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Not Lazy, Just Expensive Soon

This is the reality.
NRE employees are not being targeted because they are lazy, noncompliant, or underperforming. That narrative is convenient, but it is not the truth.
They are being targeted because they are the most financially strategic group to remove.
Employees who are already retirement eligible have already earned their pension and benefits. If they leave, the company still carries those costs, including payouts, healthcare, and everything that comes with it. The liability is already locked in.
Younger employees? Many of them will be impacted anyway as AI and automation continue to evolve. They have not accumulated significant pension value yet, so the financial upside of removing them now is limited. They walk away with relatively small payouts, which would likely happen in the near future regardless.
But NRE employees are right at the threshold.
They are the ones about to qualify for meaningful pension payouts and lifetime medical benefits. That is where the financial exposure is. That is where the delta is. That is why they are being pushed out before they cross that line.
Not because they are all poor performers. Not because they are disengaged. Some are, some are not, but that is true of every group.
So let’s stop pretending this is about laziness or attitude. It is not.
It is timing. It is cost. It is strategy.
What is frustrating is not just the outcome, it is the narrative being used to justify it. Do not label people as lazy to explain decisions that are clearly driven by financial incentives.
People see what is happening.


Memorial Hermann back in network

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/memorial-hermann-blue-cross-blue-shield-texas-in-network/285-ceceb89a-d299-47e7-868b-f4f58889cb4e

I hope they don’t keep doing this to us every year to try to juice their profits by Pennie’s. Maybe we can use some of that excess Iran war profit to improve benefits for employees


Useful Info to plan your life

The posts are generally whining and moaning.
I thought I would provide info so folks can plan better.
Topic of this week is around NRE and pension.
You don’t lose your pension. You lose benefits, especially medical. You get your pension, you get vested after 5 years. So you will get your pension. However discounting is different between retiree and terminee. Suggest you run Alight calculator between age 55 and 54.5 and you will know the difference.


Folks who have been rebadged as Infinite employees, are you contract based? Same salary? Benefits?

To those that were rebadged as Infinite employees, are you all on a contract basis now or not? Were you able to keep your same salary from Fiserv over? Are the benefits similar, or better/worse? How do promotions work with a 3rd party vendor or is your career progression over once you get rebadged?


Preparation for layoff

Looking for real advice on steps to take in preparation for a possible layoff. What files/information to save, what resources to take advantage of while we still have them, etc. My biggest concern is a lack of medical and dental insurance for my family since I'm the one providing those benefits. Has anyone successfully negotiated an extension of benefits as part of their severance?


What’s PepsiCo’s plan for this one…….

New Texas SNAP Rules Now in Effect, Candy and Sweet Drinks No Longer Covered

Starting Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Texans who receive SNAP benefits can no longer use them to buy candy, drinks with artificial sweeteners, or beverages with 5 grams or more of added sugar under new statewide restrictions.


Mentally drained

Hi all,
I’m mentally drained at Wells Fargo. My manager has been pushing a “performance” issue that feels completely unfair (I’d rather not get into the details on that). Today I straight-up told my boss I’m exhausted from the constant stress and asked if they could just lay me off instead of firing me for performance.
Quick questions:
• If fired how good is COBRA insurance? Or does it offer?
• Can I still get unemployment on a performance termination?
• Do they pay out remaining vacation days either way?

Any advice on handling this or what others did? I need some mental relief before jumping to another job.
Thanks!


Are ICs paid until the end of the notice period on April 10th or just eligible for benefits?

The wording is a bit vague, "you will remain an oracle employee until 4/10" and "Your benefits will continue through 4/10".

Given that ICs fill out pay slips, I'm unsure if this means I am being paid until 4/10, or my benefits are active until then.


Gympass Wellhub Active and Charged

If you are in the US and you get RIFed, if you added wellhub then your gympass is still active and you will be charged monthly unless you cancel. One of the great things about Oracle is that you will get no further contact from anyone at Oracle about anything (unless you have peoples numbers). I don't even think your manager is allowed to talk to you. You are cut off pretty instantly, and it is a shock.

I suggest a regular gym routine or some kind of physical activity to help you keep your sanity.


RETIREMENT: Need help from folks who are planning to retire or have recently retired

Hi All - I need help from folks who are planning to retire or that went through the retirement process. Here is a thread on Chevron's page, it's customized I hope we can put together something similar to help our folks as well: https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kmrb08g5 or @OP+1kmrb08g5 "So, you've started thinking about RETIREMENT"

If you have time chime in with bits or pieces and, after a week or two I will consolidate everything into a long master post named "Exxon: Retirement Planning Considerations".

