https://www.axios.com/2023/02/21/severance-agreement-speak-out-laid-off-nlrb
1 reply
True in theory. After 30 years and many awards and giving my life to this company I was let go in a 15 minute staged meeting by people I didn't even know. I was told it was restructuring and my job was being outsourced offshore. They took my phone, laptop, access cards and said I could come back for a "supervised" clearing of my desk. I was then escorted to my car in a hamulating walk down a hall in front my peers with a cardboard box of what I could grab in 5 mins. I was not even given the decency of saying goodbye to those I worked with for all those years. Yes, I was asked to sign a waiver absolving Pepsi of all employment and human rights violations as a condition of my severance. Yes, there were many questionable actions imposed on me during my release. Yes, I got lawyer. I was asked; "Do you have the finances to challenge a fortune 100 company in court". No, I did not - end of story. Pepsi denied every request from my lawyer and every email sent to my "Pepsi Family" leadership went unanswered. I would find out later I was not the exception, I was one of many at the time who had their lives impacted in exactly the same way. I was the norm. I now speak regularly at career days at various levels. My story is presented as an awareness for those who let career contributions surpass the need to put family first. Immediately after being let go, I was a nobody to Pepsi. There was no help and all my "Pepsi Family" had cut all ties. It was indeed a lesson. I drank the Pepsi Cool Aid and fell for all the leadership rah rah that turned to be more a form of brainwashing rather than commitment. Pepsi markets an image they want you to believe, not a reality they live up to. If you are let go, hold your head up high and walk out with integrity. Then go home and hug your family, they are the only ones who will be standing beside you no matter what. The next time you hear senior leaders boasting about employee compassion, ask them how many of those who gave the better part of their life to this company did they follow up with to see how they were doing. Isn't that something "family" does. Actually, my team was never outsourced and are still with Pepsi today but it is less anyone that had 20+ years experience. When I see someone reaching for a Pepsi product now I always stop and ask them if they have a minute to hear my story.