Recently learned about the WARN Act on how companies need to pay or give notice to laid off employees for 60-90 days (depending on state)? If that's the case how come on the MSFT channel we hear of layoffs like all the time with no notice? Uber folks? Did people who get laid off recently get 60-90 days notice?
At MSFT most layoffs are not big enough to trigger WARN. For those that are the default is to terminate your network access and access to buildings but you are still an 'employee' for the entire WARN period. This is actually a damn good way of doing it. It gives the employee time to look for other jobs as a full time job for 3 months (or whatever the period is) and it protects company IP from theft and disgruntled employee mischief.
I agree that's a great win-win. Give employees 2-3 mths to find a new job while being 'officially' employed on paper (but no access in reality). I didn't know WARN Act had a size requirement for layoffs. I guess that's the loophole?
Yup. Also remember that layoffs in successful organizations (read not Uber) often lead to no actual job losses. The good people will get transferred to other organizations that need people. Often only the truly marginal will be cut. Remember, however, this is not a guarantee and you should not assume anything about someone's performance who was laid off. Sometimes good performers just fall through the cracks. As a hiring manager, I want to go out of my way to give someone who hit a layoff the benefit of the doubt. Layoffs are hard emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
Unrelated but was thinking about taking up an offer from MSFT over AMZN. Your comment on hearing about layoffs all the time in the MSFT channel is scary, lol.
MSFT average tenure is 4 years; AMZN is 18 months. Take that into your account.
MSFT is still better than AMZN in terms of stability
It's either notice or 60 days extra pay in addition to severance