Take 3 mo severance or work 3 mo?

[John105]

Since nobody here knows my buddy, I think it’s ok to share. He did the I’ll take any job until I get a better one. Excellent way to look at it.

For one year he tried to land a job anywhere and was not hired. Even my dream co Costco didn’t so much as respond. He ended up as a associate at Bass Pro Shops and the stuff he tells me has me rolling. He’s like bro this is bad I need a new gig. He even tried dating and has been going out with this cute blonde same age, and now he can’t distance himself cuz they work together. He went from a world like mine (not enough hours in a day to get things done time goes quickly) to being a clock watcher where the day never ends and is lousy.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I've wondered about that. LOL. I'm 100% wfh. So is most of my company. We get a lot of work done. There was someone that we worked with that was very active between 6am to 9am and then from 5pm to 8pm. We always joked that he had another full time job. He disappeared from our company suddenly one day.

My wife and I both WFH. My company has a policy where you must be available between 10-3 pm. My wife's company was a little more relaxed but she was technically available from 7-630pm as her work load would rise/fall with however busy sales was.

 

[John105]

My wife and I both WFH. My company has a policy where you must be available between 10-3 pm. My wife's company was a little more relaxed but she was technically available from 7-630pm as her work load would rise/fall with however busy sales was.

What’s sad for me to point out….what I’ve noticed with RTO workers, they’re now coming in 10-11 AM, and leaving 2-3 PM. They’re sick and tired of wfh doing that and getting away with it. So in reality overall the entire co is dragged down

Think about it. 10-3 is a 5 hour work
Day. 25 hours a week. One could essentially get another $150k+ job and double one’s income.

 

[wavinwayne]

The concern is getting passed over a new job because you're not working.

If that is your main concern and you have to have a job going forward, then keep working. Otherwise take the money and run.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Thanks but it's not me. They're in used IT hardware (30 yrs). Think of a data center which renews all of their Cisco switches every three years. A company buys and resells them.

Curios as to why this industry is in freefall? No Capex spend? Everyone buying new?

 

[rijndael]

RTO workers, they’re now coming in 10-11 AM, and leaving 2-3 PM. They’re sick and tired of wfh doing that and getting away with it. So in reality overall the entire co is dragged down

We've been known pull prox card reader timestamps.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Curios as to why this industry is in freefall? No Capex spend? Everyone buying new?

I don't really know. It's just slow, large sellers are asking for pre-pay and buyers are asking for terms, manufacturers are have cracked down on mixing of new and used product, and tighter margins.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I don't really know. It's just slow, large sellers are asking for pre-pay and buyers are asking for terms, manufacturers are have cracked down on mixing of new and used product, and tighter margins.

Thanks for the details.

I work for a company that makes industrial controls. I think it was the worst January we have had in a long time. February is looking a bit better. Friend of mine works for another company in the same industry - same story on January, February still sucking.

I think there is a lot of turmoil, which doesn't inspire companies to spend a bunch of money.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

What’s sad for me to point out….what I’ve noticed with RTO workers, they’re now coming in 10-11 AM, and leaving 2-3 PM. They’re sick and tired of wfh doing that and getting away with it. So in reality overall the entire co is dragged down

Think about it. 10-3 is a 5 hour work
Day. 25 hours a week. One could essentially get another $150k+ job and double one’s income.

Sorry I wasn't clear. You must be available between 10-3 but you still must work a full work day. They give people the flexibility to start later (i.e. 10 am) or finish earlier (330 pm). Now that I think about it we've always been this way since before COVID. I used to start at 0700-0715 when I went into the office.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Thanks for the details.

I work for a company that makes industrial controls. I think it was the worst January we have had in a long time. February is looking a bit better. Friend of mine works for another company in the same industry - same story on January, February still sucking.

I think there is a lot of turmoil, which doesn't inspire companies to spend a bunch of money.

Agree. I was told their company revenue for Jan was down 75%.

 

[AZjeff]

It's not me, but they're 50-52

Maybe could have been clearer in your OP, save some unnecessary but well meaning posts.

The perception about working or not working is real. "Looking for a job" starts on the internet and with AI involved and HR department procedures much of the interview process up to a point is done online. Will the person be trying to get a job locally or move for work, in office or WFH? If there's nothing to do at work besides apply for jobs it may not be a bad choice to stay. The idea of something for nothing (severance) is appealing but shouldn't be the decision driver.

 

[JohnnyG]

Those three months of work, particularly if high income, will (eventually) count toward your social security payment. If your're too youg to worry about that, take the cash.

 

[Dave Hess]

Take the 3 month severance.

What does your wife say about your options ?

 

[opus1]

Sorry I wasn't clear. You must be available between 10-3 but you still must work a full work day. They give people the flexibility to start later (i.e. 10 am) or finish earlier (330 pm). Now that I think about it we've always been this way since before COVID. I used to start at 0700-0715 when I went into the office.

The places that I've worked which allowed for flexible start/end times called that "Core Hours". You were expected to work 8 hours a day, start/end when you please, but it was required that you be accessible during the 10-3 window no matter what your start/end times were.

 

[ecotourist]

Sorry I wasn't clear. You must be available between 10-3 but you still must work a full work day. They give people the flexibility to start later (i.e. 10 am) or finish earlier (330 pm).

When I took over a large department the staff had completely flexible hours. One of our longest serving and highest paid employees started about 05:00, took no lunch break and was done by 12:30 or 13:00. Problems would be surfacing by early to mid afternoon and she was always gone for the day. She was putting in her hours but also not available when she was needed. Several other people were regularly "eating a sandwich at their desk" but counting it as work time.

