#compensation

And said toodaloo M’fkas :)

I've been back at full time office for almost 2.5 years. I saw the writing on the wall and decided to do 5 days even before that mandate came out. Loved the initial months of WFH but the days became longer and longer. I was averaging 53-55 hours per week. Now I do a straight 40 and leave. When asked about working additional hours I cite an after-work obligation I need to attend to. I continue to receive good reviews, decent bonuses and team awards. The quality of life improvement in taking back those 13-15 hours a week is amazing. I get the downside of RTO for the masses, but I'd like to know if others have recaptured the additional hours they were giving away for free before 5 days a week in-office was mandated.

Mine was 11% very early in my career, so numbers were low even though the % was fairly big.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/insiders-elevance-health-sold-us-120011661.html

Article makes note of the fact that the senior leadership team is NOT buying Elevance stock, in fact they sold 6.7 million in stock. The story indicates that there was a purchase of 2.8 million in the last year but fail to mention that 2.4 million of that was a one time purchase by Gail B in July. SLT better skip buying watches this year and buy more stock to inflate the stock price if they want to get their undeserved bonuses!

Review google for leadership salaries. They also need to take a pay cut. You could gather 1 million dollars easily. Perhaps a flatter organization

Word is effective 9/1 - they now have Prime and overlays vs. Traditional Oracle Model: Prime and Prime.
ERP/HCM/FIN are the Primes - Industrial, Construction, etc are overlays.
Comp Plans are being re-issued ?? Been in the works for awhile if Ops can turn comp plans on a dime.
This will lead to a SaaS management and rep/sc sla-ghter.

Foreshadowing of the DP Org.

Please confirm if this is accurate.

When companies talk about “transformation,” it usually sounds like innovation, growth, and opportunity. At Verizon, though, transformation has quietly turned into something else — a reshuffling of its workforce.

Over the past decade, Verizon’s headcount has dropped from about 135,000 employees in 2016 to just over 100,000 today. The cuts have come through layoffs, buyouts, and big outsourcing deals, like handing off IT operations to IBM or tech support to Infosys.

The people leaving aren’t random. It’s mostly long-tenured employees — the ones with higher salaries, pensions, and strong benefits. When they walk out, so does decades of knowledge and experience that helped keep the company running.

At the same time, Verizon is still hiring. New roles are opening in software, data science, and AI. Public filings show some of these jobs paying between $140,000 and $220,000. Younger engineers are coming in closer to $100,000 to $130,000. That’s good money, but it’s still far less than what many veterans were earning before being bought out.

The result is clear: Verizon isn’t just cutting jobs, it’s swapping its workforce. Higher-paid veterans are leaving, while newer, cheaper, or visa-sponsored hires step in. To Wall Street, this is packaged as “AI transformation” and “efficiency.” Inside the company, it looks a lot more like cost-cutting.

So is Verizon right to do this? On paper, the math makes sense. Lower costs protect the dividend, and pointing to new AI hires pleases investors. But on the human side, the risk is real. You can’t replace years of experience overnight. And if service quality slips or morale keeps falling, those costs will show up later.

4000 RIFed times average salary of $100,000=$400M include
4000 times vested RSUs which are clawed back on an average $150,000 = $600M
Bottom line Savings of ~ $1B.

Oh, by the way, they offered more. Best of luck in India.

Feeling so disheartened and disappointed.

This firm truly prefers teacher's pets and individuals who are less deserving when giving recognition, appraisal, raise or bonus.

I have slogged my a$$ and all of my manager downplays everything I did, undermining my contribution.

Hello is anyone heard if RICOH will be giving raises this year? They have completely fallen off track with the cost of living and they need to do something to retain the workers that they have left.

Laid off this morning (US). Outstanding performance reviews, raise last year, RSU's, etc. At least they gave us a month on payroll for the RSU's to vest.

https://www.advisorhub.com/vanguard-to-pay-19-5-million-for-failing-to-disclose-advisor-conflicts/

According to Fidelity’s Advisor Compensation plan, Fidelity uses “complexity” as a factor in determining variable advisor compensation. But it does not necessarily mean “complex for the client to understand.” Instead, it could mean complex according to Fidelity’s internal judgment. A client may find a Treasury ladder or an index fund “complex,” depending on their experience. Does Fidelity classify those products as “simple,” meaning advisors don’t get as much credit or bonus for recommending them?

Don’t Fidelity Advisors earn more variable compensation for steering clients into Fidelity’s managed platforms or annuities and keeping them in those managed products or annuities? Doesn’t the structure ultimately bias recommendations toward Fidelity’s higher-margin products?

