Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Did you file with EEOC for age discrimination ? You should have.

The OP is absolutely correct. Same for me in HR at the same time. If you hit the 50 mark in Cisco and arent part of a protected class in management, you better prepare for impact. The good news is that I thought it was the end of the world at the time but instead it was the best thing that ever happened, both from a mental health and monetary perspective. The cloud has a silver lining.

Cisco was a toxic environment when I was laid off in 2015, and it sounds like it’s the same rotten egg today. It surprises me that they’re even still in business. What a sh*t company.

ATTACHMENT A

OLDER WORKER BENEFIT PROTECTION ACT NOTICE

You are being given as part of the Restructuring Separation Agreement and General Release ("Agreement") the following information as required by the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act: (i) description of the group of individuals to whom Cisco is offering separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims; (ii) eligibility factors for inclusion in that group; (iii) the time limits applicable to the separation benefits offer; (iv) the job titles and ages of all individuals to whom Cisco is offering separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims; and (v) the ages of all individuals to whom Cisco did not offer separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims but who were in the same job classifications or organizational unit as any individual covered in the group described in (iv). This notice is Attachment A and is incorporated into the Agreement.

Individuals Covered by the Program:

All Cisco employees whose employment with Cisco will be terminated due to the reorganization of the (BU Name redacted) Group are covered by the Restructuring Separation Agreement and General Release Program ("Program "). The (redacted) Group is the " decisional unit" and is the portion of Cisco's organizational structure from which Cisco chose the individuals who would be offered separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims and those who would not be offered separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims. In other words, all employees in the decisional unit whose employment will be terminated as part of the reorganization will be offered separation benefits under the Program and all employees in the decisional unit who will not be terminated as part of the reorganization will not be offered separation benefits under the Program.

Eligibility Factors for the Program:

All employees whose employment will be terminated due to the reorganization of the (redacted) Group are eligible to participate in the Program. Employee termination decisions and resulting eligibility for the Program were made based on business considerations which include: consolidation of positions, functions or organizations to increase efficiency and reduce operating expenses; elimination of a position, function or organization based on a decision to exit a line of business; assessment of employees' job performance, functions and skills; and decisions to eliminate positions in order to centralize functions geographically or obtain lower cost structures geographically.

Time Limits for the Program:

All employees who are offered the opportunity to participate in the Program have forty-five (45) days from receipt of the Agreement to elect to participate in the Program. Those employees who accept the Agreement then have seven (7) days to revoke their acceptance, or more time if required by applicable law.

Job Titles and Ages of All Individuals Covered by the Program:

The data in Attachment 1 reflects the job titles and ages of all individuals to whom Cisco is offering separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims in conjunction with the reorganization of the (redacted) Group. All employees identified as covered by the Program in Attachment 1 may not actually continue to be covered by this Program (which depends on an expected termination of their employment with Cisco) because they are eligible to apply to posted positions within Cisco and, if best qualified, may be selected for such an alternative position.

Job Titles and Ages of All Individuals Not Covered by the Program:

The data in Attachment 2 reflects the job titles and ages of all individuals in the (redacted) Group to whom Cisco did not offer separation benefits in exchange for a release of claims but who were in the same job classification or organizational unit as any individual covered by the Program.

Attachment 1 (Impacted workers)

Title.###.BU-Job Classification.CISCO

Age | #

31 | 1

43 | 1

49 | 2

Attachment 2 (Non-Impacted workers)

Title.###.BU-Job Classification.CISCO

Age | #

26 | 1

28 | 3

30 | 1

31 | 1

32 | 1

34 | 1

35 | 2

39 | 1

40 | 2

44 | 1

46 | 2

51 | 1

53 | 1

Check out this thread: https://www.thelayoff.com/t/MiFxV48

I didn't give any specific numbers. I was in RTP.

I've been part of 4 mass layoffs and I've always been given the "OLDER WORKER BENEFIT PROTECTION ACT NOTICE" document even though I wasn't over 40 for the first layoff. None of them required me to agree to or sign something to "get" the document. My understanding is that IF they give you a document to sign agreeing to waive the company of any liability, they have TO give you the document BEFORE you have to sign the waiver. I've known people to take the documents to a lawyer for review to see if they had an age related discrimination case. But, as with any large company, the company lawyers have ensure that they've balanced the older workers with just enough sacrificial lambs that you can't sue easily, so you just take the money and run.

I'll try to post the boiler plate from the doc in another reply.

XteEFAr-1zrm Original poster here again. What campus were you working at when you were laid off? It sounds like there were different agreements. Would you mind posting the demographics again or point me to where they are visible. I was working at the BXB campus and I assure you everything I have said here regarding the agreement are absolutely true.

@XteEFAr-1zrm this is the original poster again. They absolutely did have statements in the package that we would agree not to recruit anybody from Cisco for a year and would not say anything negative about Cisco, verbally or in writing. IT HAPPENED! Believe me. I have no reason to lie about this.

@XteEFAr-1zrm I was the original poster of this message. I can assure you that in the severance package documentation they gave us, it said the ages of people affected would only be provided if we first signed the severance agreement first. Believe me, it happened.

It gets even worse after more than two years. Almost a scandal. It’s unbelievable that you got brothers in the same group in SPBU with one being the head and senior director. The other hides among worker bees but gets all the benefits and glory without doing real works. It’s nepotism in another new high. Imagine both morale and quality reach a new low.

I too was laid off in Sep ‘16. I signed the agreement not to sue. I read it carefully & reviewed the demographics that were “Attachment A” attached to my severance package.

I call BS that there was a clause about recruitment or bad mouthing Cisco. If you are over 40, the company has to provide the demographics to you by law.

My demographics showed how much effort Cisco went to to protect against age discrimination charges. My BU kept the oldest guy, let the 2 youngest go & the remaining 80% were all over 45.

I posted my demographics on a post here in Sept or Oct ‘16.

wolf in sheep's clothing