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Googler... ex-Googler

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975 points namukang | 6 comments | 11 Apr 25 20:19 UTC | HN request time: 1.002s | source | bottom
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abdj8 ◴[14 Apr 25 05:08 UTC] No.43678249[source]▶
Layoffs are a difficult thing for employees and their managers. I have seen people (one was a VP of Engineering) escorted out of the building, sent in a cab to home along with a security guard (this was in India), not allowed access to computer or talk with other employees. But, recently have had a very different experience. The current company I work for announced 30% layoffs. The list was made public within one hour of announcement. The CEO detailed the process of selecting people. The severance was very generous (3-6 months pay) along with health and other benefits. The impacted employees were allowed to keep the laptop and any other assets they took from the company. They even paid the same severance to contractors.

After the announcement, the laid off employees were given a few days in the company to allow them to say good byes. I love the CEOs comment on this ' I trusted them yesterday, I trust them today'. This was by far the kindest way of laying off employees imo. People were treated with dignity and respect.

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apexalpha ◴[14 Apr 25 06:20 UTC] No.43678562[source]▶
Weird, as someone from Europe I've never experience anything else.

Layoffs here are always done in conjunction with the unions. People are moved to different jobs, helped with training etc...

Only in very critical jobs they'd walk you out immediately but then you still get the pay.

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1. Cthulhu_ ◴[14 Apr 25 06:47 UTC] No.43678680[source]▶
That's not universal though. My dad's company was bought up by a foreign investor, shrunk over multiple reorganizations from its peak of ~500 people in the 70's or 80's down to a skeleton crew of ~50. They weren't fired, they were told the company was going bankrupt and needed to be emptied out. People who worked there for 40+ years were basically given a few months' pay if that and a "good luck". There's a formula for severance pay; years worked * month's wage, this would give people a lot of leeway to find a new job or just sit out until their retirement, but of course that's very expensive so they weaseled their way out of it through various constructions. Dozens of people fired a few years before retirement, most never found another job again. And the boss kept the company, which is now a shell company / sales / license holder, which the parent company was always after of course because production is cheaper to do in e.g. Poland.
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2. watwut ◴[14 Apr 25 07:10 UTC] No.43678806[source]▶
> People who worked there for 40+ years were basically given a few months' pay

Those few months pay thing is the key difference. That is legally mandated.

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3. pclmulqdq ◴[14 Apr 25 08:06 UTC] No.43679115[source]▶
You also get a few months pay in the US unless the company is truly broke.
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4. immibis ◴[14 Apr 25 09:11 UTC] No.43679475{3}[source]▶
Incorrect. It's at-will employment.
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5. pclmulqdq ◴[14 Apr 25 10:28 UTC] No.43679808{4}[source]▶
"At-will employment" is a meme here. In reality, the company gives you a few months of pay and you sign a document saying you won't sue them for firing you during a layoff.

If you get fired for fraud or for being incompetent, for example, it's often different.

6. CoastalCoder ◴[14 Apr 25 11:40 UTC] No.43680221{3}[source]▶
That's the convention, but AFAIK it's not enshrined on law.

Some states require payout for unused, earned vacation time.

State-managed unemployment pay is also a thing, assuming the employee wasn't fired for cause. I think some states require employers to pay into this via a payroll tax.