Thread regarding Ford layoffs

Classification Shift: "Performance" vs. "Reduction in Force"
When a company executes a formal Reduction in Force (RIF), standard severance protocols (often 1 to 9 months of base pay based on tenure, plus healthcare continuation) apply. However, recent legal challenges and employee reports highlight a shift toward using performance-based separations: 
Forced Calibration & PIP Opt-Outs: Under calibrated performance systems, a predetermined percentage of employees are placed into lower performance tiers. Workers are often offered a choice: enter a strict Performance Enhancement Plan (PEP) or voluntarily opt for a modest, immediate severance package. If an employee enters the PEP and fails, they are terminated for cause—yielding $0 in severance. 
Sidestepping Pension Milestones: Federal litigation filed against the company alleges that forcing older or long-tenured employees into low performance tiers allows the organization to terminate workers shortly before reaching major pension or benefit vesting milestones, eliminating both severance and long-term benefit liabilities.