See here for more details - it does not look good for some folks working at Nokia.
http://www.digitaltveurope.net/756172/nokia-halts-ozo-vr-camera-development-announces-layoffs/
6 replies (most recent on top)
In France it can take up to a year, possibly more, to lay off employees because of their strict employment legislation. That is not true for employees based in UK and other European countries. In the UK all it needs is 45 days notice to be given to the employee.
One week severance pay? That's a joke. That's the legal minimum in the United Kingdom. Actually, it's either 1 week or 1.5 weeks depending on your age. Alcatel-Lucent paid a month's severance pay for each year of service.
if this is true, you guys in Nokia, are being seriously ripped off. You're highly qualified engineers, for crying out loud. You deserve better.
The severance for Nokia is 1 week for every year worked. Plus 8 weeks paid and considered an employee on paper, but they take your laptop and badge away and pay for a company to help you rework your resume, teach how to interview, etc. Because of the union agreements with the European countries, the employees in the USA are always the first to happen and the deepest cuts. After 16 years at Lucent, then ALU then eventually Nokia. It was for Nokia that I eventually was laid off. I hope that answers some questions.
Nokia can not just cut those people working in Europe since they operate by union. They need to get permission from each country they want to lay off people and give a reason to exactly why and then they have to negotiate on the exact number of people. Just because Nokia announces they will lay off 600 people in France doesn't mean that will ever happen. If the French government says "No way" then Nokia can't do much about it. Nokia made an agreement will France when they bought ALU to hire 500 R&D folks (mainly college graduates). They need to fulfill that agreement before the French government agrees with any layoffs.
Europe is more secure when it comes to layoffs. This is why when Nokia hires in Europe, they have to think twice because they won't be able to layoff a person without the union's approval. Remember, when someone gets laid off in Europe, the unemployment money has to come from the European Union. And unemployment in some European countries it about two years of pay.
In USA, you can hire and layoff anyone at anytime. The company doesn't need to get approval from USA government.
For severance pay, just call HR in your country.
anybody know what kind of severance packages Nokia is giving?? (I have read somewhere that the standard policy for Nokia is: for every 6 months of service, rounded upward, gets the laid off person 1 week. with 2 weeks minimum).
Rumors say that in 2018 Nokia is planning to cut all fALU R&D in France !