#severance

Has anyone calculated all the layoff payments? Have they been correct?
Not sure how much fees are being taken other than taxes...

Will future severance payouts be impacted? Will it be less?

Does anyone think that severance amounts will be impacted for future layoffs?

I haven't been here long. Was that always a thing, or is it new?

# Morgan Stanley Layoff Report — March 4, 2026
Source: TheLayoff.com | Thread: Morgan Stanley WM/Tech RIF
Thread ID: @OP+1kjtkpz73
Views: 8,754 | Replies: 60 | Last Activity: 8 hours ago (as of report generation)

## Executive Summary

On March 4, 2026, Morgan Stanley carried out a significant reduction in force (RIF) affecting its Wealth Management (WM) and Technology divisions globally. The Wall Street Journal pegged the cuts at approximately 2,500 employees, representing roughly 3% of the total workforce (@ez). The layoffs rolled out across time zones throughout the day, beginning in Asia and progressing through EMEA and North America. Affected employees reported being escorted out of offices, receiving garden leave notices, and in some cases discovering their severance was capped below what their tenure would suggest. No WARN Act filings were identified by thread participants ahead of the event.

## Scale & Official Confirmation

The thread was initiated by Anonymous 72 (@OP+1kjtkpz73) on March 4, who confirmed the RIF for WM was set to occur that day. The original post was made approximately one day before widespread reporting emerged.

The scale was subsequently corroborated by a user citing Wall Street Journal coverage (@ez):

"Wall Street Journal just posted a story. Said 2,500 or 3% of the workforce."

This figure places the event among Morgan Stanley's more significant recent headcount reductions. The thread notes no advance WARN Act filings were identified in the US (@eg, @dq), which generated discussion — one user speculated this may be because the majority of cuts were concentrated outside the US (@dr), which would exempt the firm from domestic filing requirements.

## Geographic Scope

Layoffs were confirmed or credibly reported across at least six cities spanning four countries, suggesting a coordinated global action rather than a regionally isolated restructuring.

### Asia (First Wave)
The thread noted that March 4 arrived in Asia first, and that the RIF had "started" there (@b6). Specific details from Asian offices were limited in the thread.

### London & EMEA (Second Wave)

• A London equities employee reported being told their position was at risk (@cw).
• Tech in London was independently confirmed as affected (@d0).
• One user reported that London had "finished" processing before the US wave began (@dn), suggesting a structured, time-zone-sequenced rollout.
• An EMEA-wide mandatory call for tech staff was reportedly called on short notice (@cp).

### Glasgow

• Affected divisions confirmed: finance, legal, and cyber security (@dd).
• Notably, one user suggested the cuts in Glasgow may have begun as early as mid-February, with several VPs disappearing around February 15 on apparent "leave" of 1.5–2 months — interpreted by the poster as quiet separations ahead of the formal RIF date (@dd).
• One IB employee in Glasgow confirmed their role was designated "at risk" and that a 30-day consultation period had commenced (@f8).

### Montreal

• Tech division confirmed affected (@ed).
• One employee reported a colleague was escorted out of the office with all her belongings (@ef).
• An Executive Director in Montreal was confirmed let go (@ey).

### New York

• WM Operations confirmed affected; at least one employee confirmed they were laid off (@dj).
• A 28+ year veteran (VP L4, tech) in NYC confirmed separation (details in Severance section below) (@dv).

### Alpharetta, GA

• Confirmed affected (@dk).

### Arlington, VA

• Multiple people escorted out of the Arlington office (@er).

## Seniority of Those Affected

Reports suggest the RIF was not limited to junior employees. Confirmed or reported senior separations include:

The presence of EDs and senior VPs in the affected pool suggests this was a performance-agnostic cost reduction exercise rather than a targeted performance-based action.

## Severance & Compensation Details

One of the most detailed firsthand accounts came from a 28+ year NYC VP (L4) in technology (@dv):

• Placed on garden leave through June 30, 2026
• Severance was described as capped, despite tenure exceeding the cap threshold
• The poster noted "there were good things there and better things ahead"

A follow-up post from another affected employee (@dx) added:

• Received 3 weeks of severance per year of service, but capped at 15 years despite 20 years of actual tenure

This cap drew scrutiny. Anonymous 72 (@e4) noted the cap represents a specific dollar ceiling tied to officer title, and that it may be legally challengeable since the cap threshold is never disclosed to employees prior to a RIF.

