Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Restructuring is code for age discrimination.

Obviously this is just an attempt to get rid of boomers and many GenX.

It will be heavily skewed towards older workers.

While the severance package initially appears to be generous consider that if you are over 50 you are going to have a tough time. I was in my 40's the last I was laid off and that was bad enough. We all know tech is youth obsessed. I find that amusing as my younger colleagues need my help all the time.

Really love the timing. Announce the layoffs right before Thanksgiving and then tell those affected right before Christmas. Nice folks in ELT. Could have waited until Jan. NO ONE HIRES DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

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Post ID: @OP+1jKWSrj1

9 replies (most recent on top)

The hardest thing is finding a "high-functioning" company that realizes that, with age, comes experience. As the insurance commercial says, "We know a thing or two, because we've seen a thing or two."

Some of us were solving technical problems before the Internet came along and made searching for answers on StackOverflow the way to solve problems.

I had a company who hired me as a Sr Tech Lead and was suddenly switching from Windows PCs/Servers to MacBook Pros and Linux servers because they had to create iOS and Android mobile apps and iOS apps can only be developed on Macs. I was a long-time Mac user and was mentoring the team on how to use their Macs efficiently and not keep trying to find ways to force the Mac to work like Windows and teaching them how to use Linux/Unix. I was also busy doing the Tier 1 work of some guy who managed to avoid our Director so she'd stop at my desk which happened to be next to his and ask me to do the task she wanted him to do "because it has to be done right now". It was the same old sh-t, every morning and every evening, off-board Ukrainian contractors first thing in the morning because they'd quit or been fired and on-board them last thing in the evening so they can start work because they've just been hired to backfill the terminated contractors.

I was so damn tired of the micro-managing and I was not surprised when they gave me my first annual performance review and told me I wasn't performing up to my job title of senior lead because I was spending 25% of my day doing tier 1 work and ignored the fact that the rest of the team had become proficient in using their Macs. I said fine, you don't like my performance, then find someone else to do his job. I'm past my 12-mo new-hire commitment for the signing bonus you gave me, so here's my 2-weeks notice. Luckily I was able to go back to a company I'd worked at before because they had a current opening, but people over 50 don't always have opportunities that are open w/ good companies at the time they need it.

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Post ID: @2fzv+1jKWSrj1

There s no vax list. LRs at Cisco are all about age and wage. With a few twenty and thirty somethings unjustly laid off to meet some sort of average age quota. Check the spreadsheet when it happens; you will see 59, 58, 60, 31, etc with nothing in between.

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Post ID: @1rtb+1jKWSrj1

I left a year ago, after over 12 yrs. of service, when Cisco mandated the vax for the US employees, and I'm over 50. Shortly after leaving, I landed a job with such a phenomenal company who truly exude Work/Life Balance philosophy AND truly appreciate their employees. So if you're over 50 and at Cisco...don't lose hope. The jobs are out there. My gut is ELT will probably target those who asked for medical or religious exemption to not get the vax, simply because these employees stood up for their autonomy, and now ELT has a list of names who dared to say no to them.

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Post ID: @1ytp+1jKWSrj1

An "over 50" here, and if you are talented and are still driven, you will get hired. One of the good things about high-functioning companies is that they understand a more senior person will bring value to a younger team. Ask for 20%+ more since you will be doing mentoring that may not be in your job description.

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Post ID: @1fpw+1jKWSrj1

@1uux+1jKWSrj1

Huh?

I'm not happy when anyone suffers. Odd comment.

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Post ID: @1tlk+1jKWSrj1

The one upside this time vs 2020 is they're paying out the severance in the new year, rather than trashing your taxes this year. Not that it's much of an upside.

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Post ID: @1vsm+1jKWSrj1

I see how this works...

When "those other people" are treated unfairly they need to just grab on tight to those bootstraps and start pulling away!

When bad things happen to us good ol' boys it's called discrimination and now we need to lawyer up like a bunch of beta males.

Got it thanks!

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Post ID: @1uux+1jKWSrj1

I agree the over 50s have a tough time in the job market, especially in the tech industry, which is, as you say, youth obsessed. And yes, younger works need help and lack the experience of us Boomers.

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Post ID: @1vwb+1jKWSrj1

I do not think so, we LR indiscriminately

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Post ID: @1ucp+1jKWSrj1

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