It's been one year since I was laid off from Cigna. It took me 8 months to find a new job, so I am thankful for the severance. So how am I feeling? Freakin' fantastic. SO much happier where I am now. Did it su-k for a little bit? Sure did.. The job market is rough and I don't wish it upon anybody. But the grass is definitely greener outside of Cigna. I've worked for a number of big public companies, and I can honestly say that culturally and ethically, Cigna was the absolute worst one. So if you get laid off, enjoy it as much as you can and know that you'll probably be much better off. And that's all I have to say.
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How does severance work?
I was one of the people laid off in October of 2023. Like anyone else the first reaction is freaking out about not having a job. But after I sat and calmed down a bit I realized I was in a very good position financially.
It took me 8 months to find a new job. It was annoying to get all the way through the interview process and get turned down at the end, but it was okay. Realistically I could have survived an additional 6 months without a job.
However fast forward to today and I have an excellent job that is quite rewarding. I make more than I used to and I got my first bonus 2 weeks ago and a 5% raise to go with it all living in a new world free of debt thanks to severance from Cigna. While unemployed I applied to more than 3 or 4 jobs per week looking for places where I would be a good fit.
If you find yourself on the receiving end just take some time, decompress and figure out how to put yourself in a good state. I was a Cigna loyalist and it got me nothing except a good
Job elimination package and I used every penny to my advantage.
Where did you go? What are some of the better companies?
" As matter of fact, it’s one of the best if you compare the 401k matches, PTO, pay & bonus, even the severance package. Maybe I’m lucky joined a good team in Cigna."
This is talking about culture and ethics, not the financial and vacation benefits. But also, their matches are sub-par when compared to other large companies, and their PTO is too. I currently work for a large public company, and the minimum amount of PTO days they give to everybody is 25. But if you like your team, that's awesome! You're one of the lucky ones with a good leader. You do you boo boo.
Nice! Except now the job market will be even worse with the glut of laid off federal workers. So others may not fare as well.
I think it totally depends on which team you’re in. I also worked with a few companies big or small. I can say Cigna definitely is not the worst. As matter of fact, it’s one of the best if you compare the 401k matches, PTO, pay & bonus, even the severance package. Maybe I’m lucky joined a good team in Cigna.
That’s is excellent news. I’m happy for you and appreciate you keeping us posted. I’m filled with anxiety daily. And while I know deep down that the grass is greener, putting yourself out there in this job market is terrifying. That you for the good vibes
Congrats! Hoping to be next in line for a layoff bc I could really use the severance. Glad you found something good, and I hope that we all can too.