Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

With VTO and with no longer any paid time-offs accumulations, Cisco does not need to annually shutdown during the Xmas time any more. If not this year, next years for sure. More work for everyone, and those who take VTO, appear guilty. Managers threaten everyone with LRs.

PTO is an expense on the books which is why during the financial crisis Cisco mandated PTO over Christmas week and then made it policy. Unlimited PTO removes pending expenses on the books. Follow the money, it's always the reason for decisions - nothing to do with empathy/life balance.

@14g it's actually one of the few threads that has some substance around it. What is your problem?

no difference. don't care. #d-mbthread

you just made that up.

True. In fact, everything in this board is made up.

@kz you just made that up.

Next layoff list will be taken from top of vto list. Confirmed by multiple managers.

I'm definitely taking plenty but I'm still figuring out how much and what that time looks like. I think I can take way more time off if I'm willing to check in a bit while away, so I'm balancing that with the dedicated offline time I need as well. Basically trying to take off as much as I can, detach my value from my hours, and relax more. No one has had any issues so far.

Late career, I love VTO. I'm on my last ride, I can get laid off tomorrow and be fine and I come and go as I please with a supportive manager (this, my friends, is the key).

I never built up huge banks of it anyways because that's awful for work life balance.

280 hours, assuming an 8 hour day = 35 days / 7 weeks.
Did you mean 2800 hours max?

It looks like bad math all around. In ancient times (the previous millennium) companies would allow you to accumulate unlimited PTO at rates based on the years you worked at a company and when layoffs started to hit and they realized they had massive liabilities they demanded people take vacation until they were under a fairly modest limit until they realized a lot of their staff would be gone for more than a year (52 40 hour weeks is 2080 hours.)

The liability of the on the books thing is a myth. It's part of your compensation package and they know they can deny vacations enough that some people exceed the limit and simply lose the time. Even if you held on to your time until you quit they aren't paying any of your other benefits so it's still a corporate win in a cash out scenario. At every company I've ever worked for there was always a strong push for unpaid overtime which dwarfed any vacation and holiday pay so not only are they not really paying for those but they're collecting free work on top of it.

The only good strategy in this kind of environment is to leverage everything available to you to bulk your skills at your current company and jump for another 30%. To keep doing this the skills you gain must be both rare and valuable. I continue to be amazed how many people with STEM backgrounds don't understand how money is compounded, and having seen so many over 50 laid off over the past 40 years (longer than most careers) you really need to plan for an early retirement.

I love unlimited VTO. There is only so much of Cisco that I can take in one stretch. I need frequent days off to destress/detoxify and get back to my happy baseline.

"building your max 280 hours or 7 month"

280 hours, assuming an 8 hour day = 35 days / 7 weeks.

Did you mean 2800 hours max?

I take probably more PTO now than in the previous model. I use to save the PTO like a severance package, now I don’t care.

This is nothing. Wait until Cisco scales back their contributions to your health insurance. You'll still get company health insurance, but your monthly contribution will end up being close to what you would pay if you just bought insurance on your own. This is the next cost center companies will attack.

Pensions gone, now Paid time off going, going, gone! Whatever saves billions to companies at the cost employees.

It only applies to exempt employees. Hourly employees accrue PTO based on tenure.

Most companies (white collar) will move to this model eventually.

It's business as usual. Take time when you want like before. New employees might feel a little nervous about it. otherwise nothing has changed for most of us who have been at the company for years. by now everyone knows it was all about cleaning up the accounting.

I’ve never had a problem with being able to take VTO. Even with little to no notice, it just depends on your workload.

Cisco saved lot of money on future liability of PTO.