I guess alleged vagueness might protect the firm because “complexity” is not transparently defined. Fidelity can flex its meaning internally. Is it possible that it's difficult for clients to independently verify whether a product was labeled “complex” or not based on their needs or simply because it’s more profitable to Fidelity? Therefore, is the use of “complexity” subjective and firm-controlled and appears to be more aligned with Fidelity’s profitability and not client comprehension?

Since we've Reimagined the values on which this firm stands, let's get rid of the Toast to Ted and Toast ELT:

You've truly discovered the secret inGREEDient to success.

The revolutionary way in which you've enriched yourselves and your friends while subcontracting to outside consultants and ChatGPT "deliver" on your work is quite innovative to the wealth management industry. Who needs partners to share the work when you and your homies can grab a greater share of the wealth while getting someone else to do that pesky work, right?!

May you never have to hear associates whine about job security, pay reductions or their 4th reorg in 3 years that did nothing to improve operating efficiency while enjoying the buzz of your buzzwords and $10k bottles of wine.

Cheers!

To a years of service + age = magic number for full retirement pension, a lot would just retire without a severance offer. Looks like this would cost the company less and get the salaries off the books and onto the pension program. Then they could hire 2 for the cost of 1.

It used to be that options after ten years would be worth more than your salary each year. Now, fear getting fired and letting go of options for zero. Many execs have lost millions in the last five years. What a sad story'

If the firm expects or wants remaining associates to stay with the firm, you’d think they would give them a reason. Where’s the enhancements to comp, benefits, profit sharing, etc. that were dangled nearly two years back and mentioned again a few months ago? Haven’t heard a peep about any of that for a while.

The firm’s below-market pay already made it difficult to attract experienced talent. Now it has a bad reputation which will make recruiting even harder.

If leadership doesn’t act quick they are going to find themselves in a talent black hole. Attrition is going to spike through the roof which is maybe what the firm wants but who is going to fill those vacated roles? Candidates the firm wants aren’t going to accept mid pay AND a toxic culture. The money they’ll spend course correcting to attract talent will greatly exceed whatever savings they just captured from these layoffs. I’ve seen it before and it is not pretty for management’s pocketbook. The clock is ticking to get ahead of this disaster before it’s too late.

Amazon Sits Out AI Talent War — Here’s Why

By Eugene Kim, August 28, 2025

Full story: https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ai-talent-wars-internal-document-2025-8

Amazon, one of the world’s largest technology companies, has largely sat on the sidelines of the AI talent war that is reshaping Silicon Valley. While competitors such as Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft are actively pulling in high-profile researchers and engineers, Amazon has failed to make equivalent moves. A confidential internal document and testimony from current and former employees help explain why this has happened, and the picture is complex.

The internal memo identifies several major challenges. It lists location restrictions, strict compensation bands, and a reputation for lagging in AI as the central reasons Amazon is struggling. It states: "GenAI hiring faces challenges like location, compensation, and Amazon's perceived lag in the space… Competitors often provide more comprehensive and aggressive packages." These constraints, insiders argue, have placed Amazon at a significant disadvantage at precisely the moment when demand for AI expertise is surging.

Compensation has emerged as one of the most hotly debated issues inside the company. Amazon is known for its cost-conscious culture. From the earliest days, founder Jeff Bezos embraced frugality, with the company famously using doors from Home Depot as makeshift desks. This "door desk" philosophy became a symbol of Amazon’s careful spending and has continued to shape its culture decades later. In AI recruiting, however, frugality has clashed with the reality of the market. The company’s adherence to fixed salary bands and its reluctance to adjust ranges for highly specialized roles mean that many offers fall short of those from rival firms. The memo warns: "The lack of salary range increases for several key job families over the past few years does not position Amazon as an employer of choice for top tech talent." Amazon’s stock compensation model adds another challenge. Its vesting schedule is heavily backloaded, making it less appealing to new hires compared with upfront-heavy packages at competitors. Even executives receive few cash bonuses, which makes the offers less flexible.

Amazon’s workplace policies have further reduced its ability to compete. The company’s strict return-to-office mandate, combined with its "hub" policy requiring employees to relocate to specific offices, has limited its talent pool. The internal document plainly states: "Hubs constrain market availability." Recruiters note that candidates have started turning down offers, even when salaries are competitive, simply to avoid relocation or commuting. One recruiter admitted: "We are losing out on talent." This policy has made it easier for competitors to poach Amazon employees. Bloomberg reported that Oracle alone hired more than 600 Amazon staff in just two years, citing the rigidity of Amazon’s RTO rules as a key factor.

Externally, Amazon also faces a reputational challenge. SignalFire, a venture capital firm, reported that Amazon ranks low in engineering retention compared to Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic. Jarod Reyes of SignalFire explained: "Amazon hasn’t clearly positioned itself as a leader in the generative AI wave… Engineers are paying attention and they’re voting with their feet." In other words, even if Amazon offers competitive pay, many engineers do not see the company as the place to work on groundbreaking AI research.

