Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

@db In your scenario you receive regular paychecks on 11/22/25, 12/4/25, 12/18/25, your vacation check on 1/1/26 and your severance sometime between 1/24/26 and 2/7/26. In other words, you continue to be paid as usual through your last day including any deductions. Any check you receive after your termination date will not have health care, life insurance, hcra, dcra or 401k, etc. deductions taken out.

@d6 to clarify my question is am I ‘terminated’ immediately upon my being notified (let’s say 11/20 for purposes of this question) or am I ‘terminated’ technically on the off payroll date? In other words would my next paycheck as per your comment containing my unused vacation days / etc be paid out two weeks after 11/20 or two weeks after the designated off payroll date so two weeks after 12/19? What is the timeframe between 11/20 and 12/19 considered? Are we being paid during that timeframe or is that basically a gap?

@cp Not sure I understand your question. You will continue to receive your normal paychecks until you are terminated. Your very last check of course will be received after you are off payroll. The check after that should have any unused vacation. The vested RSUs should be deposited to your Fidelity account within 60 days off payroll. Your severance is then paid as a lump sum within 45 days (usually 30) of your off payroll date, assuming you have signed the severance document.

@aa follow up question regarding off payroll date, do we continue to get paid as per normal up to that date and then if we accept severance get paid what is agreed to thereafter or is paycheck cut immediately after notice is given?

@a9 you're going to receive the severance in 2026 no matter what if your off payroll is 12/19. If you don't sign within 45 days, you get no severance.

@a8 does that technically mean if you hold off on signing you can technically push the timing you receive severance into the next tax year potentially avoiding the negative tax implications?

All employees have 45 days to sign and 7 days to rescind. The sooner you sign, the sooner you will get your severance when you go off payroll.

In the words of the Borg….Resistance is futile.

In a mass layoff, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) of 1990 protects workers aged 40 and older by requiring employers to meet strict rules when offering severance agreements or waivers of age discrimination claims. These rules ensure transparency, fairness, and informed decision-making for older employees.

🔑 Key Protections Under OWBPA During Mass Layoffs

• Applies to workers age 40+
The OWBPA is an amendment to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and specifically safeguards employees aged 40 and older from being pressured into unfair waivers of their rights Onwards HR +1.
• Clear and understandable agreements
Any severance or waiver agreement must be written in plain language, not legal jargon, so employees can fully understand what they are signing UpCounsel.
• Adequate time to decide• For individual terminations, workers must be given at least 21 days to consider the agreement.
• For group layoffs or reductions in force, they must be given 45 days to review the agreement UpCounsel.

• Right to revoke
Even after signing, employees have 7 days to revoke the agreement, ensuring they are not locked in immediately UpCounsel.
• Full disclosure in group layoffs
Employers must provide detailed written information about:• The decisional unit (the group of employees considered for layoff).
• The eligibility factors used to select employees.
• The job titles and ages of both those selected and those not selected for termination U.S. Equa... +1.
This prevents hidden age-based targeting and allows workers to see if older employees are disproportionately affected.

• No waiver of future claims
Workers cannot be forced to waive rights to file future age discrimination claims. Waivers only apply to past claims U.S. Equal E....
• Equal benefits protection
Employers cannot reduce or deny benefits (like severance, pensions, or health coverage) simply because of age. Older workers must receive benefits equal to or greater than younger employees mclellanlawg....

⚖️ Why This Matters in Mass Layoffs

Mass layoffs often disproportionately impact older workers, who may be seen as more expensive due to higher salaries or benefit costs. The OWBPA ensures that:

• Older employees are not tricked into signing away their rights.
• They have time and information to make informed choices.
• Employers remain accountable for fair treatment and transparency.

In practice, this means if you’re over 40 and part of a layoff, you should carefully review the severance package, check the disclosure list of ages and job titles, and consider consulting an attorney before signing. The law gives you the breathing room to do so without fear of losing your severance immediately.

✅ Bottom line: The OWBPA protects older workers in mass layoffs by enforcing time, transparency, and fairness requirements around severance agreements and ensuring benefits are not reduced because of age.

Would you like me to break down a step-by-step checklist of what to look for if you’re offered a severance agreement during a layoff? That way, you’d have a practical guide to apply these protections directly.

Sources: mclellanl... +4

Consider WHAT exactly? Lol

tl;dr version?