So I changed the flex time to "must take at least a 30 minute lunch break and must be available between the core hours of 10:00 and 15:00". Both problems solved. People still had considerable flexibility but were now available when we needed them and we were getting the hours of work we were paying for. And everyone was now taking an actual lunch break. There weren't even any objections.

 

[John105]

When I took over a large department the staff had completely flexible hours. One of our longest serving and highest paid employees started about 05:00, took no lunch break and was done by 12:30 or 13:00. Problems would be surfacing by early to mid afternoon and she was always gone for the day. She was putting in her hours but also not available when she was needed. Several other people were regularly "eating a sandwich at their desk" but counting it as work time.

So I changed the flex time to "must take at least a 30 minute lunch break and must be available between the core hours of 10:00 and 15:00". Both problems solved. People still had considerable flexibility but were now available when we needed them and we were getting the hours of work we were paying for. And everyone was now taking an actual lunch break. There weren't even any objections.

I’ve been on call 24/7/365 since 1996. There’s absolutely no way I can ever get that time back. You name it been called out of movies, sports games, kids’ events, holidays, church, etc. when I need a vacation I need to find coverage. Woe is me.

Kids. Don’t ever accept a job that sneaks
in on call duty. Last job I was compensated minimally @ $400/mo. Current job it’s just an additional duty.

Maybe that’s why I find wfh a farce. Even more so that my own team is 5/7 100% remote. You can’t ever reach them.

Let me just say something. I totally get that “work gets done” even with wfh. But, is apple out of line saying 40% lost productivity? Doubt it.

Say you want to do what Toyota did with Lexus in the 80’s. With 40% lost productivity.

 

[supton]

What’s sad for me to point out….what I’ve noticed with RTO workers, they’re now coming in 10-11 AM, and leaving 2-3 PM. They’re sick and tired of wfh doing that and getting away with it. So in reality overall the entire co is dragged down

Think about it. 10-3 is a 5 hour work
Day. 25 hours a week. One could essentially get another $150k+ job and double one’s income.

I've done that. Coffee badging. In at 9 and out at 3.

but I go home and will work through dinner into the evening hours. Nobody stopping by my cube and the constant redirects that come with those interruptions. I can go in, do whatever meetings, talk through whatever issues with coworkers--then go home and work on my projects when my mind is aligned to those tasks.

Last week I wound up in office until 7 one or two nights. Couldn't resolve the issue by 3... so just kept at it. Nature of the job.

 

[John105]

I've done that. Coffee badging. In at 9 and out at 3.

but I go home and will work through dinner into the evening hours. Nobody stopping by my cube and the constant redirects that come with those interruptions. I can go in, do whatever meetings, talk through whatever issues with coworkers--then go home and work on my projects when my mind is aligned to those tasks.

Last week I wound up in office until 7 one or two nights. Couldn't resolve the issue by 3... so just kept at it. Nature of the job.

I spent the early part of my career being micromanaged. Example, I had perfect attendance for 6+ years from age 22. I asked my boss for PTO in the 90’s. He said what for? I said to get Grateful Dead tix. He said that’s not an acceptable reason to use PTO. Not making it up. This was the early 90’s.

At any rate my buddy said something to me maybe 4 years ago that made sense. He said better to ask for forgiveness, than permission. It was really difficult to unlearn always checking in and letting my bosses know where I am. Especially 2015-2019 when I was on the road maybe 50%. That’s gone now people miss their own meetings no explanation. Strange corp environments….

 

[supton]

I spent the early part of my career being micromanaged. Example, I had perfect attendance for 6+ years from age 22. I asked my boss for PTO in the 90’s. He said what for? I said to get Grateful Dead tix. He said that’s not an acceptable reason to use PTO. Not making it up. This was the early 90’s.

At any rate my buddy said something to me maybe 4 years ago that made sense. He said better to ask for forgiveness, than permission. It was really difficult to unlearn always checking in and letting my bosses know where I am. Especially 2015-2019 when I was on the road maybe 50%. That’s gone now people miss their own meetings no explanation. Strange corp environments….

Yeah I don't feel like I need an excuse to take PTO--it's called personal for a reason. If I had to give a reason, I'd say I was busy vomiting--you still want me to come in? I may need an extra trash can in my cube.

Corporate culture is a variable here. My boss recently had his hand slapped for this. He put in for PTO a month before he needed it. Why? His prior job allowed it. He's changed jobs a few times over the years, and over time & at the last one, the "rule" was to use your PTO first. Reason being, if you get let go or otherwise leave, PTO is not paid out--but any unused vacation time is. So you burn those days first. Well... at this current job, his boss took umbrage with that, so this day off that he needed had to be done with vacation not PTO.

Different company different rules. Heck I'd lay down money, same company but new boss (recent change in staffing) and I'll bet he could as he used to. Rules change with time (or with whoever's enforcing them).

Easier to ask for forgiveness. Most of my bosses all but didn't want to know--get the work done and these "can I take a day off" requests is just noise in their ears, distracting them from their priorities.

 

[tasch72]

You've been given the option of taking 3 mo severence in a lump sum or working for 3 mo. You are probably going to exit your industry entirely because it's in free fall.

Would you continue to work and look for a new job under the premise that it's easier to find a job if you can say you're working?

Is the severance lump sum a full 3 months pay?

Was the employee properly notified in accordance with the WARN act (if in the US)?