Just imagine staying and a) having to do 2 or 3 times more work because all the teams are going to shrink and the work will either stay the same or increase or b) thinking you're safe because this should have covered it all just to realize not enough people accepted the offer and get caught in an involuntary layoff with less of everything.
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@fb I can’t imagine they would flat out deny it, but they may try to negotiate a later end date in order to ensure business continuity if your role is vital to an ongoing project.
@eg My guess is that they would wait to notify your manager, because you are allowed to change your mind up until the deadline.
@OP I'm adopting a winning mentality. I'm staying.
Is there a chance that your opt-in might not be accepted by Skydance, or if one accepts, it's guaranteed the VBO will be granted?
@eg last year, as a manager, I found out after the deadline unless an employee told me in advance on their own. Which mine did.
@eg this will not respond to your question precisely, but looks like there are updates being made on Skydance hub. One of the FAQ’s related to EOI was updated yesterday saying during EOI, only HR and necessary people are notified to create calculation. If accepted, HR and business leaders (whoever that is) will review proposed exit.
I’d expect your manager to be made aware at that moment to discuss business continuity.
I opted-in to the VBO. Are managers notified of your decision right away, or do they wait until the deadline to let them know?
@b6 😮💨 phew, that’s nice to hear. I feel relieved. Thanks for taking the time to reply. As long as they accept my opt-in I’m a happy camper. I don’t mind sticking around for a while longer while they transition my work to somebody else. Ever since opting in I feel happier and like this weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Skydance had subjected us to so much emotional and psychological distress the last few years. Now with Elon musk in the mix, it’s an insult to injury. Glad I’ll be out of this he-l hole. For those considering it, remember the sun comes up every morning. In the end things will turn out OK. This is a blessing in disguise.
@bs that’s not what the FAQ daysy
Remote workers out of state should take the offer. Those positions will be eliminated if you don’t relocate.
We're on a sinking ship. If you don't want to go down with it, take the offer.
@b3 If “operationally important”, they won’t deny the opt in. They’ll likely just keep you around longer before starting your buyout. Some opt ins last time around were kept on for additional weeks/months to transition work. They all still got their voluntary severance.
I took the offer. But is it guaranteed they will deny it if one is deemed operationally necessary? I figured they will mandate RTO for remote folk in one year tops, or get laid off. Either way I think it's time to go. Hopefully they accept my acceptance of the offer, because the personalized offer says the company has the last say on who will be granted the VOB, based on operational needs.
@ag Can you speak more about the health benefits changing? I already use my spouses but what can we expect to change?
I am also taking the offer. It was not a difficult decision. I have contributed significantly to the growth of the division/group I am in, and worked on a series of successful projects that would not have been completed without my efforts. There are a myriad of problems with the company that start at the top and trickle all the way down. I have seen leaders in small divisions spend unnecessary money, make extremely poor decisions, and continue to practice "show friends" not "show biz" by hiring and promoting former friends previously laid off by Discovery/AT&T. There are countless senior VPs and directors overseeing an ant hill. This is the push I needed, and grateful it is happening. Let the folks who busted a-s go, and good luck to the executives with no one left to manage. I give it two years.
@a5 i recently braved this market after the RTO mandates last year. i was a phase 2 employee and they were originally going to have us back in office starting june 2026, so i started looking last october. had a new offer in hand by dec and another one after the holidays.
start hunting while you're still employed, it's much easier than when you're not.
I have also decided to take the offer. I feel it’s better to walk away with money than to wait for your turn on the chopping block. When last years buyout offer was issued, I wondered if I would receive an offer but I didn’t. I was too afraid to send an email to HR to ask if I was eligible, fearing that I would red flag myself. This is the new culture of the company and it’s no way to live. When I got the vbo email two days ago, I knew it was time to go because it will not get any better. I also found out that the health benefits will change drastically in 2028 which is not a good sign. The Ellisons are a different breed of owners than all the previous takeovers of the news division. I had a good run that spanned decades which is now about to become a memory. I don’t think many of my colleagues who are choosing to stay will survive the coming layoffs. The writing is no longer on the wall, it’s in your inbox.
I wonder how many are taking the offer because they already plan to retire soon anyway, that is quite a nice retirement gift.
Maybe the right choice as long as you also imagine job hunting in a horrible job market with no unemployment to fall back on.
God speed