company for 10 years and not once have I had a salary change. Mostly small increases due to the same story. "Profits are down" every time review and raise time comes along. I have had an increase in responsibility and have been offered a management position without being told what the increase would be. If I had accepted the position, I would have had to wait until my employer went through the company books to determine my pay scale. My employer wanted me to go through the Department of Corporations background check and then in a few months discuss how much money they have available to pay me. Of course with this tatic, I had to decline the position. Other escrow officers are around the wage of $42,000.00 with assistants. I have no assistant and perform every task myself.

Sometimes, you have to just ask.