A separate user confirmed there is an internal HR website listing the dollar caps by title (VP/ED/MD) (@e7), though the URL was not publicly shared in the thread.

## Process & Transparency Concerns

Several users raised concerns about how the RIF was handled procedurally:

• No WARN Act notices identified for the US as of the time of posting (@eg, @dq). One user noted this may be because the cuts were primarily non-US in focus (@dr), which would exempt the firm from the 60-day advance notice requirement under the federal WARN Act.
• No advance media coverage — multiple users expressed surprise that a reduction of this scale had not appeared in the press beforehand (@b5, @dq).
• One user speculated the March 4 date may not represent the end of reductions, suggesting a rolling layoff model in which additional divisions (e.g., Banking, non-tech WM) could follow in subsequent weeks (@ds).
• The Glasgow situation (@dd) raises the possibility that some separations were being quietly processed weeks before the official RIF date, which would be consistent with a rolling or pre-staged reduction strategy.

## Division Breakdown

Based on thread reports, the following divisions were mentioned as affected:

## Notable Contested Claims

Two posts (@e9, @ej) made claims alleging that layoffs disproportionately targeted white employees and attributed this to managerial bias. These posts received heavily split reactions (roughly equal upvotes and downvotes) and generated significant sub-thread debate. They are noted here for completeness but:

1. Are not independently verifiable from thread content
2. Represent individual perceptions, not documented patterns
3. Should not be treated as factual reporting absent external corroboration

## Key Open Questions (As of Report Date)

• Will additional RIF waves affect Banking and non-tech WM, as speculated in @ds?
• Are severance caps legally defensible given the non-disclosure issue raised in @e4?
• Did Glasgow separations beginning ~February 15 (@dd) constitute a pre-staged RIF, and does this affect WARN Act or UK employment law compliance?
• What is the total headcount impact in each geographic region?

• Report compiled from user posts on TheLayoff.com thread @OP+1kjtkpz73. All information is sourced from anonymous employee accounts.

Quick question for anyone in New Jersey who was part of the Feb. 20 layoff wave.
Did you only receive half of your severance so far? If yes, have you heard anything about when the second half is supposed to hit?
Also, any word on the RSU payout timeline? Haven’t seen any updates yet.
Appreciate any info, trying to figure out what to expect. Thanks.

This message has been sent to all Albion College employees who meet all of the criteria listed below. Being identified as an eligible employee should not be construed as a requirement to opt in to the College’s Voluntary Separation Plan or a guarantee that an employee’s application to participate will be accepted. The College will make decisions concerning the scope and breadth of individuals’ accepted participation based on the affected job titles and operational needs of the College.

Albion College is offering a Voluntary Separation Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is available to employees who meet all of the criteria listed below:

1. Salaried staff whose primary employment is in an administrative (as opposed to instructional) position,
2. who are expected to work 9 or more months per year,
3. full or part time
4. who were hired prior to 7/1/2025.

In the event the College accepts the employee’s application to participate in the Plan, the employee will be provided pay and benefits in accordance with the final schedule.

Highlights of Offer
• Severance
• Completed Years of Service (YOS) with the College based on the employee’s current hire date through the end of the current fiscal year (FY) ending June 30, 2026 multiplied by 1.25 to determine weeks of severance pay at the current weekly rate of annual salary.
• The maximum number of weeks is 17
• The minimum number of weeks is 4
• YOS will be rounded to the nearest whole year.
• Additional Severance Incentive
• If enrolled in College Health Plan, the employee will receive an additional $200 per week of severance paid in lump sum in the first pay period of the severance payment
• If the employee has opted out of the College Health Plan for the current plan year, they will receive an additional $25 per week of severance paid in lump sum in the first pay period of the severance payment
• Ability to use the full PTO fiscal year available balance provided the employee is actively working the full final work week.
• Dependent Tuition Benefits may continue as a taxable benefit under the Albion and GLCA programs only and only for dependents who are continuing their education at their current institution.