I am sure I am missing some key points but here is what comes to mind right now:

  1. Ret. eligibility details (thresholds, yrs, pts)
  2. Key milestone impcts (what changes materially)
  3. Equity / vesting rules (RSUs, timing)
  4. Bonus treatment after one leaves
  5. Pre-65 healthcare costs (monthly premiums, coverage)
  6. Post-65 healthcare reality (medcare, supplements, totals)
  7. Company contribution levels (amts, caps, trends)
  8. COBRA transition experience (costs, surprises)
  9. Retiree vs employee benefits (what gets better or worse)
  10. Out-of-pocket expectations (deductibles, exposure)
  11. Real monthly cost examples (individual??? family?)
  12. Financial planning lessons (mistakes, what mattered most to u)
  13. Longterm benefit risks (changes, reductions, uncertainty)
  14. Timeline considerations (when staying longer helps)
  15. Anything you wish known (critical hindsight insights)

Add what you can. Specific details are most useful.


CEO PERKS

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC director and officer Daniel H. Schulman reported a compensation-related award of phantom stock linked to the company’s common shares. On this Form 4, he acquired 183.933 units of phantom stock at an indicated value of $14.47 per unit through a deferred compensation plan.


So, you've started thinking about RETIREMENT

Here are few things to take in consideration. Bookmark this thread, you will need it. I hope others will chime in and cover things that I am missing but would be useful for ret. planning. Also, I might be off on a couple of things here, please correct me. Here we go:
1) “90 points” is a key milestone

  • It typically equals age + years of service
  • Hitting 90 generally qualifies you for full retirement status
  • You also typically need at least ~10 years of service to receive retiree benefits at all
  • Below that (for example 75 to 89), benefits may be reduced or prorated
  • Even small differences matter - dropping from 90 to 89 points can increase your share of healthcare costs

2) Stock and bonus implications matter

  • At 90 points, equity awards (RSUs, performance shares, SARs, etc.) often fully vest
  • You may also retain eligibility for bonuses issued after leaving payroll
  • Below that threshold, vesting may be partial or forfeited based on time worked
  • These equity outcomes can be a major part of total retirement value

3) Healthcare is still expensive even with company support

  • Pre-65: expect roughly several hundred dollars per month even with Chevron subsidies
  • Example shared: around $800/month for individual coverage after leaving employment
  • Post-65: total costs (Medicare + supplement + dental/vision) can reach ~$1,000/month for a couple
  • Chevron’s contribution is relatively small (around ~$100/month range)
  • Coverage quality is often considered strong, but you are paying significantly more than as an employee

4) Retiree benefits are weaker than employee benefits

  • You may keep access to similar plans, but the company pays a smaller share
  • Costs shift from “paycheck deduction” to direct out-of-pocket payments, which feels materially different
  • Contributions are sometimes prorated based on your “points” level
  • There is also risk that company contributions could drop further over time

5) Medicare is not “free”

  • You must pay Medicare Part B premiums
  • High earners pay extra through IRMAA surcharges
  • IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is an additional charge on Medicare premiums based on your income, which can significantly increase monthly costs for higher earners
  • You will likely also need a supplemental (gap) plan and possibly dental/vision

6) Long-term risk: benefits can shrink

  • Retiree medical contributions from Chevron have remained small and relatively flat over time
  • Some retirees reported large premium increases (for example ~80% over several years)
  • Benefits depend on company performance and policy - they are not guaranteed to improve
  • Planning should assume rising costs and limited company support

7) Financial planning is critical

  • Retirement income (Social Security, dividends, etc.) can push you into higher cost brackets for healthcare
  • You cannot rely on “appearing low income” to reduce costs if you have substantial assets or income streams
  • Many retirees bridge the gap to Medicare using savings or tax strategies
  • Healthcare becomes one of the largest and least predictable expenses in retirement

Amazon vs ExxonMobil

I started my career at a startup, then joined EM, and after a few years I moved to Amazon. I see a lot of comments claiming that big tech companies are just as toxic as XOM, but that hasn’t been my experience. Amazon is competitive, sure, but it’s a much healthier kind of competition. At XOM, people would take credit for your work or try to humiliate you if you weren’t part of their internal “cult.” My experience at Amazon has been nothing like that. I’m not saying everything is perfect, but the benefits, pay, and overall environment are significantly better, and the competition feels more professional rather than personal. For me XOM culture was way too toxic.


Transition versus Severance

I am in the transition category. I went through a roller coaster of emotions. I am exhausted. I know many feel the same. I feel in a way cheated being "offered" to transition to new company versus severance. For those who were laid off are you comfortable sharing what was offered for severance? I am in the US been with the company for 20 years. This su-ks all around for anyone impacted


Severance package or annuitant benefits

If you are retirement eligible and also being severed in 2027:
Are you considering retiring before end of 2026 to retain the 2026 annuitant benefits (and thereby forego severance package)? Or do you think it’s better to get the severance package and forego the 2026 (current) annuitant benefits package. Benefit package available for annuitants if you retire in 2027 or later is substantially worse than current annuitant benefits. Disappointed the company is making us choose!


How is everyone holding up after yesterday?

Yeah, it was and remains awful. Take care of yourselves first, just like the airline safety instruction. Take a couple of days to process, and make a plan that suits you best. Sending out peace and strength. If you have time to wring out everything from your benefits do it, as cr-ppy as they are.