Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

Yes.

26y employee. 50y old. I've grown to hate my job; but stayed because of the benefits packages. Pay, I can match (or come awfully close) in my town, but the vacation and "fringe" benefits (concession Fios and cell service) add up.

My AD was great. My SD was a psychopath who frequently belittled everyone on his team, made them feel like dirt in a public setting. I attempted to move out of my group, but the only Band-6 positions available were in Basking Ridge, Irving, or Manhattan. Some limited regional support positions were available in Rolling Hills, Lake Mary, etc, but with zero relo assistance.

I was an island, and was pretty sure that even though I always reviewed "high", I was going to go. My own boss assured me, when I told him I was getting RIF'd this past week refused to believe it; said I was ranked in the upper third of my 12-person team.

Reality is, I'm getting a healthy check. Year health and concession service. I get to choose my own destiny, and seek out whatever is best for my family from this point forward. Even with a reduction in day-to-day pay (which doesn't appear that significant, based on market rates locally), I am thankful for the opportunity to move on before the Frontier-ification of the company happens.

My HRBP is also saying severance will change. But to the flat 2-weeks pay, benefits to EOM model that Frontier uses. Whatever it is, best of luck to those who remain. If you're at VZ salary, and have an equally competent peer at FTR making 70% of what you do? Guess who's hitting the road in Q1 when Stratton comes to power.

Still stings. But I don't think it's going to get better. I remember the workload doubling post-VSP. I expect the same here.

Good luck to everyone remaining...

I feel like if I could do it over again I would still want to be picked this time. The day it happened I felt horrified and could not believe my name was in this mix but as a few days have gone by and I looked over the severance and took real stock of my mental health I realized this company was going to put me under eventually. The fire drills. The never ending work load, the customers (and their complaints are valid- network is trash) and the fake relationships. Something about working here makes you feel like your job is your identity- and I am SO ready to go work somewhere else where I am there to do a job then get back to my family and friends.

Good riddance, but I do wish the best for all those left. Some amazing people work here- hopefully VZ doesn’t cut them all

I am - I was looking to leave anyway, now they paid me to go!

Alas, the real self-care can began and not all the bullcr-p of work/life balance, mental time-outs, quick breaks, stretching, rah-rah-rah. Like others on this thread ... relief is setting in. Going to use a break to have my carpal tunnel surgery from YEARS on a computer, hopefully Blood Pressure will go down too!

I have been thinking back on all the unethical things done with outsourcing and how experienced employees were leveraged to pick up the slack and teach their green replacements and/or suppliers everything! Management protecting favorite workers was the worst -- especially if their work/friends were in the same hub locations as themselves. Sad really.

@cn Same! Previously wireless. I was gutted when I saw "wireline" in my severance agreement. This isn't the company I was hired into. The new logo is also horrendous!

@c2 Don't think that way! Being loyal to a company actually hurts your earning potential because you're subject to arbitrary caps determined by compensation. Go get that higher paying job!

@a4 That's a fair question. I took a position at Verizon because I'm in engineering and the job market is he-l for junior SWEs.

I’m with you. 52 hours in and I’ve already gotten to a place where about the only way I’d consider going back would be turning my severance into a retention bonus. I realized I’ve hated this place and these people for a long time. Originally Wireless, I’m 48 and have been here since 2001, so over half my life. I’ll miss the familiarity but I think I’ll enjoy watching the slow-motion su----e by VZB/VZT-ification from the outside much more.

I’m relieved because I could feel this coming for a while. The stress has evaporated.

I’m not happy that I will never make as much $$ as my salary really increased nicely over the years. But I will take the time for personal reflection. Have been feeling burned out and unfulfilled for a while now. Time for change.

In early 50s individual contributor. Nj.

@ac I would say utilize what the company is offering I know it is going to be so awkward since that is all you know but one day at a time im sorry you are having to go through his at all long time devotion to a company seems like its no big deal anymore but it will get better for you

@OP "last one to leave Chicago, please shoot out the lights."
Hope "back up north" doesn't mean Chicago. Best of luck.

I worked at VZ for my entire career. I never bought into the "V-Team" mentality, but I was always a hard worker (even got the top performance rating a few times). I truly enjoyed my early positions on the wireless side, but it was honestly the people that made going to work enjoyable. Once VSP happened, "VZ 2.0" has been horrendous. VZ backfilled so many competent people and sometimes it took two or three people to fill those shoes. This resulted in us bloating back up after that last big RIF in 2015.

I never thought VZ could go under, but seeing T-Mobile become a fierce competitor that will most likely overtake VZ in subscribers in the next year or two makes me think this RIF is actually a blessing in disguise. I'm getting the standard package (rumor is the Q1 2026/5k will be one week vs two weeks) and am actively searching the job market. Between severance, unemployment, and savings I will be ok for a bit. I am going to use this time to work on my mental and physical health that have honestly been suffering at the hands of VZ the entire year.

The only thing I will miss from my current position is my PTO accrual. Good riddance VZ!

I took vsp and initially felt relief. However, I didn’t realize the extent that burnout had taken hold. I went through months of lost appetite, insomnia and panic attacks processing all that happened and the loss of identity. I’ve had several other job and company changes before but nothing like this. Never reacted that way before. I hope whoever is left will have a healthier environment where the mess of overlapping teams, relentless pointless change, and pressure to do more with less will take a turn.

No. I worked here for my entire career. 20 years. Started as an intern in 2005. I have known nothing else. I have been sick and only feeling worse. Where do I go from here? This is all I have known.

I feel relief and liberated more than shock or sadness. I was burned out and most times felt overwhelmed with the workload . I’m relieved to put this all behind me even though the future is uncertain. Those that survived i do not envy them at all. Best wishes for all those affected and the survivors.

Why didn't you stay in Chicago if it's so great?

I am not relieved. I am in my 50s and still need to work. So I am worried about finding another job. I am a workaholic.

@OP it's really weird I'm a second liner in Jersey I didn't even know there was a riff.. This is just been BAU for us.

• No longer a chicken with its

It's late, blame the melatonin