When a former employee begins a new job, their severance package will end. This is a crucial point to remember and is why Nielsen has hired a job placement company to assist everyone in finding new employment. It is extremely important that you do not disclose any information about a new job while receiving severance pay. Do not share this news on social media, and do not trust your former colleagues because your severance will end soon after they find out. It is better to be safe than sorry, so please keep this information confidential and do not share the news of a new job with anyone. This includes colleagues from Nielsen. You never know. This is a warning that should not be taken lightly. This is noted in the layoff documentation that they make you sign before your severance pay begins.
17 replies (most recent on top)
This is not true. I got confirmation and confirmed with other laid off employees they were able to obtain a job as long as it was not with nielsen and continue receiving severance.
this is more about not wanting nielsen to try and claw money back, not taking the morale high ground. when i’m laid off i don’t want to deal with these a--holes ever again.
Y’all crazy…I wouldn’t be notifying Nielsen that I took a p*** let alone I got all other job. Y’all be safe though…lll
Reading these posts I find it honorable that many of you believe in taking to moral high road for a company that continues to prove they can give less than a rats a** about you. Are y’all okay?
Re "Again, I was [laid off] in Jan 2023 and got my payroll check for my new job and severance at the same time."
The question is: did Nielsen know?
This was from the first round of layoffs. Just an FYI.
Severance Advice (I’m not a lawyer.)
Posting for those that were in the U.S. and laid off on 1/11/23. If you are in the U.S. and was laid off another day I’m not saying it doesn’t apply to you but I’m specifically speaking to those that laid off on this day.
More than likely your last working day was 1/11 but your last day of employment is today 1/25. I went through the agreement with my attorney (no drama I just have one on retainer anyway so what the heck) anyway I wanted to make sure I put y’all on game so you don’t sc--w yourself. If you sign note the following
- You technically can’t go work for a competitor or client. So NielseniQ and iSpot are off limits for I believe a few years (3) you can request a waiver for iQ but they ain’t hiring anyway so there’s that iSpot won’t hire you anyway unless you are referred if you ever worked at Nielsen
- You can still sue Nielsen if you feel like they did you wrong in any way while you were employed. Doing so will not discontinue your payments
- You cannot file workers comp, disability long or short term or qualify for tuition reimbursement while on severance. If you were approved for tuition before 1/11 you can still submit payment by tonight and they will pay it.
- You MUST notify them if you start working at any point during your severance. It’s at their discretion whether you continue to get your payments. My advice (I’m not a lawyer lol) if you get a gig before your severance ends do NOT update your social media accounts, share that info with anyone you don’t 1000% trust, or ask your old boss for a reference I don’t give a damn how cool you think y’all were. Don’t do it! Bottom line keep your new gig on the low and don’t update your LinkedIn and get your coins!
- Do NOT speak poorly of Nielsen online or to anyone you don’t trust (assuming you are easily identifiable) they have the right to revoke your payments. This includes liking a post reposting a post that is speaking negatively
- If you have a question or discrepancy regarding bonus amount, last severance pay day, or tuition pay questions email benefits and get those resolved in writing before tonight and before you sign. Nothing is negotiable after today and/or once you sign.
- If you have equipment that they’ve asked for send it asap they will withhold payments until they get it back. If you have a computer and monitor but they only requested the computer 🤫 send what they asked. You can still log into your computer if you used it for personal reasons I strongly suggest you export your passwords because you can still access that now
- Make sure you send an email tonight and make arrangements before your term date to get any belongings that are in the office once you sign that paperwork you’re no longer entitled to it.
- I believe that may be it. I strongly encourage everyone to start a network and act as supervisors to one another and use each other as a reference. Everyone knows Nielsen along with other tech companies just had layoffs who’s to say you and your “boss” weren’t both laid off.
Lastly go on the work number.com and request an account you can view the info Nielsen reports about you. Fill out the form to block employers from viewing your info. You’re welcome 🤫 this is a way Nielsen can find out you are working while getting paid if you don’t tell them. You can download the form and email it back it takes 3 business days. This will also force potential employers to call a person “your newly laid off boss” instead of using the work number. Hope this helps some folks. As always be safe out there.
Not the OP:
I just talked with a former Nielsen boss, who had to lay people off, and yes, you can work while earning severance. Just watch out for your official end date on your paperwork. You get laid off on a Wednesday but your official last day is ten days later, then severance starts. Those ten days don’t work elsewhere (or be very quiet about it) or you forfeit severance.
thanks to everyone in this thread. important discussion.
Any new job you get is going to require verification of past employment. Period.
So, you social doesn't matter....they need to verify so Nielsen will know. Just do what you need to do and let the chips fall where they may.
That is super reassuring. I do wonder if the severance payment while working somewhere else could be state law dependent? Googling reveals different answers. Maybe that’s part of the confusion. Either way we’ll all learn soon.
lol. This isn’t true. I was laid off in Jan of last year. Collected my severance until July 2023 but started a full time role with another company in March 2023. Please stop disbursing false info. The only thing that changes during your severance is 401k contributions. All medical, dental, and vision benefits you had in place will still be active until the end of the next month you receive your last severance payment. So if your last check is May 3 2024 your insurance will lapse June 30th. You will also get check stubs in the mail. You will not be able to change your withholdings or opt out of benefits being deducted during this time. You can get another job and collect your severance though, anyone that says differently is lying for no reason or clearly hasn’t been laid off by Nielsen before. Again, I was in Jan 2023 and got my payroll check for my new job and severance at the same time.
I’ve never been able to get unemployment while receiving severance, or for the weeks paid out if in a lump sum. At least in NY state.
Friends laid off by Nielsen said their severance agreement clearly stated if you get a new job, you must tell them, you cannot double dip.
Guess I’ll find out when my time comes.
You can also collect unemployment as severance is not income.
One of the only good things about living in California is the whole section VI that talks about informing them of a new job, or for that matter, working for a competitor is not applicable. In Florida it is. Look at the appendix at the end - It goes through which states have exceptions. If you live in Florida- don’t even tell your best mate if you get a job. Not worth it.
stop creating panic, plenty have collected severance from Nielsen while working a new gig.
based on what HR said last round (sept) this is untrue. severance continues for the agreed upon period UNLESS you get a new job AT nielsen. otherwise, severance should not be impacted by employment elsewhere. not saying you should post or disclose that, but not necessary to panic about it.
it is not a lump sum. those lump sums get taxed crazy high so either way we lose out on what we deserve.
I take it that means severance isn’t a lump sum?