I’m so sorry to hear this news. Your package sounds commensurate with the agency standard of one week for every year you worked there. There is no safety net for workers. I know I’m pointing out the obvious but sign up for unemployment benefits ASAP - and most importantly, don’t give in, don’t give up and don’t allow yourself to feel despair. Honestly, I believe there is hope and I truly hope that you’ll look back one day and realize this situation led to your next amazing gig. Good luck to you.
You got the standard package. Neither good nor bad.
People: stop staying at agencies so long. Your dumb loyalty is not rewarded. It’s a recipe for being underpaid and it doesn’t get you much at all when they eventually lay you off.
Plus you’ll just have less experience at the skills involved in finding and getting a new job.
Sorry to say, but they really don’t have to give you any severance at all. It’s not a law. And they only do it to avoid lawsuits and badmouthing. Which is why to get a severance payment, you must sign an agreement saying so. But don’t take my word for it. Any labor attorney will tell you this during a free consultation. That’s how I know.
They expect you to negotiate. Get a lawyer. Have them draft a letter with the amount you want. There is usually some back and forth but they will at min give you an additional month. Ask for COBRA coverage too.
I don’t know if you’d find this helpful or not but Columbia, NYU, and Brooklyn Law have partnered to develop a mini firm for the purpose of helping those unemployed or recently unemployed during this time. If you’d like to have them as a consultation and/lawyers, their intake form is super simple:
What state are you in, employment lawyers don’t usually take small cases like this and even if they do you’d have to put down a $5,000 retainer at minimum.
It depends on your tenure. It’s going to be tough. I employed a lawyer for this same purpose and even if you have a smoking gun in regards to workplace harassment, everyone is in the same boat with covid and the options of winning are slim to none. You don’t want them to get pissed and revoke the offer.
If where you work is New York State, even though you sign up for unemployment right away, you are not eligible to collect unemployment until your severance is used up. In other words, even if you receive your severance in a lump sum, it is prorated over the amount of weeks based on your salary. That means if you receive eight weeks severance, even in a lump sum, you cannot receive benefits until your ninth week of being out of work. Just FYI.
Pre-Covid I got 7 months for 5 years, plus all the unused vacation days/sick days.
You should check your company handbook. If you can find more people screwed over in a similar situation, collectively you can get a lawyer for a class action suit. More cases the better it is for prosecutors.
I’m so sorry to hear this news. Your package sounds commensurate with the agency standard of one week for every year you worked there. There is no safety net for workers. I know I’m pointing out the obvious but sign up for unemployment benefits ASAP - and most importantly, don’t give in, don’t give up and don’t allow yourself to feel despair. Honestly, I believe there is hope and I truly hope that you’ll look back one day and realize this situation led to your next amazing gig. Good luck to you.
Chief
Tenure is so overrated.
You got the standard package. Neither good nor bad.
People: stop staying at agencies so long. Your dumb loyalty is not rewarded. It’s a recipe for being underpaid and it doesn’t get you much at all when they eventually lay you off.
Plus you’ll just have less experience at the skills involved in finding and getting a new job.
Have moved on and am glad I’m out of that cesspool
Sorry to say, but they really don’t have to give you any severance at all. It’s not a law. And they only do it to avoid lawsuits and badmouthing. Which is why to get a severance payment, you must sign an agreement saying so. But don’t take my word for it. Any labor attorney will tell you this during a free consultation. That’s how I know.
Cobra is a big one. Have them pay for it. You do not want insurance to lapse or if you have been treated for anything chronic you are screwed.
Chief
Oh my god that is terrible, I’m so sorry.
Following here. I was also laid off yesterday.
They expect you to negotiate. Get a lawyer. Have them draft a letter with the amount you want. There is usually some back and forth but they will at min give you an additional month. Ask for COBRA coverage too.
When I said “ask for COBRA” I meant ask that they pay your COBRA.
Hi! I’m so sorry to hear you were laid off.
I don’t know if you’d find this helpful or not but Columbia, NYU, and Brooklyn Law have partnered to develop a mini firm for the purpose of helping those unemployed or recently unemployed during this time. If you’d like to have them as a consultation and/lawyers, their intake form is super simple:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeTInXLRmt3Gol0auXrHeVBMY0faR3psEMHRIEwdx6X6-MmHQ/viewform?usp=embed_facebook
What state are you in, employment lawyers don’t usually take small cases like this and even if they do you’d have to put down a $5,000 retainer at minimum.
I’d call around and see since NY has laws in favor of employees, just be mindful of the up front cost to do this.
It depends on your tenure. It’s going to be tough. I employed a lawyer for this same purpose and even if you have a smoking gun in regards to workplace harassment, everyone is in the same boat with covid and the options of winning are slim to none. You don’t want them to get pissed and revoke the offer.
Rising Star
I only got two weeks and was given one week 😑.
If where you work is New York State, even though you sign up for unemployment right away, you are not eligible to collect unemployment until your severance is used up. In other words, even if you receive your severance in a lump sum, it is prorated over the amount of weeks based on your salary. That means if you receive eight weeks severance, even in a lump sum, you cannot receive benefits until your ninth week of being out of work. Just FYI.
Pro
Pre-Covid I got 7 months for 5 years, plus all the unused vacation days/sick days.
You should check your company handbook. If you can find more people screwed over in a similar situation, collectively you can get a lawyer for a class action suit. More cases the better it is for prosecutors.
Ugh I wish I would have saw this! I got four weeks but thought that was generous for being there less than 2 years