Thread regarding Target Corp. layoffs

Payroll was so screwed up when I was laid off I received my severance the day before my last day. Good Luck all.

Dear Anonymous74911: Your post is bullshit. Anybody can terminate employment at anytime, but this is special. It has been announced worldwide, that a certain group of Target employees will be dismissed. Yes Target has no legal obligation to provide a severance, but to NOT provide a severance in a Mass Layoff like this would permanently damage Target's ability to attract ANY level of talent. What is discouraging is that there are HR Trolls, backed by the CEO, who constantly pop up in this discussion forum, with the sole task of casting doubt. These trolls cast doubt on whether to question anything that Target does, from laying you off to saying that now that laid off workers are gone, Target will be better. I would seriously doubt any claims from ANYBODY regarding timeframes to review data. If you have a lawyer, call that person NOW. Tell that person that you may need to have employee law information reviewed ASAP, and if that person can do it promptly enough to comply with Target regulations. Target's sole obligation now is to A) cover their ass B) Make sure any ex-employee gets as little as possible. That's it. And if you don't agree, you are lost.

BE THANKFUL THAT YOU GET A SEVERANCE PEOPLE.

Pleas remember, Target is under no legal obligation to give a dime in severance. This is considered somewhat of a goodwill gesture. You don't have to take severance either if you are all that concerned that you could have a discrimination suit possibility. I highly doubt a mass layoff involving thousands will prove that any significant and provable collusion was done in respect to age, race, or gender. Remember, both parties have a right to terminate employment for any reason except for protected classes as I just listed.

7 days is the legal severance expiration period for employees under 40 years old. Target can give you ZERO days to consider the severance. Once you sign, you have 7 days to revoke the signature.

If you are over 40, it is up to 45 days, plus 7 days to revoke.

If Target HR screws this up, they deserve to be sued.

Dear Anonymous74852: 7 days is NOT enough time. For all those on this site....do NOT settle on the 7 days disclaimer. 14 days is the norm. Please appeal this.

7 or 8 years ago when there were big layoffs at Target no one was given notice. People were taken in a room, and told they were being laid off and that they needed to collect their things and be out by 11am. My position was eliminated 2 years ago, and was given a 2 month heads up. On that last day, I was given paperwork form HR with the severance information and told to sign and return it within 7 days. Once they received the signed paperwork, I was mailed my severance check.

Dear Anonymous74835: The key is how much time will a Target employee have before a signature is required on a release of claims agreement? Will Target Corp show how many mature workers are being laid off compared to younger workers? I really dislike it when someone says "Happens All The Time". That's corporate speak when a co-worker is pushed out the door. And then finds out that it is too late to make a claim.

Well it IS standard practice to request employees to sign a release of claims in exchange for a severance package. Happens ALL THE time. Yes, you should carefully review it before you sign and like I mentioned below, have an attorney review it. Not sure what type of disclaimer you'd like me to use. Just trying to help folks out here.

The 6 weeks plus 1 week per year is paid out as one big lump sum at the end. They clearly call out the rate at which you will be taxed on it in the severance package documentation you receive.

Dear Anonymous74784: Nobody on this site should say "Trust me" or "Standard Practice". Do not sign anything, and I mean anything, until you have had time to have it reviewed, either by yourself when you are more calm, or by an attorney. To anybody posting on this site....please help your co-workers by NOT saying "Trust Me", or "Standard Practice" or anything of the similar, without an appropriate disclaimer.

Have an attorney review any severance agreement. Though I'm sure Target's is iron clad. What they will ask you to sign is a "release of claims" in return for the severance. Standard practice. You agree that you will not sue Target if they give you a package.

Dear Anonymous74766: Severance is TYPICAllY paid out ever pay period, just like you were still on payroll. Again, that is something to ask about, just in case. For everybody on this site...this has to be a horrible experience for you. I have gone through it a couple of times at other companies. Just remember, Target is a JOB. It doesn't define you, or make you what you are. And most of all...it is TARGET's loss, not yours if you are part of the layoffs.

RE: Severance. Is it true severance is paid in one big lump Vs bi-weekly like a paycheck? WOuldn't a big check like that shove people into a much higher tax % where more would go to Fed and State gov up-front?

Dear Anonymous74733: The last thing anybody on this board should say is "trust me". Right now, there is NO trust in that company. No trust in HR, No trust in the CEO, no trust in co-workers. Absolutely none.

So are we heading to the bar or not? And which bar? The Local will be crazy. So will Brits, Kieran's, etc....pretty much all of them I'm guessing.

You are going to be asked to leave trust me. They do not want to hold people hostage. It would be awful for business. The only time I have been a part of layoffs and forced to stay is when our company was bought out by another company and we were all being let go. We had to finish what we were working on so had to stay to get severance. Target is continuing to do business they don't want people here who could be bitter.

Dear Anonymous74719: That is why it is so important to NOT sign anything, until you absolutely read EVERYTHING. Also...if you are a long-time Target employee, you are a mature employee. And I mean that in a very positive way. A mature employee may have a harder time finding new employment. So severance is very important. Please also keep in mind, and I'm just providing information, unemployment compensation, if it comes to that, starts AFTER all severance is exhausted. So, if you are a long term employee, with lots of severance, file for unemployment IMMEDIATELY, even if you don't qualify for it.

Next week will be different then Canada. Some will be given a future date, however vast majority will be leaving same day.

Regretfully, the cuts are going to be much deeper than reported. This is going to be ugly.

Some of us have been here a long time and that severance is a serious chunk of money that we wouldn't be willing to just let Target keep.

The only reason some Canada folks had to remain was because they needed to wind down operations. But a good chunk of Canada people were told it was their last day and to be out by 11:00.

Yeah, if you get another job then just take the other job. Why hang around for the package and then be stuck without a job at the end? If I get laid off and get another then I'm leaving. Target can keep the severance.

This is absolutely not true. I have it on very good authority that your access will be shut off and you will have time to say goodbye, pack up your stuff and then go. You can have your items couriered if you have a lot of stuff. They don't want you hanging around and learning the plan and being disgruntled. People would take internal information with them and share it out. Target Canada people that I know that got let go are no longer here.

If you go out and get another job then you don't need the severance because you won't be unemployed. so why would you wait to find a new job?

Anonymous74693: Yes you are correct. This is a common practice. The employer will hold you "hostage" until all work is transferred in a proper manner. Your severance is at stake. So if you are a long-term employee, with many years of service, you will have to grin and bear it. You may even be extended....which is even worse. This happened to me at a major financial institution in Mpls. The four months that I was extended was absolute hell. Worse than being laid off. I had no supervisor, cause she was laid off. I had to take many forms of abuse, both verbal and mental. I often thought about quitting outright, which would have meant losing my severance. If you are laid off...the goal would be to get out of that building as quickly as possible.

I think they are going to push people out so that they don't have to pay bonuses, hence the quick turnaround on this.

I can completely understand what you are going through. All the best my friend. I know you are from TI and I must say I love working with you guys..take care!

I can completely understand what you are going through. All the best my friend. I know you are from TI and I must say I love working with you guys..take care!