Thread regarding Oracle Corp. layoffs

@PhpQpbA-2sfu - the policy hasn't changed. Oracle offers one month medical after your last day of employment, but they way they process it makes it look like your coverage stops, then gets retroactively reinstated via COBRA. For people at sites that hit the WARN limit, that means three months coverage (two for the period you're on the payroll but not working - i.e. 9/1 - 10/31 for this round, plus that one month of COBRA).

Thank you for your response "@PhpQpbA". I actually thought I would get 4 weeks + 26 weeks, totaling 30 weeks pay; but I guess it's capped overall at 26 weeks?

@PhpQpbA : Basically the 1st 2 months is like regular paycheck. Your EFFECTIVE RIF day is 11/01 [2 month after 9/1]. This is how it happened to the last round RIFer, earlier this year, under WARN..

My comment start with ==>.

| A few more questions: |

• The 26 week payment is a lump sum payment which is paid on Nov 1, 2017 right? So a paycheck

for all 26 weeks will be sent on Nov 1? ===> Yes..

• The cash out of vacation pay will be received as a lump sum payment on Nov 1, 2017 too, right?

==> Yes, along with your regular paycheck. It will NOT lump together with severance pay.

• Do CA UI benefits payments begin on Sep 1, 2017 ? or on Nov 1, 2017?

==> 11/01...

• For those who are eligible for the maximum 26 weeks severance pay, they effectively get 34 weeks pay, right? (like this: 8 weeks worth of normal paychecks from Sep 1 - Oct 31 followed by 26 weeks severance pay). ==> it's regular paycheck for two months + 26wks severance pay.

• Is there an option to receive the 26 weeks severance pay via regular pay period interval payments (which would extend from Nov 1, 2017 to April 30? or do you have to get paid the entire 26 weeks in one lump sum payment on Nov 1, 2017 ?

==> In one-time lump Doeam not aware of any other option.... I know you might be concerned about the tax consequence. Oracle did take a big bite of tax before sending you the check. So it might turn out ok when u report tax in April 2018.

For UI benefit: just follow the process and you will get there. Severance pay will NOT prohibit you from getting the benefit.. Hope this help..

Thank you for your previous post which say: With "27.5 Yrs of SUN/Oracle I got 26 wks severance pay.. It works like this: 4Wks + one wk for each year of service, BUT CAPPED at 26 wks... Of course you cash out the left vacation hrs.. On the top of that, in CAL, one can collect 26 wks of unemployment benefits with max of $450 per wk assuming you don't get other pay for work."

A few more questions:

1. The 26 week payment is a lump sum payment which is paid on Nov 1, 2017 right? So a paycheck for all 26 weeks will be sent on Nov 1?

2. The cash out of vacation pay will be received as a lump sum payment on Nov 1, 2017 too, right?

3. Do CA UI benefits payments begin on Sep 1, 2017 ? or on Nov 1, 2017?

4. For those who are eligible for the maximum 26 weeks severance pay, they effectively get 34 weeks pay, right? (like this: 8 weeks worth of normal paychecks from Sep 1 - Oct 31 followed by 26 weeks severance pay).

5. Is there an option to receive the 26 weeks severance pay via regular pay period interval payments (which would extend from Nov 1, 2017 to April 30? or do you have to get paid the entire 26 weeks in one lump sum payment on Nov 1, 2017 ?

p.s. The CA UI website says "Severance pay is not deducted from unemployment insurance benefits and does not affect your eligibility to receive benefits. The method of payment, such as a lump sum payment or payments paid to you at regular pay period intervals does not change the nature of the payment. However, you must report severance pay at the time you file your unemployment insurance claim."

Has the medical policy changed since last year? I got RIF'd last Sept with 22 years of service (including Sun) and had 30 days of medical coverage and 26 weeks severance. Not bad and I was glad to be gone from that hell hole :/

@PhpQpbA-1vse: They counted SUN, others as well, as part of service. With my combined 27.5 Yrs of SUN/Oracle I got 26 wks severance pay.. Of course you cash out the left vacation hrs.

It works like this: 4Wks + one wk for each year of service, BUT CAPPED at 26 wks...

On the top of that, in CAL, one can collect 26 wks of unemployment benefits with max of $450 per wk assuming you don't get other pay for work.

Back in early 2000, the dot com bubble days, SUNW got more generous package. It was like 2 months plus one month pay for each yr of service, up to 12 yrs if my memory serves right.. The layoff process is much more human as well.

BTW, I would second to one of the comment that being manager is no fun at all when they have to make the decision and go through the whole process painfully.

