Does anyone know the specifics of keeping severance if offered a job external from AT&T that must start before 3/28? Is there any way to start a new job prior to 3/28 (last day with AT&T) and still keep severance? I know if this scenario had presented itself prior to 2/18 we could have just changed to option 2, and walked away no questions asked. Now that we're passed 2/28 how would that work?
14 replies (most recent on top)
I was warned by someone in the know to not tell my leadership I found an external job. It is not in your best interest.
My former HR rep that I trust and still stay in touch with told me that there is a misconception that you have to stay on the payroll until 3/29 to get your severance (after the early date passes). Bottom line - if you meet all of the conditions for the severence benefits and you receive an offer from an external company, you can leave whenever you want before the 3/29 date by signing your release waiver. You’d still be eligible for the severence benefits.
Agree with most of the replies. Do Not talk to HR or mgmt about this if you get an offer. This is february, so you should have vacation/HO/DP days to use(or sick days) We have had many people burn their vacation days and then come back, turn in their badges, and go, Good luck
Do you have to come into the office every day? If not I would just start new job. F’ em.
How soon do they want you to start?
You can take vacation days..they will subtract any days you did not accrue from your last check.
I would recommend NOT discussing anything with HR. HR exists for one and only one reason... to look after the company. HR does NOT care about you, their performance reviews are not based upon how they interact with employees, but rather how well they protect the company. And when you have been surplused, they have absolutely no stake in how your are treated. If I were you, I would try to arrange the start date of any offers to be after the last day of "option 2". I think this would be acceptable to most companies. If that was not acceptable, I would use vacation, or sick time... but I would NOT talk to HR about this. There's no good that can come out of it for you. And in all honesty, your current manager is probably not watching your ever move, anyway. You are out the door. The last of his/her worries. If your lucky, your manager has empathy. If you are not, they just don't care. But in either case, nobody is going to be watching you once you are surplused. Protect yourself and do what is right for you.
Do you think AT&T would care at that point, just a few days before last day on payroll? Call in sick, take an unscheduled PTO and burn off a day or two. You're as good as gone, just schedule a day to return any company property, sign the general release and waiver on MESA and wait for your last pay and severance checks. Your boss shouldn't mind, unless he or she is a jerk - then you really shouldn't mind, either.
I say if you can don't start until you 3/28 take vacation if you can until the 28th. I wouldn't tell anyone at att it is none of their business. They told you what they wanted from you when they surplussed you.
You owe them nothing and basically it is none of their business if you got an external offer.
This actually happened to me. My last scheduled date was 9/28. An external company gave me an offer and I left AT&T on 9/15. I used up my vacation and started work with the new company which I am still with. AT&T provided the severance 45 days later. Do what's best for you.
What we were told in October, if you get an offer talk to your manager and he will ask the director. Everyone I know that asked recurved an early release and full severance
3 0r 6 months will not make a difference if you are unemployed, get of your butt. Stop posting here, and find a job
OP here: My question is purely hypothetical, no job offers have been extended. I just realized I don't know how to respond to the question 'When can you start?' should that question be asked sometime between now and 3/28. I agree, it'd be a good problem to have! I've also sent this question to HR, but I want to compare their response to any feedback I receive here (knowing fully well that any responses received here aren't official).
You should really discuss this with HR, since whatever you hear on this - or any other - board may or may not be true for your circumstances. I'm not certain if HR will discuss this with you anonymously, or hypothetically, but unless you see this information in your MESA paperwork, you should contact HR.
And - you do realize how LUCKY you are, you have a new job! Many of us do not, or have jobs that pay much less and have fewer benefits than those we had with Ma Bell. Enjoy!