Benefits terminate upon separation of employment with the College
• The following benefits end on separation/termination date
• College Sponsored MedicalRx and/or Dental (continuation available via COBRA)
• Retirement contributions (employee (EE) & employer (ER)
• Life/AD&D/LTD including Supplemental Life/AD&D (company may offer continuation under individual plan)
• Flex Spending (continuation available via COBRA)
• EE and Spouse Tuition Benefits
• The Following benefits end on the end of month of separation/termination date
• Vision (continuation available via COBRA)
• Aflac (company may offer continuation under individual plan)
• Harrington Loan Forgiveness
• EE HSA Contributions
• EE FSA Contributions

In order to receive the benefits of the Plan, each employee will need to enter into a voluntary separation and release agreement. Employees should know, however, that once the College has accepted an employee’s application to participate in the program, the employee will have terminated his or her employment on the effective date selected by the College, which shall be May 15, 2026, regardless of whether the employee executes the Separation and Release Agreement.

This letter is a general overview of the available benefits, and each employee interested in the Plan should carefully review the attached Voluntary Separation Plan 2026 and related documents. To the extent this letter is inconsistent with the Plan, the Plan documents will control.

To apply, employees must submit via the Voluntary Buyout Application - 2026 Program online form not later than March 16, 2026.
a. If an employee applies, the employee has made an irrevocable offer to resign their employment from the College, with such resignation effective May 15, 2026.
b. Once the College has accepted an employee’s application to participate in the program, the employee will have terminated his or her employment on the effective date selected by the College regardless of whether the employee executes the Separation and Release Agreement.

Last, should you have any questions or concerns about the materials that are being provided, please feel free to contact me.

WellCare will layoff over 100 employees sometime before March 31, 2026. No formal communication has been given to impacted employees. Only stated that you will know sometime this month when your last day is and possible severance if eligible.

KSAT-12 implemented layoffs affecting about 20 employees. The station confirmed these were staffing adjustments. A producer said no one expected the job cuts. Affected employees received severance pay. The company cited a changing media climate and restructuring.

https://www.expressnews.com/lifestyle/article/ksat-layoffs-21953161.php

I was laid off back in January. Last year, I got my bonus check around the 3rd week of March. Is that a reasonable expectation after getting laid off?

Unless you are ready to retire or have other financial means, calling BS on a golden ticket. It take an average of two weeks for every year of experience to find a new job. The severance here for most people will be just enough to find another role. If your skills were that valuable you would have found a new higher paying job instead of waiting for a “golden ticket”

I'm in a location with RTO mandated Tues-Thu. I'm complying when I can, but I need to maximize my productive work time to control the impact this place has on my life. That means sometimes I work from home and I appear on the list for non-compliance with RTO. Could they use that to deny my severance if I'm laid off? I don't trust this organization.

Can anyone who's been let go recently ACTUALLY CONFIRM the severance package given and your job designation? A3 A4 D2 D4 ETC?

I'm not asking what you think, what you've heard or what the documents in SharePoint say, is there someone with a real world experience that can definitively say what their experience was and if its a lump sum or ongoing payments until it runs out

Wells Fargo is struggling after laying off 5,600 workers — and paying millions in severance - Market Realist https://share.google/6Ie7MrFCLAJ55vvL4

Basically, someone stated that the Nov 20 layoff was some kind of exception to the prorated RSU treatment that involuntary separations receive.

That those caught in this particular wave would have all future years (the two tranches for 2027 and the one for 2028) vest upon separation.

Any truth in this?

I got laid off recently. They sent a letter saying my last day is 8 weeks from then and $k amount as severance. I’m getting paid for these 8 weeks, at the end of 8 weeks do I get $k mentioned?

What can a director expect to get as a severance package?

Whats the inside word on I9 verification some U.S. employees are being pushed through? 7 days to prove citizenship or be fired? Is this an attempt to fire without severance?

I got a 4, and no PIP. But was any one pip-ed after year-end reviews in order for them to deny?

AES has been acquired by BlackRock and will become a private company as part of the consortium. As a result, corporate policies and governance frameworks are expected to be reviewed and revised to align with the new ownership structure.

The existing severance or “poison pill” arrangements will apply only to Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members. Regular employees affected by the acquisition may not have the same level of defined protection, and further clarity will be needed regarding transition support.

The service organization is expected to undergo restructuring and may potentially be dismantled in order to drive efficiencies and leverage the holding company’s existing processes and infrastructure.

