Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

This from a labor attorney that specializes in Enterprise companies. This is concerning the Hub Strategy and forced move stuff.

"ATT cannot force someone to relocate at their own expense in order to avoid being terminated for cause."

"That might be their plan, but anyone terminated for refusing to move as a condition of continued employment is gonna get paid."

Here's what these letters say to me:

"You and your skills, tenure / loyalty, and experience are not valued by AT&T any longer. We will replace you because you are geographically undesirable, regardless of what you do / have done for AT&T"

“ you may receive official notification of the movement of your job to its long-term hub”

Where it says you MAY receive notice, does that mean that you may or may NOT receive it and they will backfill your role in ATL before 18 months and then just eliminate you? And not offer you the chance to follow your job?

The Legg org has done an outstanding job communicating their plans."

I genuinely hope this is sarcasm.

No it is not. Are you familiar with the docs his org released weeks ago? They mapped out the hubs, 3 waves, timeframes, etc. some in his org released letters as far back as Friday. He has also released a doc showing which groups will be in which buildings on which floor. No other group has released a single detail about their plan, in fact many are still waiting for their letter (like me).

"The Legg org has done an outstanding job communicating their plans."

I genuinely hope this is sarcasm.

“Hey OP, does that mean you have to start going in person to St. Louis starting in September? Or can you stay virtual until your long term location starts in Atlanta in a couple years?”

In person in St Louis starting in September (ironically where I was hired out of)

Here’s my take. What a pointless letter. Is this being managed by interns from Quebec?i would tell them you want a 18-24 month employment contract to convince you to stay. They have layoffs every 30-60 days. You should never have received a letter. What a waste of time & money. A simple message stating, you are not affected. Thank you for patience.

"Did your letter not state the following? Does that not imply relocation? Severance is not mentioned in your letter because you have not been offered relocation as of yet therefore have no need to decline and be eligible for severance. As we get closer to your job move date, you will receive more formal notification of the change. We hope at that time you will choose to follow the job..."

No mention about follow the job. Wonder if there is a difference if the employee is already in a hub location or 'center of excellence as opposed to a non-hub.

“ roles like yours will be backfilled in the hub location and within the next 18-24 months”

Yea, I found the wording strange also, because the letter goes on to say they hope you follow the work. If that is the case the position is not being backfilled.

I’m not clear, can you just tell them you won’t be relocating and go now (with severance)? This is what I’m hoping for.

As I recall the FAQ states you cannot. Search insider for the doc. Good points raised and answered. The Legg org has done an outstanding job communicating their plans.

"I’m not clear, can you just tell them you won’t be relocating and go now (with severance)? This is what I’m hoping for."

From what I can tell, based on reports of these letters, and a couple of AMA calls today, they really don't want to make any promises of severance. Giving someone 18-24 months, and not giving any details on severance, looks to me like an attempt to scare and frustrate workers into finding another jobs and quitting on their own.

Interesting. Mine also has 18-24 month verbiage but nothing about severance or relocation.

Did your letter not state the following? Does that not imply relocation? Severance is not mentioned in your letter because you have not been offered relocation as of yet therefore have no need to decline and be eligible for severance.

As we get closer to your job move date, you will receive more formal notification of the change. We hope at that time you will choose to follow the job;

“ roles like yours will be backfilled in the hub location and within the next 18-24 months”

The term “backfilled” is typically used for employees or roles that have been eliminated, but at this point you are inclined to believe it will be available for you to continue employment.

I find the phrasing of the letter odd.

“ In employment law, it's the practice of replacing a departing worker as quickly as possible, regardless of whether the former individual left the company or simply moved into another position.”

"What are the 4 ATS long term hubs? We didn’t have that in ACE? We heard more than 4."

Dallas, Atlanta, NJ (Middletown & Bedminster), Seattle.

I’m not clear, can you just tell them you won’t be relocating and go now (with severance)? This is what I’m hoping for.

What are the 4 ATS long term hubs? We didn’t have that in ACE? We heard more than 4.

I would use however much time they give you to move as your severance pay until you can find a new job. Don’t give them anything and take everything you can, because that’s what want to do those that stay.

OP of "other Legg letter" here.

Same here, distributed team and fully virtual long before COVID.

Not putting much faith in phrases like "the most likely future location" especially given the track record of the company going through RTO paroxysms. You make plans for Atlanta (on your own dime, too) and then "it was likely, but now we think Dallas." No thanks.

RTO scares happened to me at least 3 times over several years here. In once case I actually had to go into an abandoned office in a CO for two weeks before the VP who instituted that policy was himself canned. The local property manager was angry to find me there because the space had been decertified for human use. Apparently no one told him I was assigned there. Also I wasn't supposed to use the CO's production network connection. They had to provision an Ethernet line that I never got to use.

This latest fire drill is coming from the top and I think it's really job cutting move hiding behind all the wishy-washy language about offices and productivity and "new way to work." I call B-S.

Hey OP, does that mean you have to start going in person to St. Louis starting in September? Or can you stay virtual until your long term location starts in Atlanta in a couple years?

When they offer relocation payments, generally takers are between 25-33% of people considering relocation. Without relo, I don't see 10%.

Op here - my team was mostly virtual BEFORE COVID-19 and we are extremely efficient working on major systems and have been years before they temporarily closed the offices 🤷🏻‍♀️

So in the OP letter, does the "job move date" correspond to the imminent move to the hub city, or the 18-24 month move to the final hub?

Op here

States that for the short term I will be in the hub I’m closest to - St Louis

“Over time, our goal is to streamline roles like yours to one of ATS four long-term hubs. After careful consideration your leadership has determined that the most likely future location for roles like yours will be Metro Atlanta”

Interesting. Mine also has 18-24 month verbiage but nothing about severance or relocation.

OP - did you get the other Legg letter, the one that opens with

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵
𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘛𝘚 𝘩𝘶𝘣 𝘪𝘯: 𝙈𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙤 𝘿𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙨

Or is what you posted your only letter?

If so you must be Wave 2 and I must be Wave 1.

Also, are you currently in a hub or office city, or completely remote from any office?