Is there a potential downside of letting your boss know you being willing to take a severance package?
My group has yet to be hit with any severance/reductions (I'm under the new NEO group now). And as far as I know there isn't any on the horizon (yet).
@tdy
"I’ve learned the hard way with T...NO boss is your friend, Period!"
AT&T has over 250,000 employees if you include on-site contractors. In my day, it was closer to 300,000. That's the size of a city. You can't say in one neighborhood, that the situation there is the same as another neighborhood.
At my career at AT&T, I worked in 5 neighborhoods. Two had management I socialized with. They were fine. Three didn't. I wouldn't be letting the supervisors know what I was thinking in those areas, And some of those were the same operation, in the same business unit and only different cities. The biggest "neighborhood" I worked in had 1000 people.
One can't paint AT&T with one broad brush. I think certain areas can be painted with one brush, such as call centers. But, I've worked in various business units and different locations, and if it wasn't for the common payroll, common 401K, etc, I might as well be working for different companies.
I made it to the finish line, so something worked. My advice stays the same - to the OP, if there is no indication that they're trying to reduce force, I wouldn't disclose anything to management unless they are people you know off the job. I don't see the advantage. If an offer appears, it will be filled by seniority anyhow. IF something shows up, put in for it, and if your boss asks, say something apologetic, like, "I love working for AT&T but I'm not going to live forever".
I’m eligible to leave, age/service = 100, but the job is way too easy and the money is too good to walk away from! Why should I leave on my own accord? I’ll leave when T offers me a package to leave, otherwise, I’m in this for at least another 3-5 years...easy, peasy!
The potential downside is they will probably keep you because they you want to leave that is the kind of company they are and how hr treats the employees.
Re: this match thing...if it exists, it must be a bargained for thing. There is no no such program for non bargained for or management.
So the Job Match, which I never heard of before, if I'm not going to be surplus or even MVO, I can put in with HR, for someone who is going to be surplus, they get my job and they stay employed. But I get the, a or their surplus package. I presume 'match', in job match, would mean, that if I did this, I would get the correct amount of severance I should get as if I was originally surplus, not not theirs, saying maybe their severance was a little lesser? So Match, would suggest I get what would be my regular severance?
As far as the comment on severance and unemployment, in my state, as long as you sign the GR&W then by law you are entitled to receive unemployment. It’s definitely different in every state. I received a severance and am now receiving unemployment as well. I absolutely prefer to be working, would rather not be unemployed but while searching for a job at least it’s some income. As for offering to take a surplus, I agree with everyone who says it’s probably not a good idea, especially if your unit is not currently laying off. Just puts a target on your back.
There is a form you fill out and fax to HR. If an employee wants to accept your job in order to remain employed , then you are given the severance package ( SIPP ) that you yourself qualify for . If you're not sure what you would get , HR can fill you in. Doubt your boss would be angry , people come and go. I took a SIPP two years ago and am glad I did.
“You can put in for a job match where someone being surplused can be given your job and you get their package”
Um, yeah. This isn’t a thing, so...no you can’t.
You asked.... You are sitting at a poker table. Everyone else at the table is more experienced at the game and has deeper pockets. You control your hand.
You can put in for a job match where someone being surplused can be given your job and you get their package.
diy - what nonsense. I've been a manager for more than a decade and never threw anyone under a proverbial bus. In fact I took several for the team. The warning to always be careful is a good one, but you are describing an adversarial relationship between all employees and their bosses which simply isn't true. Maybe you're from the union side, which always hurls invective at "management" by its very nature.
As for "HR is on their side, not yours," I will argue that HR is not on ANY employee's side, including your boss's.