Operational independence will be established, with each entity managed individually under the new structure.

As a private company, AES will no longer be subject to public company reporting requirements. Financial management and oversight will operate under a different governance model, with reduced regulatory burden and streamlined processes compared to public market standards.

I survived another round of layoffs and am not happy about it. Any tips or tricks for how to get let go? I quiet quit back in 2022 and have been doing less than half the amount of work that I did previously. I am constantly in the bottom 3 on my team performance wise. I just want my famn severance package already!

Source: https//www.sdxcentral.com

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman - Verizon
…And if you can’t “imagine,” Verizon CFO Tony Skiadas provided more clarity.

“Noncore areas that are not aligned to growth, including legacy areas, are being significantly reduced and/or eliminated, and that includes areas such as business wireline, nondirectional products, technology as well, wholesale, legacy copper, and voice platforms, and even projects with too long of a payback,” Skiadas explained.

Verizon’s management noted that it will instead invest in its mobile and broadband offerings.

Job cuts continue
Verizon is also continuing to work through its extensive job cuts, which will quickly see the carrier slash 13,000 total jobs in short order.

Skiadas noted that Verizon slashed just over 10,000 jobs by the end of 2025, which pushed the carrier’s total employee base down to just under 90,000 total employees. Verizon plans to finish the latest culling by the end of March.

Those cuts were made official in November, with Verizon noting in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it would take a severance charge of up to $1.8 billion during the current fourth quarter tied to the cuts. Verizon’s filing also noted that the carrier “expects that its cost reduction efforts will include a significant reduction in outsourced, contracted, and other outside labor expense.”

The job cuts were initiated by Schulman shortly after he assumed leadership last October.

Like SWE II-III type titles.

Did you know you can sue Wellsfargo even after signing the severance package? You can still sue them even after few years later. You can report misconduct to EEOC anytime you want. Document everything and protect your rights.

Is the payout usually below the full target? Company prioritizes full payout for current employee only?

I know that when someone gets laid off, they have a term date, typically two weeks after the date of layoff. So how does regular salary and severance payment works? Are these two weeks paid as regular salary or part of severance, and how long might it take for severance to get paid out.

Forgive an old man for reminiscing. It was 2 years ago today the ENB ended my career and laid me off.
What a gut punch! The team I led was a high performing, highly regarded team. The folks I worked with, led and supported were the best. Our senior leaders, not so much.
During my decade at ENB I survived 5 rounds of layoffs before I was kicked to the curb. During one round I happened to be the senior on site and had to conduct the “all clear” meeting, that was a tough one.
Today I’m in a much better place, with the severance package I was given I was able to retire. Next month the last of my LTI grants will pay out. I wish all of you who remain the very best. Except the clueless senior leaders who have no idea what they are doing. And while I don’t miss working at all, I still miss my team!

Amazon's Lancaster facility will transition to a returns-only center. This change affects 544 current employees. However, officials confirm no employee layoffs will occur. Affected workers can transfer to other nearby Amazon locations or remain at the Lancaster site. Severance packages are available for employees choosing to leave the company.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/no-employee-layoffs-coming-lancaster-041356667.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-15597141/jack-dorsey-block-layoffs-ai.html

"Jack Dorsey has axed thousands of workers at Block, the parent company of Cash App, Square and Afterpay, in a move signaling a major shift toward artificial intelligence.

In a note to staff, Dorsey explained that Block would be taking on risk by investing in 'intelligence tools,' as the company cut more than 4,000 employees on Thursday:

• "today we're making one of the hardest decisions in the history of our company: we're reducing our organization by nearly half, from over 10,000 people to just under 6,000. that means over 4,000 of you are being asked to leave or entering into consultation. i'll be straight about what's happening, why, and what it means for everyone."

The company said workers affected by the layoffs will receive 20 weeks of pay, in addition to an extra week's salary for every year they worked at the company.

Those let go will also keep their corporate devices, receive stock benefits through the end of May, six months of health coverage, and a $5,000 payment to help them through the transition.

Employees outside the US will be offered similar packages, though details will vary by country, the statement said.

All employees were told they would be informed the same day whether they were being laid off, entering consultation, or keeping their jobs.

Block's shares surged 24 percent following the announcement of the layoffs, according to CNN."

