So anyone who knows what's the typical layoff process at T ? What day do they typically inform you Fri.? Mon? Some calendar date? Will they ask you to leave immediately or ask you to do a knowledge transfer on your projects?
I understand everyone division is different but just looking for s ballpark process.
In August of last year I received a meeting invite for a group conf call where we were told “we’re on the surplus list” and that final descisions on cuts were forthcoming.
After a couple of weeks I got a call from my boss’s boss stating that I was “safe.” The person on my team that wasn’t safe was notified first, the same day in the same manner. They then had 60 days to find a job within the company, which they didn’t...took severance and left.
From what I’ve heard about this round, notifications will go out on 1/28 and are largely location based. Someone connected to CRE in ATL told me today that 26k layoffs are happening on Friday, 1/25, so who knows at this point!?
I’ve been with the company for over 2 decades and this is by FAR the worst I’ve ever seen morale and how the company is choosing to operate in general. I used to be proud to work here; really felt a part of something. A family. That is forever gone. It’s almost like grieving a death, knowing how great it once was.
If the top brass would forgo just a fraction of their golden parachute bonuses this year, we could pay down our debts and right the ship. But they’re too busy wiping their rears with $100 bills to care.
Good thread
If you are retirement eligible, can you opt for retirement without losing any retirement benefits?
AT&T folks are lucky. Sprint gathers those in a conference room, told they no longer work for the company, and are then walked to the door. Cannot even go back to there desk for personal items, those will be collected and provided another day at determined location. Or if they do get to go back their computers are gone along with any company owned items.
We were told (after the McElfresh email went out), during a conference call that if you were impacted you would be notified 1/28 and if you weren’t impacted you would be notified on the 1/29
re: "knowledge transfer on your projects"...in my experience your work will just be unceremoniously dumped on those that remain. One can hardly fault the person being surplussed for not giving a flip as they need to be looking for a new job (and I don't mean internally, because that is a joke). I know I won't when it's my turn.
Overall process from my experience is your supervisor speaks with you and informs you your being surplused and you have 60 days to find a new job in the company. You then get a formal 60 day letter from HR.
The specific day can vary and each group and supervisor can choose to handle the specifics differently, but they have a scripted procedure your supervisor is told to follow.
If it's a large group having cuts, then someone from your management chain will setup group calls from those impacted and those not. In some cases your asked to join a call and told your whole group is being cut.
Used to be the 1st month in a qtr is when you had to worry. That would allow 60 days, but have the people off payroll by the end of the qtr.
Chances of finding a new job can vary a lot depending on location, your experience, number of others we also got 60 day letters or if there are really any jobs even available. In one case they shut down the system for searching for new jobs during those 60 days.
During your last 60 days people are expected to continue doing their old job, but it's understood your job search is your main focus.
@xsy I do believe the process has been tweaked a bit, in that the McElfresh email that went out a couple weeks ago served as the "affected workgroup" notification. Those being laid off will be notified on Jan 28.
to add to fhw's comments . . . You will be notified of being surplused by a phone call from your immediate supervisor (or the next highest level of management if your immediate supervisor is not available).. He will then send a confirmation back to HR that you were notified. As soon as HR gets the confirmation, you will immediately receive an e-mail with the "Separated Non-bargained Employee Support Package" (aka "the MESA" package) attachments explaining the whole surplus process, forms, and necessary activities that you MUST complete and the timeframe to complete them (Union represented employees have their own process as specified in the CBA). As for doing a "data dump" of knowledge and/or status of your work activities to someone, that will be between you and your supervisor to work out.
Have to agree with iyr post.
They are all shooting to do this on Mon 28th. If you are on the call to be let go, you have 2 options. Stay on for 3 weeks and not look internally or choose to look internally and you stay on 8 weeks. In order to be considered looking you must update your resume on the career site, agree to go to any interview. If offered, you must accept the job or you lose your severance with the exception if the job is a lower level you can turn it down and keep your severance or if the job is more than 50 miles (I think 50 and not 35) than your current commute you can turn it down and not lose severance. Best of luck
With such an emphasis on security I have never understood why they let people who have been surplusesd continue to have root access to critical systems. I know they are being gracious allowing folks to hang around for 60 days to find another position, but it still seems like a risk.
This process could be changing to eliminate the first call but in my experience there’s an initial “you’re in an affected workgroup” call then a 1-2 week quiet period then you get one of two calls from your supervisor: you’re safe or you’ve been surlused. You’ll have 60 days to find another position or you’ll be off payroll.