@tdy, absolute straight up truth. Any and all managers at T, will not hesitate to throw you under a bus, push you down the stairs, toss you out a top floor window, frame you for murder, and blame ALL their shortcomings on you, and for any and all lousy reasons in order to save their own bacon no matter how lame and stupid. Under no circumstance should you ever think or get lulled into a sense of trust between you and how your boss or manager is, ever. HR is on their side, and will always back them, not ever you. They are looking to terminate you, not your manager. Coming to them with your head offered up on a silver platter is not a good idea, even though it does seem like the right or decent thing for you to do, with hat in hand, letting them know you’re ready, and to pick you when that time comes. T is needing you to quit on your own, and for them to get out of two things, paying any severance if they can get away with it, and not paying unemployment if possible. That is why they will do an MVO first, you get severance but can't file for unemployment. Now days, it's so toxic and everything is so poisonous that they want you to leave on your own, waiting to the last second, last 2 - 3 weeks before 12/31/2020, waiting for a MVO or surplus, not get it, then you bail, no more money from them, and you're out and off payroll. Good luck to everyone left in this swill pile.
@xwn, what do you mean by "put in for a match"?
Screw them. Put in for a match and you’ll get the package offered to someone being surplused and they get your old job. Win-win situation.
Usually when they come up with new groups they usually never last. New groups usually get sh– canned and you will be offered what you want. Just give it some time.
Depends on your personal situation and relationship to the manager / management chain. Do you really want to leave the company, or perhaps change teams/groups/departments? In my former team, there were a couple of older teammates that saw the writing on the wall when the surplus events started coming in our area. And they were ready to be retired, financially, social security/medicare, spouse ready, etc. so they told our manager they would be ready to go if a surplus round hits. In their cases, it worked out great for them, and they delayed the inevitable of the younger teammates that would be in worse situations. That said, if you announce it, there is no undoing it. Once that bell is rung, even if you later rescind, that will still stick in managements' mind and they might question your intention. It probably doesn't matter now, but back then there was the 60-day try to find another position option or the 3 weeks and you're gone option. Now certainly if you are tagged with a surplus, you are gone.
No downside at all. You will be just fine...
I’ve learned the hard way with T...NO boss is your friend, Period! They WILL throw you under the bus if they absolutely have to to save face, get ahead or save their own neck! I would never mistake a work relationship compared with people you’re friends with outside of work...two completely different dynamics!
My sense is, don't talk about it. If your department needs to lighten the load and is seeking volunteers, be at the head of the line. But, there is no advantage in saying you'd like to be done with AT&T in the event they are not laying off in your department.
That said, it all depends on the situation. If your boss is someone you drink beer with in the off hours, then tell him anything and everything. I've been in that situation. If you have an "arms-length" relationship with your bosses, then different rules apply. And I've been in that situation too.
So, there is not a one size fits all answer to your question, because, what is missing is, whether your boss is your friend.
In most cases, you should share with your supervisor that - while continuing to do a stellar job - you are willing and ready to take one for team - with severance, of course. And totally agree, this is verbal and private communications with your supervisor.
keep your mouth shut, they find a way to fired your a–, not to pay severance
Previous poster here. Sorry for the typos. Think it's readable. Questions, let me know.
Never do it in writing!
There was a company that presented to supervisors several years ago on behalf of HR. They are retained by AT&T for the sole purpose of reducing the amount AT&T has to contribute to each state's unemployment pool. They basically look for any written indication of surplusesd employees that appeared to be "volunteering" and then used that to appeal AT&T's unemployment claim burden. The success of this various state by state. That's over-simplifying a bit. For example, there are instances where 2+ companies might have to support a workers unemployment claim depending on how long the employee worries at each, etc. and AT&T wanted to pay less so the other company would pay more. Thus it doesn't necessarily mean that the employee wouldn't get unemployment, just that AT&T wouldn't have to pay it. But if T was the only company the employee had worked for in the past x years, then they literally might be rejectes for unemployment. Ask because this sleazy company dug up a year-old Q message where the employee ostensibly "volunteered" to quit.
So basically this company wanted supervisors to rat out any employee who potentially "volunteered" to go. As a supervisor, I sat on the call, aghast, in stunned silence. The company bragged that it has saved the company X million in unemployment payments.
So it's probably ok to give an indication, as long as there is no written evidence that can come back to bite you.
You can say something like - If there is severance, I am willing to be part of the lay offs so that you do not have to pick someone and it might be helpful to other team members who have not thought about changing or can not change for any reason (family, location, visa etc.)