BLOCK announced layoffs this week due to the impact of AI, but with that, Jack announced the following severance plan for affected people: 20 weeks of full pay PLUS one week for every year of tenure, six months of full healthcare benefits, all corporate devices can be kept, and $5000 of transition assistance dollars. If you’re gonna conduct layoffs, this is one way to do it responsibly. PEARSON would never……..

Got severance last November and still haven’t got prorated bonus payment. Got the severance payment within 4 weeks. Has this happened before? Everyone I asked got the bonus payout. How to ask why, when and to whom?
Thanks.

If you’re part of the 2/19 layoffs with a final termination date of April 25, how many weeks severance are you receiving after April 25? The documentation shows minimums for each band level. For example 16 weeks min for Band 4. Have other Band 4s all received 22 weeks or does your number of years at Cigna add on (in pairs of 2 weeks) to the 16 weeks?

Thank you!

Why did I just get $5600 deposited in my checking account? I got paid already months ago from the severance and RSUs. My last day was 12/19.

A colleague of mine was fired yesterday. 6 months to retirement, but they fired him paying a severance package.
How does this make sense?

He was let go by a new manager appointed recently (6 promotions in 5 years - yeah, its possible) who doesn’t even know what my colleague does and how complex&important is his work.
No replacement, no time for handover.

And we got motivational speeches from a new manager.
I can’t believe its happenning, feels like being inside of ‘The Office’ sitcom, only its not funny.

Id--t Hill inherited Nike when the stock price was $85 and in a span of 1.5 years revenues have declined, margin down by 27%, stock in the dumps. He could have achieved this even without the layoffs.

What exactly have layoffs achieved? He didn't even have the ba--s to add Nike to tariff suit.

The pattern is repeating now, at the rest of the company braces for next round of layoffs with even a reduced severance.

Two questions about severance, US based. Assume your current position is being eliminated and you would be normally eligible for a special severance.

1) If you apply for a job, realize you do not want it and get an offer, do you forfeit severance?

2) If you apply for a job, realize you do not want it and withdraw your application before getting an offer, do you forfeit severance?

I think you forfeit it on 1, since an offer was extended, but I am not sure about 2, since no offer was extended.

I'm not sure that AI washing can really explain this at this point. Seems extreme. Will this be another klarna moment where they are calling people back in 3 months?

https://www.wsj.com/business/jack-dorseys-block-to-lay-off-4-000-employees-in-ai-remake-28f0d869

Jack Dorsey’s Block to Lay Off 40% of Its Workforce in AI Remake
Parent of Square and Cash App says intelligence tools have changed how to run a company

By Angel Au-Yeung
Feb. 26, 2026 5:04 pm ET

Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and co-founder & CEO of Square, at the Bitcoin 2021 Convention.
Jack Dorsey at a convention in Miami in 2021. Marco Bello/AFP/Getty Images
Block XYZ 4.99%increase; green up pointing triangle, the payments company founded by Jack Dorsey that includes Square and Cash App, said Thursday that it plans to lay off 40% of its workforce, or more than 4,000 employees.

Dorsey alluded to artificial-intelligence tools as the reason for the cuts in a letter to shareholders.

“The core thesis is simple,” wrote Dorsey. “Intelligence tools have changed what it means to build and run a company.”

The company said the plan would cost it $450 million to $500 million in expenses and severance. Shares rallied more than 20% in after-hours trading.

Big companies have already been laying off thousands of white collar workers over the past year, in some cases pointing to increased efficiency created by AI. Salesforce cut roughly 4,000 customer-support roles last year because of AI advancements. Pinterest, meanwhile, has said it is laying off nearly 15% of its workforce as part of a plan to focus more of the company’s resources on AI-related roles.

And the fear AI would shrink jobs and replace the functions of whole companies sparked a market rout earlier this week after a research report imaged a dystopian future for the U.S. economy.

Analysts and economists have pushed back against the scenarios laid out in the report, but Block’s drastic job cuts will likely stoke up those fears.

The company said most of the layoffs would occur in the first quarter of this year and be completed by the second quarter.

“I don’t think we’re early to this realization. I think most companies are late,” Dorsey wrote. “Within the next year, I believe the majority of companies will reach the same conclusion and make similar structural changes.”

Will Wells Fargo claw back your package? Can you get double paid?