Thread regarding Target Corp. layoffs

Give yourself a few weeks and then sign it and post mark it before the deadline. The pain will subside and we will find ourselves in a better place. There is nothing that we can control in this other than our own feelings and actions. I can't name another company that will provide this kind of severance benefit. We are worth more but we would get less or nothing at another employer. Be proud and go strong to the next position of work.

Here's the other reason: your severance pkg says you are not eligible to re-apply at Target for 6 months. If you think there is a job at Target you want to apply for within the next 6 months, don't sign and you can re-apply right away. For people who are laid off one at a time, this can make sense as other jobs are still available with the company. Given the size of this layoff, though, jobs will not be available so you should sign.

Thanks for all the information everyone! This was definitely helpful. I'm probably just going to sign the papers.

I've been through four RIFs in my career. This is standard operating procedure. It is very easy to fall into the thinking that there was something personal about the elimination of your job. In my weaker moments, I still go to that place. But really, corporations know employees will want to sue, are concerned about reputation management, and have every thing to lose by singling out certain workers. When you are laid off with 1,699 others, it will be tough to claim discrimination. Officers of the company have worked with their employment lawyers to make sure there are no glaring imbalances of employees let go by gender, race, age, etc. At one company, I was let go (and I'm over 40), but they also terminated another person in the same position on the ladder who was just over 30. He was a multiple year veteran, and I was newer. They provided us a list of all of the titles, grades, gender and ages of the people eliminated in our division so we would have transparency. I'm not sure what Target's formula was, but I've had mine based on how far on your pay grade you were for your level, I was at the top of mine, and so were my fellow laid off colleagues. Executives understand these formulas aren't perfect. But they need a way to significantly shrink quickly and without personal opinions and subjective measures in the way. (Believe me, you will argue this isn't true while you are still in the anger phase of grieving. You will try to rationalize your anger but looking for a source of threat/attack. I still have to stop myself from going back there on bad days). So go ahead and sign the papers. Make sure you follow up on your Displaced Worker dollars with the state (they will make you go to a somewhat humiliating training to qualify). After your severance runs up, you are eligible for Unemployment Insurance. Note that you have to have a two-week gap of no pay before those checks can be collected, so budget accordingly. Go the the outplacement center meetings, no matter how savvy you think you are. Get a resume done--it doesn't have to be perfect the first time--and send an email blast to all of your contacts, friends included, and tell them what kind of new job you are looking for. And be good to yourself! You just came from a very demanding, somewhat toxic company and you've just earned a "sabbatical." BEST OF LUCK!

Thought about it, but it's a hassle, it's a good package and jobs are not scarce. You may want to search for a post on discrimination here, it's not promising (I am assuming you'd take that route)

My initial view of the severance package is that it is a good one. Some reasons for not signing a severance agreement would be if you believe you have been discriminated against unlawfully and want to retain the right to sue, if you think something has been miscalculated or determined unfairly (vacation, etc.), if anything tied to non-compete prevents you from your next job, or if you believe you can negotiate a better deal for yourself for some other reason.