This will be my first and the last layoff for myself in my whole life career. Best wish for all..

"oracle gave you 4 weeks severance plus 1 additional week severance for every year of service"

Question regarding "for every year of service" in quote above:

• For the employees who were Sun Micro employees when Oracle acquired Sun, does "for every year of service" start counting from 2009 when Sun was acquired by Oracle (so those employees only have 9 years of service counted in their severance package)?

OR does "every year of service" include employment years at Sun (so those employees could have more than 26 years of service if they worked at Sun<-Cray<-FPS)?

@PhpQpbA-yhk said "Managers could care less who gets laid off as long as it's not them. Managers beware your turn for layoffs will be soon."

You could not be more wrong. I've managed groups at Oracle several times, and had to lay off my people in two different big reductions in force. The first in early 2000s and the last one a few months ago. It's like cutting off your own legs - as a manager you spend time building your team, investing in their lives. Letting them go is painful and I'd be surprised if there is ANY manager who doesn't do everything they can to try and keep it from happening to their team.

Or you can work for IBM where all employees riffed get 1 week of pay and nothing more.

You are complaining about losing medical benefits the same day but oracle gave you 4 weeks severance plus 1 additional week severance for every year of service. Since I our are not entitle to any severance whatsoever I suppose Oracle can forgo giving the 4 weeks of severance and simply give 3 months of medical insurance.

In our case, the manager got whacked too. It was 70%

Some managers gave their staff a few weeks warning. The managers get RIF training. Managers actually feel sorry for the staff and having to fire people is a miserable part of the job.

The secrecy actually comes from the execs, in this case ES. He went nuts because information was leaking here. They also fired some people for mentioning to staff there was a RIF coming. The VP's weren't allowed to tell directors or staff anything.

They love to keep everything secret, hence the reason they move heaven and earth to avoid triggering WARN. They also put out fake announcements a few days before saying they were going to hire lots of people. It's all misdirection. The execs think if they hide everyone people will believe everything is perfect. You'll notice there are people posting things saying that sparc and solaris is alive and well.

The problem is the execs can't manage properly. They wait until things are out of control then do massive unplanned pivots. They spend too much time penny pinching and creating process to control inconsequential things but aren't paying attention to the big picture.

Oracle told its people same day at 9am

I can see the evil smile on my manager's face when I was told to let go. I smiled since I will never have to deal with him again. It doesn't matter if he told u in advance or not. Some are decent and some are just not.

This is the layoff culture of Oracle. You will figure out the minute your badge no longer accessible to the building. You insurance will be cut that midnight. Grow up. It's Oracle. All about business. It has been just that way for over a decade.

Agree about the cut off of benefits same day for a company the size of Oracle! This is a major impact for me and my family. Very stressful and difficult to have to job search while trying to also shop around for individual insurance policies at the same time! I realize that companies are not required by law to offer severance packages at all, and very grateful to at least get that from O, but when some areas get the WARN and others don't, does not seem fair. If they provide this for some areas, they ought to do it for all (even if not legally required to do so) to show current and prospective future employees the fairness of the company, and the respect they have for their employees contributions.

I still believe that a company as large as Oracle ought to notify all employees of their pending layoff and encourage them to apply for other internal jobs while still employed. You would think that retaining employees who know and have contributed to the company would be extremely valuable, and even in the long run, a cost savings as they would be quicker to hit the ground running in a new position at O.

It does seem that some managers know more than a day in advance and others don't - mine apparently didn't, but then my manager was laid off as well so maybe that is why. Only those of us finding the fedex labels created knew for certain the day before. I did hear of a manager in a different group who either knew for certain at least a few weeks in advance, or it was the stack list he had to compile for who should go and who should stay that he was going by, but he was informing those employees and helping them line up interviews for other internal jobs. Decent!! I have also have heard others saying they were asked by their manager if they wanted to stay or get a package. Interesting/unfair that some are apparently given a choice!

I know layoffs are a fact of life in the working world anymore, and are traumatic to everyone including survivors (I survived many many layoffs over the years, and each one I was relieved to have survived, I also felt survivors guilt, stress over increased workload, etc.). But I do think there are many ways Oracle could improve their handling of them.

Managers could care less who gets laid off as long as it's not them.

Managers beware your turn for layoffs will be soon.

Abrupt ending of health services is a US problem. Also, Oracle EMEA has been pretty decent during layoffs and my team and me got more than the law mandated (very generous packages).

They kicked you off the boat once you got your job done. That is evil.