Does anyone know , should you have the meeting on 8/8 and get the news that you're part of the RIF, if you have the opportunity to say anything? If so, what's the most constructive thing you can say or should say for yourself? or should not say? Thoughts?
34 replies (most recent on top)
The key is to remain informed and to be as professional as possible under these very difficult circumstances. https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/22/success/severance-agreements-rule-change-from-nlrb/index.html
Last time I made sure to say “God’s got me and everything happens for a reason.”
I have been looking for a few weeks and am quitting once I find the next role so I hope it is not me on 8/8. If it is you, dont say anything and also do not let them try and soften it, what is done is done. It is personal. Someone made the decision whether they liked it or not that YOU were not needed or to keep someone else instead of you. You are getting put on the street. Just make sure you get all your paperwork and review it and dont say anything stupid but be professional and move on from amateur hour at Elevance.
Could being RIF’d ever be considered a form of retaliation? For example, your manager or their manager know you went to HR for something, so they RIF you. Maybe it doesn’t matter since they are essentially eliminating your position, but it would be nice to understand why you were chosen to ultimately be RIF’d over others
My state is 1 party consent, for recording calls. It is perfectly legal for me to record my own call interactions. I like to record important events and being laid off and being presented with legal documents like a severance agreement I think counts.
It’s telling the level as anxiety and dread by the sheer number of posts. None of this is easy, and if you are here on the 9th it is but a short reprieve until the next round. Trust is gone. Once nice colleagues or bosses have turned to ice. Total mind game. And aren’t we already doing more with less?
So, I shouldn't be honest and say - 'Thank you, Lord Jesus! I have been waiting for this call for over four years'...? :) Others must have had a better ride here than I have. One hundred horses couldn't drag me back into this place....
@ovi+1tMWq1MO I've been through a RIF before. Like this RIF, I knew it was coming so I wasn't surprised when I was called down to HR (yes back in the day they would call you to HR for a meeting). So I'm working from home on the 8th, the offices would be a bad place to be that day. I'd spend next week updating my resume, looking at job boards, and I'd put in at least 2 job applications between now and then. If, in your mind you've accepted that you're loosing your job- you will handle the actual loosing of your job better... But if you don't loose your job and you survive this round, you've laid the ground work for moving on. I'd prefer not to be RIF'd next week, i'm >20 in- but if they do it isn't the end of the work. Last go around I found another job before my end date.
I’m sure their phones record, just like the case managers phones do- so they can check quality of calls. Do they call on our phone or through TEAMS?
Do we know what departments are setting a RIF
They can’t turn off the recording function of a cell phone. Most states are single party consent and the point of those laws are to prevent unauthorized eavesdropping of conversations you aren’t privy to. You don’t have to worry about becoming the next Linda Tripp.
It makes them ill, too. The only people sleeping well at night right now are the leaders in Indianapolis, and the shareholders.
I was laid off earlier this year and the HR person I had told me things that were not true, or at least told me I was getting benefits that I did not in fact receive. So even if you don't/can't record - try to keep careful notes.
You won't get an opportunity to say anything or ask any questions. They'll run through the upshot of "we're eliminating your position as of date," they likely won't answer questions much less invite them, and a week or so later you will be invited to a meeting where they'll explain supplemental income and the rest a bit more thoroughly.
Also, advice to record the call is bad, especially if you're in a one party state, and they'll likely have that function turned off anyway. I understand the motivation but it's not a good idea.
The people giving you the news next week will also get the news next time.
Good Job @oxt+1tMWq1MO
It is disheartening to know how many people are getting paid to figure out how many to rif and who to rif! And to break the news to us. It personally makes me ill!!
The press has been made aware.
Are they seriously going to do group RIF calls? Why on earth would you thank them for letting you go days before you’re eligible for a bonus? They can ask that you not discuss it with anyone but they can’t control what you say. I plan on letting everyone in my circle know immediately and of course professionally.
If you are taking the meeting via a video call, you should record it and upload it to YouTube and notify any media outlets willing to listen. They aren’t going to care about being cussed out or being given some prepared passive aggressive remark. They are obviously trying to do all of this without any media attention and some of the local Medicaid markets may be concerned about cutting local staff to outsource their jobs.
you aren’t allowed to tell co-workers if you get riffed?
Personally, I recommend not saying anything and just ending the call. Remember: Anything you say can be used against you, so in this case...silence is golden!
“Thank you. I will be in touch if I should have any further questions. “.
I've been told that there's not enough HR associates to have the RIF calls one on one and that they will be doing group calls which I feel is horrible. I'm so over this company but also need my job. It su-ks all around.
Say to the HR person "How does it feel to be a low level henchman/henchperson in this soulless machine? Do you enjoy your job?"
Thank them. This place is a toxic dumpster fire. Take your severance or supplemental pay whatever you want to call it (hopefully you’ve been here long enough to have it be meaningful) and peace out. If it happens to me I’ll be so happy.
Tell them they have the wrong person. Deny you are you.
Most important is to have your list of contacts, resume, links to your retirement info, recent accomplishments (but not anything that would be confidential company material) on a personal laptop. If you have anything personal on the laptop remove it now.
What's the point of saying anything? Just say ok, and wait for further instruction. There's nothing you can say that will make any difference.
stay calm and don’t give any reaction. Make sure any comments or reaction you give can be used against you. Like other posters said don’t make any comments and just digest the information. Towards the end of the call HR will ask you if you have any questions, tell her “I am still processing information I will get back to you if I had any question .”
Personally I am not going to verbally agree to ANYTHING. I have also been rehearsing. I plan to keep calm and neutral. I don’t ever see myself working for this company again. And since the few weeks of supplemental pay doesn’t mean much, I will simply be professional nothing more. As others have stated expecting me to work for 30 more days and not express something to my coworkers is ridiculous.
I will say nothing. Just get the information you need and hang up. You will get the rest of that day and Friday off. If come Monday you have something to discuss with your manager then set up a meeting. I will request all remaining PTO and use my time to look for other jobs while doing bare minimum (basically just showing online in Teams).
Having been through an Elevance RIF, I will say they will be presenting a lot of information within a few minutes. They will ask if you have any questions, and provide you with instructions on questions you may have in the future. There will not be any dialogue around the why, etc etc, they are truly only communicating the decision that has been made and thanking you for your service. Good luck
OP here again: just trying to do everything I can to prepare myself for possible outcomes next week.