Amazon has responded publicly by insisting it remains competitive. A spokesperson initially emphasized that the company is adapting its compensation and work arrangements. Hours later, the response was updated to call the story’s premise "wrong." The spokesperson also insisted: "Our compensation is competitive, but we also want missionaries… there’s no better place in the world to build." Despite this, the internal documents and accounts from employees suggest that the issues are systemic and not easily fixed.

Amazon is not entirely absent from the AI landscape. It recently brought in Adept’s CEO David Luan as part of a licensing deal, placing him in charge of Amazon’s AI agents lab. It also continues to build AI capabilities through AWS Bedrock, its cloud-based generative AI platform. Still, the company has seen key departures, including senior leaders such as chip designer Rami Sinno and Bedrock vice president Vasi Philomin. These departures reinforce the perception that Amazon is not keeping pace with rivals.

Plans are underway to address the challenges. The internal memo describes upcoming strategies such as refining compensation and location approaches, hosting events to showcase generative AI capabilities, and creating specialized AI recruiting teams within business units like AWS. However, multiple insiders told Business Insider that no formal changes have been implemented yet. One manager noted the company’s reluctance to abandon long-standing systems: "Based on how we run our business… there are more risks than potential benefits from changing an approach that has been so successful for our shareholders over the past several decades."

This caution reflects Amazon’s broader identity. The company has long prioritized efficiency, frugality, and consistency. These traits have delivered strong results in e-commerce and cloud computing, but in AI, where talent is scarce and competition is fueled by high spending, they may become liabilities. Amazon risks being left behind while rivals make bold bets on generative AI.

The consequences of missing out on AI talent could be significant. The pool of world-class researchers and engineers is limited. Without them, companies struggle to push the boundaries of large language models, computer vision, and multimodal systems. Amazon has yet to deliver a breakthrough product to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude. Instead, it is relying on incremental progress through AWS services. Investors are noticing. On a recent earnings call, a Morgan Stanley analyst pressed CEO Andy Jassy about fears that AWS is falling behind in AI. His answers did little to reassure the market, and Amazon’s stock slipped.

Some argue that the AI hiring frenzy may itself be overblown, driven by hype and investor pressure. Indeed, a few of the high-profile AI hires made by Meta have already left. Yet the risk for Amazon is clear: if generative AI fulfills its promise, the companies with the strongest teams will be positioned to lead. For now, Amazon appears to be struggling to convince both talent and investors that it belongs in that group.

In summary, Amazon’s cautious culture, rigid pay structures, and strict return-to-office policies are limiting its ability to compete in the generative AI talent race. While the company insists it is adapting and remains a strong player, insiders and analysts point to clear signs of weakness. Whether Amazon can overcome these barriers and reassert itself as a leader in AI will depend on how willing it is to adapt the very cultural and structural elements that have defined it for decades.

Source: Eugene Kim, Business Insider, August 28, 2025

Hey guys, I think the title pretty much explains it. You won’t be left jobless you would be jobless and carless so hoping getting an enhanced package.

I have heard a rumor that the Research/Engineering EMTECH Organization Charges $400+ USD per hour to an Affiliate for EMTECH Services in 2025. Is this True?

Pre-2020, the cost of an SME in EMRE (now EMTECH) was only $230 per hour and the cost of a Junior Engineer was $180 per hour.

Why is EMTECH so expensive in 2025?

Hi, for fellows here, anyone know how to milk best fridge benefit before the last day?

1. ask for training , Cisco pay for a training 1 week after the impact.. and then cancel and reschedule to future months, some of the classes are good and last 1 week
   some training are free while you are at Cisco, and getting it require no approval.

2. anything else to sign up? like employee discounts and etc?

some of my past fellows did msoft discount, apple discount and etc.. travel discount. one of them went through training 2 months down the road. cost nothing.

anything else?

I left State Farm about 2 years ago and had only worked for them 8 years. Last week I got a letter stating they were buying out my pension based on ERISA and IRS guidelines and gave me a link to a web-site for more information. Did anyone else get this? Obviously I have to take the money and they gave me a deadline of September 15, 20025. Thoughts?

Companies have to be competitive by relying on cheap indentured labor or outsourcing work to sweatshops. If NM don't, fall behind in the market. To see real change, elect politicians who will protect American jobs by banning H-1B visas, reducing immigration, and placing tariffs on outsourced services from cheaper countries.

