Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

good plan I suggest everyone do it. especially in customer facing positions.

Want to clarify a few things: agreement was written Re: severance as sarcasm (I know union folks love to use the term); should have been in quotes, as I was referring to a poster who used that terminology and being snide. People keep conflating the folks who are remote and required to RTO or quit with the management employees I am referring to: employees who are 1) management (duh), 2) already live in a hub and 3) have already returned to the office 3 days a week. There are employees in this aforementioned group who are going to be let go. This isn’t just going to affect remote workers. I don’t know why people are having a hard time digesting and processing this information. These layoffs are going to affect a substantial amount of employees (other than remote workers with RTO directives who are going to be let go). Roughly 30% of the company is going to be let go which I believe another poster mentioned . The management employees noted above - NOT remote workers with RTO directives who either have to move or quit - will N O T be receiving 6 months of severance. They will not.

"I hope what the HR person said is not true, but if you think about it, why would the company consolidate hubs when there clearly was not enough office space to accommodate all employees returning to office? They can't be so clueless. "

Two points: 1. Don't believe they are HR. They are not. 2. Yes, the executives are that clueless. Their cluelessness is why we are where we are now.

"No such thing exists. I work in HR. No such agreement is in place."

This sentence is proof you don't work in HR and you are not management. No HR person would call it an "agreement". It's a policy. Agreement is a union contract negotiation term. Busted.

"I think the poster stating mgmt only gets 2 weeks severance is confusing severance with the off payroll process. Under a normal surplus mgmt is then off payroll in two weeks however that is not their severance payment."

It's possible that the poster was confused, but the plan has been changed before. It used to be 2 months off payroll, and many people got to stay by applying for internal jobs. However, it was cut to 2 weeks 2 or 3 years ago to kick people out ASAP. The company has already gut retiree benefits. It's very possible that they are looking to cut severance payout as well.

I think the poster stating mgmt only gets 2 weeks severance is confusing severance with the off payroll process. Under a normal surplus mgmt is then off payroll in two weeks however that is not their severance payment. Management can get up to six months severance pay based on tenure per the severance policy. off payroll date and severance are two separate things that The two weeks does not necessarily apply to RTO as many groups have already said those who do not except moving will remain on payroll for varying times based on the org needs.

I hope what the HR person said is not true, but if you think about it, why would the company consolidate hubs when there clearly was not enough office space to accommodate all employees returning to office? They can't be so clueless. The only logical explanation would be they were also planning a mass layoff to drastically reduce the number of employees, and since they don't have enough free cash to pay all the severance, the only way out is to cut the severance payout. Other companies have done it.

I don’t know what groups are posting on this thread but it’s gone a bit crazy train.
I’m exempt mgt ATS, under Legg.
If you are offered relo this round you have to BE IN THE NEW OFFICE by Jan 1 2024. There’s no 12-24 months.
Also, YES THERE IS SEVERANCE PER POLICY up to 6 months if you don’t accept.
If you just get surplused the same severance applies.

There is a policy , you can find it on the intranet, you can asked recently surplused people. Not sure what the “HR” person on here has been reading.
Obviously if you just don’t like going to the office and quit you don’t get severance.
Of course , everything could all change again , but so far that’s the plan.

The 5/5/5 D bag has returned.

"there is NO severance over 2 weeks for management employees."

The current 'Severance Pay Plan' can be found by searching HR OneStop. It clearly states the payout is up to 6 months of salary, but it's not uncommon for companies to change their policy to cut the severance pay to employees. I know IBM did this many years ago. If AT&T is expecting tens of thousands of employees to be cut at once, then they probably can't afford to follow the original severance pay plan. Good luck to everyone who's affected by this RTO.

This whole 6 months severance is a fantasy. It’s not happening for management employees who are being released this month that aren’t involved in the whole RTO remote work potential relo situation. There are a TON of people who are going to lose their jobs this month and be off the books as of 7/6 who have already returned to the office 3 days a week. For those folks it’s gonna be two weeks severance. Completely off the books the first full week of July. The whole “management has a separation severance” agreement is a farcical delusion. No such thing exists. I work in HR. No such agreement is in place.

OP, not that I don't agree with the sentiment, but nobody's getting 12-24 to relocate. The few groups that have been told to move to Dallas are looking by end of year at the latest. The 12-24 is the winding down for the Legg organization, which is temporarily allowing 7+ hubs. The majority of people will not be in that situation. Anyone getting notified in the next month will have until EOY at the latest to be moved and ready to go.

@1sfx+1n8UbnjW Complete BS. Specially this two weeks severance for non-union. There’s a very specific management severance policy. You get up to six months based on your tenure with the company. Go spill your BS somewhere else.

Ok I’m gonna write something people on here are not gonna wanna read but on July 6th it will all be said and done anyway. This is from an executive I know: the company is gonna cut roughly 30% of the employees. Will it be 30% in every org? I don’t know and neither did they. But 30% of the company’s employees are going to be off the books by 7/6. Two weeks severance if you’re non-union. I’m not sure how the union represented employees will work as my contact didn’t discuss non-management. What I can write with 100% certainty is the person who told me this is an executive, is a reliable/honest person, and they are NOT someone prone (ever) to theatrics and histrionics. This individual was sick to their stomach telling me what’s about to unfold. It’s unlike anything people who work at ATT have ever seen before. I’m very sorry for all of us who will be affected.

