I only joined six months ago, and I already have to worry about layoffs, which, you know, less than ideal. I hate this feeling. I don’t even know how things usually go here when cuts happen. Are newer employees like me the first to go? Does being this junior basically put a target on my back?
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@2zg
I too was let go Aug 1. Only a few years from retirement. Finding a new job a my age will be near impossible. No warning and not even allowed to return to pick up my personal belongings. Heartbreaking
@2v9 I agree. No one’s immune. If you still think you’re untouchable, please think again. When Steve first floated the idea of layoffs, I thought, Surely they don't mean me. My role isn’t surplus — it’s specialized and valuable to the company. I've gotten great reviews for years, including an “exceeds expectations” and a promotion. I'm not saying that out of arrogance or ego. I worked hard, like a lot of other people have, to be useful. I was loyal, and I that loyalty was returned. I'm still trying to pick my jaw up from the floor.
I loved this company. I believed I was contributing something real and meaningful. Now I feel like a used co---m in last night’s trash.
Everyone is at risk. You are just a number.
@1b4 Here at CPC, JV stands for "junior varsity."
@OP Actually, I think the CPChem leadership, and a few board members from Chevron and P66 are most at risk. The parent companies are outsourcing and offshoring to S. America and India at great expense. It's not just IT and Finance, but Chemical Engineers with lots of tenure and experience are on the list. Now pushing CPChem to do a similar thing. But wait a minute? I know the leadership at CPChem has gone woke and libtard, and absolutely believes Trump is an id--t. But??? One of Trump's big 10 Campaign promises is to "Tax the He-l" out of any US based business that eliminates US jobs in favor of Offshoring. One thing about Trump is he is stytematically making good on his campaign promises. And Offshoring is coming up.
Houston, Bartlesville, we have a problem. Offshore all your workers and layoff anyone with intellectual knowledge. Then Bo-m!!! Trump punishes them Yuuuge! It's not the deal they thought it to be. Just like Microsoft Azure, offshoring may be the biggest mistake they have ever made.
I have a suggestion. Maybe these "leaders" should read the news from time to time and realize, now is not the time to put all your marbles in a 25 year old consultant. Instead, think about it and make the right choice on your own.
i am the op - thank you all for the kind replies.
@sp It's possibly illegal to target a protected class for layoffs, such as everyone over 50 or people 55-60, under federal law (Age Discrimination in Employment Act). The company would have to be able to prove that the decision was based on a reasonable factor other than age. If you're an older worker, look up ADEA and Older Workers Benefit Protection Act to inform yourself.
There are ways in which employers, though probably not CPC, will try to illegally target protected class employees. And typically what they do is leverage your fear of being jobless to "encourage" you to sign papers holding them blameless before you leave their office to be escorted out. You'll typically have the option to take the severance paperwork to an attorney to review before signing it, but they're pretty sure you won't. Especially if the severance package is generous.
Also -- it's a good thing for employees not to speculate on how CPC will handle these layoffs if you don't really know. It just winds people up unnecessarily, and nobody needs any extra help worrying more. If you do have actual information, I'd bet money you're not sharing it here.
@cs IT will be the test to prove to the rest of the company that outsourcing will finally be successful because the right people are doing it. Outsourcing has never worked, but like socialism, it just wasn't tried hard enough. Our new upcoming CEO has aspirations and gets sh-t done. It will be told around future campfires of the time before, when the world was a wonderment to behold. Only the very old will remember.
@OP You are probably ok. The target is anyone over 50, with 55-60 being right over the bullseye. 3-5 years from retirement, very few employees still drive innovation, cost savings, and run very efficient capable teams. If they do, its because they adhere to past CPChem Tenents. Either way, your probably safe being someone who does not know what you don't know yet. Chin up.
IT will be hit the most and the whole outsourcing thing will cause even more problems