If you've been laid off in this round, please share what you've learned about severance benefits. We'd all like to know. Some of the early reports leave out important details.
For example, Anonymous@3:24 p.m. says severance is as follows: "You can only collect if you qualify for unemployment. If you do, then you receive unemployment, and Gannett adds to that total to bring it up to your current salary for the period of weeks you will receive (one week for every year in my case). You must call and qualify for every week's payment. It's like the hoops insurance companies make you jump through."
But the poster does not indicate the cap on severance. For most of those laid off in December, severance was capped at 26 weeks -- no matter how many years you worked. Is that still true this time.
Also, what are provisions for medical insurance? Some reports say laid-off employees are being told they must sign up for COBRA coverage, which is higher than the company-subsidized coverage made available for the duration of severance during past layoffs.
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Friday, July 10, 2009
8 comments:
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Our EE said severance was tied to unemployment, as you already have. But the catch is, if you, for example, have 11 years in the company, you have 11 weeks severance (factored with unemployment) coming to you. AS LONG AS you are unemployed.
ReplyDeleteIf you get a job at any time (god willing you do) during the 11 weeks, you will not receive anything further from Gannett.
So you really only have UP TO x amt of weeks amount equal to the number of years served.
Medical coverage, the EE said, ends July 31. After that the laid off person has to apply for COBRA.
Medical coverage does end July 31, then you have to sign up for COBRA. However, because of some bill passed by Congress, those laid off will get COBRA at subsidized rates. I, for example, would normally have to pay $375 per month for COBRA - single person, HMO. I will only have to pay around $130 a month thanks to the bill. I believe the rule is those laid off will pay 35% perecent of normal COBRA rates. This will be in effect through the end of the year. I was told by HR Congress could extend the benefits for 2010.
ReplyDeleteThe two descriptions provided above are both accurate. I was told identical information at my NJ paper. The irony is that if you want to stick it to the company as much as possible do not seek new employment, or even part time employment, until your severance ends. I for one am taking the rest of the summer off.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with that 11:06 a.m. is that if unemployment feels you are not actively seeking employment then they will cut you off, ending anything you might have gotten from Gannett.
ReplyDeleteGCI would turn white at the prospect of having to defend 1,000 suits over this discriminatory treatment. Don't sign anything. Get an attorney. GCI will treat you differently.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure the Arizona unemployment office will allow you to receive benefits if you're still getting pay from your former employer. I'm not sure on this, and anyone who has better info please clarify. But I don't think this is going to go very well.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it I have to sign? I mean, they gave me my package and I left. They didn't say anything about signing anything. In fact, when I spoke with a co-worker who left before, they had not signed anything. What is with the don't sign anything comment that keeps getting made. Nobody I know has to sign anything.
ReplyDeleteI asked specifically if I had to sign anything. They said no and said it is all in the package they gave me. That was pretty much it.
ReplyDelete