What is the severance package those of you all affected?
Is it possible to negotiate?
Those who are in a position to seek a second opinion from an employment attorney, please share what you learned for the rest of the group.
11 replies (most recent on top)
I am in Massachusetts. Laid off after 15 years. State law they have to pay all accrued pto ( there are a few states like this) so I saved mine up. Severance payout is on internal web site. It is not one week per year especially as you go up in years it goes to 1 week for every two after 18 years. I was able to get unemployment immediately. severance did not impact it at all. Took about a month to get first unemployment check but it was a relatively smooth process. It was a full time job returning equipment, filing for unemployment, returning severance package, signing up for healthcare. In Massachusetts we have a healthcare collaborative similar to the federal plan so i am getting healthcare plan subsidized (very cheap) and better plan than I had as an employee! Don’t do cobra if you can avoid it way too expensive. Good luck!
I was there 4 1/2 years and got 3 weeks base pay.
Unless you last name is Witty, you won’t have any luck negotiating severance.
No you can’t negotiate and this is UHG corporate they usually dot their I’s and cross their T’s but if you learn something share.
Did you get to take your PTO or get it paid out? What about health insurance?
Not holding up to sparq on severance I’m hearing, if you are still able, check it and years served and ask why they aren’t meeting their own guideline. Good luck guys, this really su-ks.
Employees at will, at least most of us. No need to consult an employment attorney for the measly severance package.
Know how your state issues unemployment. I was laid off last fall, and in MN, I couldn't collect unemployment until they deemed that my severance was used up (total severance divided my weekly salary). It's not clear in the severance package and if I remember correctly, it implies that you can apply for it right away.. applying for it and getting it are dependent on your state's guidelines. I found a job before I ever was able to collect unemployment
Read your severance carefully. According to former employees that were laid off, they had a hard time receiving unemployment. Severance pay might reduce your benefit amount or make you ineligible.
good point - yes you can negotiate. keep in mind , ability to negotiate comes from a position of leverage. there is precedence of people extending their final day, but not needing to work. depends on what you know.
Severance pay is calculated by salary grade and number of years completed with the company. It’s not negotiable or it wasn’t when I was laid off. You have to sign a form stating essentially you won’t sue the company in order to receive your severance.