Thread regarding Optum layoffs

My mid year thoughts

These are my random thoughts in no particular order.

First if you were impacted then I feel for you and wish you the best. Just understand average employees are paying the price for some terrible mgmt decisions made over the years. It’s nothing personal you did wrong. Some of the best workers I have worked with have been at this company, but they are not valued.

Today I learned the company will stop paying for home internet for certain grades. The penny pinching continues on top of job cuts. It’s not a good sign.

This year has been brutal with cuts , the employee survey scores are in the dumps. My personal opinion is things will slow down before another “right sizing” in October.

What should you do? That’s up to you. Some people say to me they are actively looking and will bail if they get another gig. Others say they won’t leave without being forced to with a severance.

The stock is up slightly but the company is circling the drain imo, the core problems have not been fixed . You should consider what boat you are in from the above paragraph. I’m not sure there is a right or wrong answer. I am happy to opine on any question you may have.

Ps. I’ve read the other threads and I can confirm management in OI is poisonous and vindictive


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| 12 views | | 13 replies (last 4 days ago) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1kw3k0m00

13 replies (most recent on top)

@nm same used to submit concur expenses then it was just paid as a flat ammount with salary. Full time telecommuter.

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Post ID: @yj+1kw3k0m00

I am SG29, UHC Tech..we don't get Internet reimbursement. Do y'all getting reimbursement on a different non tech role? As far as I know nobody in tech gets refunded

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Post ID: @pn+1kw3k0m00

Can confirm in my area (OI product) grades 28-31 will need to start providing for and paying for their own business internet beginning 10/1/26. It will no longer be paid/reimbursed by the company. They also made significant changes to the telecommuting policy so make sure to give that one a read if it applies to you. The comment about leadership is spot on too, bullies that "lead" with ego and fear and can't stand truth speakers. IMO with almost two decades here.

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Post ID: @nw+1kw3k0m00

@a2 My internet service has been paid for by the company for YEARS.. before that I paid it and was reimbursed.

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Post ID: @nm+1kw3k0m00

@OP I want to quit so bad....I was moved to another team and the work is not aligned, I want to be grateful but I am drowning.

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Post ID: @nk+1kw3k0m00

@gx Don’t even trust that the stock is currently up. Layoffs have been happening steadily each month since mid last year. Lawyers who bully former employees and providers who speak up, nasty HR that backs bullies, lots of offshoring, cancelled contracts, client loss post Change Healthcare breach. Decade tenured employees let go with CAPs so they don’t pay severance. No way the stock is “up.”

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Post ID: @m6+1kw3k0m00

@OP UNH, like most US companies, knows it can raise the EPS (earnings per share) with:
1 stock buybacks,
2 less employees,
3 discontinuing low margin products,
4 terminating low margin providers contracts,
5 shutting down low margin provider operations, and
6 moving US worker jobs to India

First, Hemsley said in Q1 2026 earnings call, "We have refreshed nearly half of our top 100 leadership roles" plus it was stated that there is $900 million in incentive compensation compared to only $35 million in the same prior-year period and UNH was doing stock buybacks. None of us are going to get in the way of a $9M average incentive compensation for the top 100 leaders – many who have no allegiance to US workers and are delighted to ship your job to their home country. Leadership is incentivized to RIF US workers and reduce the compensation of those US workers that remain!

Second, if there is an Oct bloodbath, it would make logistical sense to start terminating company-paid home Internet where possible (telecommuters) so the October RIFs can also include those performing such actions.

Third, US worker jobs are being RIF'd and replaced in India. It appears US workers grade 32+ are relatively safe. Also, governance committees are sprouting up for job security for the chosen ones, who many here have identified as those who contribute little value.

Knowing you have a UNH expiration date, it’s best to focus on you:

  1. take your PTO like you are going to lose it,
  2. work fairly for your temporary compensation understanding there will be more US compensation decreases, and
  3. plan and execute your next career move whether that’s
    a. reaching out to professional peers for employment post UNH RIF / severance,
    b. brushing up on skills training, and
    c. focusing on your income-endeavors outside of work which post UNH can become your primary sources of income.
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Post ID: @jw+1kw3k0m00

@OP The stock will be up till the next cr-ppy thing they do. Luigi court case starts Sept 8th and will highlight all the bad in insurance and their stock will tumble down again because there will be a focus back on what they really do- plus Medicaid cuts to the tune of like a trillion dollars making it non profitable for them hence they will be dumping all those people who support community and state .

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Post ID: @gx+1kw3k0m00

In my division they pay the portion of internet used for work unless you are a director or higher. Not sure if they don't pay in some divisions. There is a category for it in the reimburement tool.

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Post ID: @dc+1kw3k0m00

If they are not paying for your internet, at least prorated, it is because you are not submitting it monthly like the policy says. Or maybe it is because of your grade level, in which case you can afford internet.

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Post ID: @c0+1kw3k0m00

@a2 You could also say it is down hundreds (200) since last year by your definition. They still pay all or partial internet depending where you live.

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Post ID: @bz+1kw3k0m00

@a2 They've paid my home Internet for the past 15 years.

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Post ID: @bg+1kw3k0m00

This post is wrong on multiple levels.
The stock is up hundreds, the layoffs aren't due to bad mgmt, they're past of the strategy sold to the board to offshore and they haven't paid for home Internet for years.

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Post ID: @a2+1kw3k0m00

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