“ Because I’m telling you right now, there is NO severance over 2 weeks for management employees.“

1000% incorrect , confirmed by several VP’s over the last few weeks. If you can’t relocate you are eligible for severance.

Everyone who keeps talking about severance/6 months severance: are you craft/union? Because I’m telling you right now, there is NO severance over 2 weeks for management employees.

i am taking the severance and telling them to fu-k off. Good luck to my replacement.

To the OP, you're an A-hole and the very type of toxic employee T needs to eliminate.

That is EXACTLY what i am going to do. Great minds think alike.

I'm conflicted on this strategy. I've heard, but nothing official, that some teams are being told they will have until fall of 2024 to relocate, others, like ours, are being told we'll have to report by January 1st. In a case like this, when we're talking about 6 months, I think I'd rather take the severance and leave, as I don't expect it to take me 6 months to find another decent job, and even if it did, at the end of that 6 months, I'd be in the same position. So, personally, I'm thinking I'd rather take the money and go, and spend all my energy on a job search. Is it possible that they may change their tune and slowly start "forgetting" about people still working remotely? I guess so, but idk if I'm willing to take that bet.

As soon as they offer me 6 months I’m taking it…economy is slowing…severance could be worse next year..leave now with 6 months and decent job market.

"This thread is disgusting. Employees following this advice should be terminated today."

I think you should be terminated today. Anyone too d-mb to do simple arithmetic and look out for their own family's interests is too d-mb to look out for the company's interests.

I think the OP is correct. Call their bluff especially given the fact that there is ZERO AVAILABLE SPACE in the hub cities. The reason they have zero space is RTO when everyone returns that lives locally in Atlanta and Dallas all desks are full maybe even over capacity. Once you all decide to stay they will be forced to lay you off with severance meet there cost reduction objectives.

I don’t want to play any games. I’m out as soon as I get a new job. I don’t have a replacement so good luck to my supervisor.

"This thread is disgusting. Employees following this advice should be terminated today. Employees should expecting there to be a requirement to provide regular updates on steps being taken to relocate. "

This is completely ironic, considering this tool is not only tacitly defending this sleazy policy, but has probably also defended every other underhanded tactic used by Stink for the past five years.

Cry, little boy, cry.

“Employees should expecting there to be a requirement to provide regular updates on steps being taken to relocate.”

Thank you Sister Mary Elephant.

On the first day of my summer vacation I got up and went to look for a house. On the second day of my summer vacation I got up and went to look for a house.

This thread is disgusting. Employees following this advice should be terminated today. Employees should expecting there to be a requirement to provide regular updates on steps being taken to relocate.

What I don't get, given the above worker response strategy (ie game theory, should have been known by att) is that att execs actually thought this is better than just canning 15k low performers or workers with no work to do, pay them each severance, and keep the business running without this horrible mess we now have?

Stankey could very well be gone before people are actually forced to move. Cash the checks, don’t quit. This is his last feeble attempt at saving his tail.

@ssd+1n8UbnjW , nobody has taken the side that t cares about them. How you concluded that is god's own private mystery.

So funny. Our Director has told us the same thing. He’s going to lose 60+ percent of his team because none of us are willing to relocate. He suggested we all just say we will because we can stay on payroll until September of next year before we have to be in our new assigned office. So his advice is just keep working take that off or stay where you are figure out what you wanna do by next September. Why I see it that’s another 14 months of pay versus six months of severance. Company pays their portion of insurance for 14 months, 14 months a 401(k) match, and another 14 Pension payments, along with yearly raises, recognition financial awards and so on. It’s pretty sad on your directors are giving you this instruction to just lie about it because they’re not gonna force you to move until your date is actually here.

OP here. I guess I wasn't sufficiently clear.

When I said "12-24 months to report" I didn't mean to answer whether they accept relocation, but they have 12-24 months to report to their new office after they accept the relocation. I assumed that the context would make that clear, but I guess not.

So, to be clear: if you are told you need to relocate, accept it. Just say yes you will regardless of how far away. Now, after you've accepted their offer and ruined their attempt to extort you into voluntarily resigning, start your new job search, while continuing to collect paychecks from T. The moment you get a firm offer on a new job just stop showing up at T.

Treat them the way they treat us.

The best part is if everyone just accepts, it will ruin Stink's plan of a coerced layoff, and cause incredible headaches for HR trying to accommodate way more transfers than they expected.

To the supporter of the OP. Your info is flawed, in that you've assumed att cares about you or your family in this move, in any way. That's incorrect. Caring about you does not rid them of you, which is the purpose of all of this. Here's what stink wanted to say to you but which the lawyers said he couldn't: "leave att, tomorrow if possible".

@ofb+1n8UbnjW, um, the OP is correct. People may have to give an answer to their assignment right away, but after they accept they have time to relocate themselves. How can someone arrange to sell a house, take their kids out of school, buy a new home and move all their stuff across country in a day?

12 to 24 months to report? I think not. Why do they want to give you that? They want you gone, asap. Like tomorrow if you'll leave. That's what this is all about, remember?