Thread regarding Whole Foods Market Inc. layoffs

If they do NOT give notice, then some form of severence is generally expected (ie: the 8 weeks severence in lieu of notice was what was given...the reat was based on sevice hours and varied tm to tm). This round had no notice and it was legally in their best interest to pony up a bit more. I assume many people will receive notice if/when another round hits, get no severence and good luck to you. As I always stated, round one was a mercy killing. Those who had options to stay but chose not to, knew they were still close enough to the shore to make the swim quick enough to either watch the ship capsize and sink into the retail abyss, or to never look back.

Either way. Im enjoying the time away from the grind, and i havent spent a damn cent of my severence yet. I had a sense of where things were going...so i stopped trying to move up a year or two ago, and prepared for the inevitable.

@185969- Individual state laws vary, but nowhere in America can an employer cut employees without warning as part of a layoff. The severance was their way of essentially buying out of that requirement since the minimum notice time is paid whether the employee stays or not. I highly doubt that the terms of the severance would change. However, I wouldn't put past their inventing or trying to find reasons to fire people outright before announcing another round of cuts.

I doubt there will be a severance offered in the second, more massive " consolidation" coming up in January. The severance offered in this round was conciliatory ; a way to comfort those still at WFM to do their jobs during the Holidays. ( see? We take " care" of our TM's!) the second round, no way.

For those who are holding out for a severance, consider it a gamble. Severance is no guarantee, the company was not legally obligated to give one. If there are more cuts who knows if employees will be given one. And if the company is bought out I think the chance of one is zero.

Who remembers Bally Total Fitness? A look at the gyms sector and the effects of competition will give you an idea. WFM addresses the issue of prices with kid gloves. Prices is what earned this company the nickname of "whole pay check" so go figure.

I sensed I was on a sinking ship months before I was fired. But no time to job hunt and an old resume. I was torn between keeping my insurance and jumping ship because I was getting my teeth fixed.

I have noticed the same. We've had some who just flat-out walked. Others have quit or have put in notice. Mostly newer people, and of course all of the best of them. We old-timers stay not out of loyalty, but out of fear of missing out on a sweet severance if we leave at this point. I have my eyes on January. Potentially later depending on their "tech upgrade".