Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

if such internal policy exists, it is enough to report to local labor inspection in Europa. It is a huge violation of principles of right.
Here, Every employee who has been laid of has the whole priority to be re-hire (as a blue or red, does not matter)
It looks like more an informal and unwritten rule, a custom coming probably from United States. If this rule is really written somewhere, it will be a very crazy situation for Cisco.

@2ra+1jkp2edxk, it is NOT a huge violation of principles of right. If it was, some labor attorney would have gone after Cisco just to make money off it. Cisco pays an ex-employee money in-lieu of 60-days notice and 4 months of severance. That equals the 6 months they are not allowed to come back as a contractor or employee. After the severance ends, they are free to return in either a contractor or employee status. You can't accept severance and then come back during the severance period as you'd be "double-dipping".

" You cannot come back to cisco as a red badge within 6 months of your exit. "
if such internal policy exists, it is enough to report to local labor inspection in Europa. It is a huge violation of principles of right.
Here, Every employee who has been laid of has the whole priority to be re-hire (as a blue or red, does not matter)
It looks like more an informal and unwritten rule, a custom coming probably from United States. If this rule is really written somewhere, it will be a very crazy situation for Cisco.

If you receive an offer before the exit date, that's irrelevant.
If you start a new job before the exit date, well, you should contact HR in advance of your new start date to get permission to do so and keep your severance. If it's a direct competitor you probably won't get to keep it.

Someone else misrepresented the 6 month standard. There are two parts to it.
If you come back to cisco as a blue badge within 6 months of your exit, you must pay back a prorated amount before your start date.
You cannot come back to cisco as a red badge within 6 months of your exit.

Severance is paid out after your exit. Why would they pay you severance before you were severed? Also, if you get a new job inside Cisco before the exit date, you don't get the severance because you didn't get severed.

I was LR in 2024. Between 2 months + 4 months severance, PTO payout, Cobra, and years served (20+) I got over 12 months pay. Cisco had just hired a DEI candidate to replace me. I started a job with a competitor in 3 weeks, with larger comp package. Cisco does some very foolish things in the LR - but I'm thankful for the cash.

If we are laid off but receive a job offer before the end of the notification period, do we still get severance?

That depends on you. You should negotiate your start date at the new job after the end of the notification period. If you can't do that, and you resign/quit your job at Cisco before your last day of employment, then you would forfeit your severance.

If we are laid off, the notification period ends, we receive severance, and then a few weeks later we get a new job offer—can we keep the severance?

Once you receive your severance, it's yours to keep. Nobody can pull back severance pay just because you found a new job after you are terminated.

How long do we have to wait before returning to Cisco without having to pay back the severance?

In most cases, you can't return to Cisco for 6 months, which is usually equal to the amount of pay in-lieu of notice and severance, so there's nothing to pay back. In some special cases, a VP? or maybe SVP? will want to bring you back before the 6 month black out period ends and they will negotiate whether or not you pay back a prorated portion of your severance or keep it, but this is a pretty rare situation.

Is severance paid before the end of the notification period? How can we be sure it will be paid?

Again, speaking from the past, normally you are notified and you are still employed, but not expected to work, for approx 30 days. At the end of that time, as documented in your HR paperwork, you will get paid however many days is left in what would have been a 60 days notice as "in-lieu of notice" pay. In the past, when we had PTO in the US, they paid out your unused accrued PTO balance, but that's now gone with the switch to unlimited VTO. They will pay back any deductions you've elected for ESPP purchases since you won't be eligible for the next ESPP purchase in June/Dec.

On your last day of employment, you are supposed to sign your agreement releasing Cisco from any lawsuits/arbitration claims, and in return for signing, you get 4 months of grossed up COBRA payments (regardless of whether or not you sign up for COBRA) and 4 months of severance. For those over 10 yrs of service, you get an additional week of severance for every year over 10, and 2 weeks for every year over 20. This is paid out within 2 weeks after receiving your signed agreement as you have 7 days to change your mind after sending it to Cisco.

How is the financial equivalent of unused PTO calculated when included with severance?

This is no longer applicable to the US. For other countries, your local laws would govern. In the past, it was based on how many hours you had accrued at the time your notice was given to you plus however many hours you normally accrue between the date of the notice and your termination date. Any scheduled time off that occurs after the notification date is canceled since you're not expected to work and are on paid leave until your termination date.

@eb+1jkp2edxk It’s not complicated at all.

In some countries, HR professionals are well-connected within their city or region. They know each other across different companies and can easily share requests with their peers. HR networks function as a tight-knit community, exchanging informal information over a simple cup of tea.

Even more so, managers and directors across various companies often know each other. As part of the middle management circle, they frequently meet at both official and unofficial events, maintaining extensive contact lists.

It’s even simpler than that—your new company may have employees who are familiar with your previous employer. Likewise, your former company can easily find out where you’ve moved.

The IT world is small.

Another example: your new employer might conduct a background check, which could inform your previous company about your current position.

Or consider this: Cisco shares details of affected employees with Randstad, which collaborates with multiple companies that may end up hiring you.

Let’s say you get laid off and then immediately find a new job a Widget Co.
How does your old employer learn about your new employer unless you tell them or post on socials?

I see my peer apply for unemployment benefits after the layoff.. and they got it.. so they get paid by government for 6 months and plus all the layoff $, after the last day. I heard some managers negotiated their own leave with HR and continued their MBA with Cisco $ , and graduated one year later with all the layoff $, and zero tuition!

If you give your resignation before you are laid off, no severance for you.

If you are laid off, then you did a job at Cisco prior to the pay out no severance for you.

If you are laid off and find a job outside of Cisco prior to the pay out. You keep your mouth shut. Sign the paperwork. Take the payout. Go on a nice vacation.

There is no vacation pay after unlimited pto

Just shut your mouth and collect the severance, and enjoy the temporary infusion of cash as you start your new job. The only way this could cause issues is if your new job is also at Cisco (i.e. you've "boomeranged" back).

You'll get paperwork explaining exactly how much you'll be paid, and when. Also, it will cover things like accelerated stock vesting, if any, along with PTO payout, which is usually paid out just like normal salary at a rate of 40 working hours per week. USA is on "unlimited PTO" now, so there's no PTO payout if you work out of that country, but there's still some potential accelerated vesting (maybe 2-3 months tops) plus whatever is in the severance package.

If you're still uncertain and have $500 to spare, consult w/ an employment lawyer in your respective jurisdiction.

Good luck, and hope your fortunes and mental health improve as you leave this sinking ship.