Retiree here who lost all subsidies. Premiums on individual marketplace plans set to spike. Mercer says employer based premiums set to rise 10% for 2026. Will this huge spike lead to more job losses at the company or will benefits be reduced even more ? Got to believe it will lead to more layoffs for those over age 50 and a combination of benefit cuts and price hikes this Fall. Many companies are laying off already because of this and higher interest rates. GLP-1 dr-gs are killing the system leading to bat schit crazy panic setting in with CFOs. 50% of all costs go to overhead w/insurance companies who pay C-Suite Execs millions. Something needs to be done.

A company is competitive by taking advantage of cheap indentured labor importation and outsourcing work to sweatshops. If you need to see change then elect politicians that will change laws to protect American jobs by banning H1B, reducing immigration and tariff services from India

You can add additional funds to your HSA, above what you may have withheld, and transfer them to an investment account. Granted the investment account options from HSA Bank are limited but after separation from the company you can transfer those funds to Fidelity or some other account where you have a lot of investment options. This money is yours to keep and grows tax free and is not taxed on withdrawal IF used for allowed medical expenses.
When taking early retirement in 2018 my account was $53000. I paid Cobra health insurance premiums and later my Part B Medicare premiums using the HSA. Now in 2025 my HSA balance has grown to $90000 despite these significant withdrawals. (Note that withdrawals for normal health insurance premiums such as Obamacare or supplemental Medicare insurance premiums are not tax free.)
If you absolutely need the money you can withdraw it and pay the taxes, you are free to use it as you see fit.

Are the layoffs over in Technology building? When are they going to replace those highly paid dead weights removed for cheaper, creative, energized younger minds? It happened last time.

Severance in India?
I believe notice period is 3 months. So you also get 3m salary + severance right ?

Finally had a chance to read through the severance plans and it is hilarious they are making you fill out an application to decide if they want to fire you. LOL!! It dawned on me after reading the AT&T email someone posted on here, they are attempting to redesign the system to keep us all trapped. Working from home and COVID gave everyone time to stop, look around and evaluate their lives and the system being forced down our throats. The Elites and Executives that rely on the fruits of our labor to distance themselves from the common man and create generational wealth are panicking. Employees were taking back control of their lives, moving away from the rat race and expensive cities. Getting side gigs and backup plans to give them options to exit corporate America and shifting the balance of power back to the employee. They can't let that happen. MT took his $150 million in compensation and got the he-l out, has his re--rd-ed son in the company and appointed his buddy JF and two SF agents to continue the scam and cover his tracks. Sc--w these people, only do enough to not get fired, and find a way out. Don't participate in their scam, resist, resist resist....these are evil people without a soul.

Growing up AT&T was the behind company everyone arrived to work for and make the big corporate bucks for life including excellent lifetime pension starting at age 50. GE was the other favorite, immense company excellent funding and salaries for every walk of life. No one could ever imagine those companies would get broken up and career growth and remuneration could be scaled back so much. Now it's ExxonMobil's turn. That seems to be the end game.

Look at his business decisions, all to the determent of AT&T. Buy high, sell low. Who profits? Not AT&T shareholders. AT&T is the cow that is getting milked and the employees are blamed for not feeding the cow enough grain.

Are you "living your purpose" yet?

Post Covid when the world of work is now mobile and video based, TIAA has wasted money by moving from Denver to Frisco. If anything, there should be less real estate foot print not more post pandemic. Outsourcing to Accenture in India, record Outflows, and a reputational damage with all the recent lawsuits are damaging TIAA. The Board and Senior Management are out of their league. Meanwhile, existing employees left wont get the raises they deserve or the enhanced benefits packages they need because this waste of money. The Board and Senior Management should be forced to resign.

J. Stankey
CEO Pay
$26,410,845
Median Employee Pay
$122,611
CEO Pay Ratio
215:1
CEO will make more on Jan 1st of the year in one day more than most employees in the entire year.

I want to see the disparities.

I heard directors and above will not get bonus anymore. True ?

The company is changing and seems to be in big trouble.

What do you think about this move ?

Most companies I have been at clearly state the company’s bonus structure for employees. For example level A 10-15% bonus potential Level B 15-20% potential etc. Does anyone know if there is something like that at Intel? Does a "FPGA Enginner Grade 5" have more bonus potential than a “Product Engineer - Grade 6”? If so what are those numbers for APB and QPB?

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Heard that there will be a PSG adjustment at the end of the year to align us with the industry, anyone else hear this? Heard they are doing salary surveys.

Heard that Chevron, like many companies, are doing salary surveys for an upcoming company wide adjustment to compete with the industry. Anyone else heard anything?

A pay cut? Loss of benefits?

I have a few offers on the table paying less. Some have little to no benefits.

The math says i should stay here but its hard to put a figure for savings on things like mental well being, commute, and not being exposed to every single strain/wave of covid.

So my question is, what would you give to never have to go to the office again?