Schedule your vacation time and send it to your boss next week after the rifs. Make sure you get an answer on why or why not. Just how does their answer fit into the new policy. Have definite plans.
Make concrete plans to go on a "cruise" or a place that doesn't have wifi or it costs extra and leave the phone and laptop at work when you do go on vacation. Could be funny with your phone going off in a cabinet all day.
I feel sorry for the first line managers who will be forced to respond but then they need to do the same with their managers also. Have it go up the food chain.
My resolutions for this year due to how they have treated employees with all the benefit take aways.
If you are an older employee and may get riffed in the future be sure to take 2 days a month for 6 weeks. or however many vacation days you would have had under the old policy. DON'T give them up. If you will be leaving maybe a very bad flu is coming up and you will be using ALL those sick days off and on before you leave.
Make it a goal to take your 15 minute breaks every 4 hours by walking AWAY from your desk with a fellow employee to "discuss" how to make work better. Same with Lunch. NO LUNCH at your desk anymore.
Just sad that is how I feel about this place anymore.