Another 10. Union job, 38 years seniority. Retiring about 14 months.
I’d go with a 3 or 4. I’m 25 years or more from retirement so a lot could happen. I also own my company which mean at long as I don’t go out of business I won’t get fired. Right now things are looking good, I’m undergoing my first major expansion which of course is a very high risk time in any business. In the next 17 months I’ll be taking on $270k in other people’s salaries. If I make it through the 2 year lease I just signed this number will probably jump to a 9.
If my employer’s takeover goes thru, probably 10. If not, 1.
At my job, I am more or less guaranteed to keep my job unless I turn in really bad performance or the company goes broke.
9 or 10 for me. Have 30 years in, having survived cutbacks, mergers. If things stay the same, I’m good. Company is making money hand-over-fist, but applies downward pressure on the hourly employees in terms of wages and staffing levels. I’ll be alright, based on extrapolation, but we could get a new CEO who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one day and who knows…?
That’s what happened to me. I was 57 when I got laid off in 2010. My husband didn’t care if I worked or not. He worked for a railroad and I really only needed 5 more years to get to 62 for the spousal annuity. We are happily retired for 3+ years.
I finally figured out the trick to not being fired is to not work.
The hours are great, but the pay and benefits, not so much. 
I liike to think I am a 10. It’'s not that someone couldn’t replace me, but it would be an extreme hassle for them. I’m the baker this cafe has had since they opened almost 18 years ago. I’ve done a lot for them, and know all the little ins and outs of the business. Also, I don’t have a family living with me so I can work any hours. Heck, when we did a reception for Laura Bush I worked 32 hours in two days.
- No one else can do what I do (which makes vacation time a dicey proposition). Retiring in 2 years, and they’ll be fucked.
- I’ll retire here, but to me retirement means leaving, then coming back part time as a consultant so I’ll work half as much for the same money while jettisoning some of the more onerous tasks I currently do. I plan to make that happen within a year or two. While I’m not irreplaceable, there are very few people out there who have the widely varied needed skills. Dealing regularly with convicted felons, elected officials, state and federal judges, (fellow) government bureaucrats, health professionals, and (fellow) narcissistic physicians whom I have to hire or fire or even just get to do their damn job are the basics of my job, and they did not teach those skills in med school, that’s for sure.
I’d say a solid 7-8. At my Fortune 25 company, people get fired over stupid stuff, but usually only after a lengthy do-better process. I don’t do stupid stuff, I have knowledge that isn’t (to me) difficult, but is a mystery to most of them. I have 13 years in, and my boss is working on getting me a promotion. My shortfall is the older I get, the less tolerance I have for corporate BS. However, now I work from home 4 days a week, which relieves the strain of trying to be upbeat and nice to people.
StG
I’d say 9. I’ve been with the company for over 25 years. And my boss told me he couldn’t fire me because another department would just take me. But a DUII or something like that would do the trick.
A 2nd shift supervisor told me the company is calling people they fired (mostly for attendance) to see if they want to come back. I’m a pretty good employee on all fronts so I feel pretty secure. Business is good, lot’s of orders.