For those that have been at fiserv 5 or more years what was the package when you got laid off?
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I know people who haggled and received a better deal. They want us gone and are happy to toss us few extra crumbs. Get together and lawyer up.
HR representatives are trained negotiators, and the initial layoff package is simply their opening offer. Most employees sign right away out of embarrassment or shock, but it is critical to treat this purely as a business transaction. If needed, consult an employment lawyer to review your terms before signing anything. If you are a protected class including certain departmental demographics, then you may have additional leverage.
Core Areas You Can NegotiateAccrued PTO & Sick Time (Earned Time):
PTO/Vacation: Ensure all accrued, unused vacation time is paid out in full. While required by law in many jurisdictions, confirm it is explicitly itemized and calculated separately from severance.
Unused Sick Time: Sick time payout is rarely legally required, but you can request that accrued sick leave be cashed out or folded into your total payout as a goodwill gesture.
Severance Pay: Request additional weeks or months of base pay anchored to your tenure, past contributions, or industry standards.
Healthcare Continuity: Ask the company to cover full COBRA premiums or maintain your active health coverage for a set duration.
Restrictive Covenants: If non-compete or non-solicit clauses restrict your ability to find work quickly, request that they be waived or narrowed—or ask for higher severance to offset the limitation.
Equity & Bonuses: Negotiate accelerated vesting for upcoming equity tranches or a prorated payout of your annual bonus.
Transition Support: Request company-funded outplacement or career coaching services.Standard Counteroffer Framework:
"Thank you for sending over the agreement. I value my contributions to [Company] and want to ensure this transition is handled fairly for both sides. Given my track record—including [1–2 key achievements]—I’d like to request the following adjustments before signing:Full payout of all [X] accrued PTO hours and [Y] unused sick days upon termination.An adjustment in severance pay from [X weeks] to [Y weeks].Company-paid COBRA coverage through [Date].If we can update the agreement to reflect these revised terms, I am prepared to sign the release promptly."Best Practices
Document Everything: Keep all communications in writing via email for a clear record.
Check Local Labor Laws: Rules around mandatory PTO and sick time payouts vary significantly by state/region.
Use Speed as Leverage: Offering a quick turnaround on signing the general release once terms are updated gives HR a strong incentive to accept your request.
Minimum 10 weeks and 2 weeks for every year capped at 26 weeks.
5 years - 10 weeks
Minimum goes up based on grade