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Tag: Layoffs

  • Surviving Layoffs: Setting Boundaries & Staying Resilient

    So, your workplace just went through a reorganization, and you’re now doing the work of multiple people. On top of that, you’re dealing with survivor’s guilt and the fear of being next. It’s a tough spot to be in, but being the ‘last one standing’ doesn’t mean you have to be the most overextended.

    The Risks of Over-Functioning

    It’s easy to fall into the trap of taking on more than you can handle, often driven by fear. You might worry that speaking up will make you seem non-compliant or like a ‘squeaky wheel.’ However, constantly saying ‘yes’ and over-functioning comes with significant risks. Burnout is a real consequence, leading to decreased performance, lower productivity, and ultimately, reduced profits for the company.

    Often, this over-functioning isn’t based on facts but on assumed expectations from leadership. If you consistently prove you can handle three jobs, the organization may never feel the need to hire for those other two positions. Remember the old adage: ‘The squeaky wheel gets the grease.’

    The Reasonable Reframe™️: Protecting Your Value

    Instead of focusing on proving your value by taking on excessive tasks, shift your mindset. As discussed in Joyel Crawford’s upcoming book, ‘It’s Their Loss: Honoring Grief at Work and Leading Through What Breaks Us Open,’ the key is to adopt ‘The Reasonable Reframe™️.’ This means moving from “I need to prove I’m valuable” to “I need to protect how my value is delivered.”

    Your true value isn’t measured by how much you carry, but by what you can reasonably sustain and deliver with high quality. It’s about redefining excellence to be sustainable, not just about short-term urgency.

    Actionable Strategies for Setting Boundaries

    1. **Clarify Priorities:** Instead of an immediate ‘no,’ ask: ‘Given the current workload, what are the top 2-3 priorities you want me to focus on?’ This prompts leaders to make choices.
    2. **Name The Tradeoffs:** Follow up with: ‘If I shift focus to prioritize this, what would you like me to pause or deprioritize?’ This protects you from silent overcommitment.
    3. **Document Capacity (Your POWER):** Maintain a ‘Damn I’m Good’ (DIG) folder. Tracking your workload and accomplishments provides clarity and protection, not just for your peace of mind but for maintaining your professional power.
    4. **Set Realistic Expectations:** State: ‘I want to ensure I’m delivering high-quality work consistently. Based on my current capacity, here’s what’s realistic…’ This isn’t refusal; it’s redefining excellence.

    Professional Scripts for Managing Workload

    Use clear, assertive language to communicate your capacity and priorities. Here are some examples:

    • “I’m very committed to delivering impact, not just volume. Let’s work together to align on what success looks like here.”
    • “To maintain quality, I’ll need to focus on fewer priorities at a time. What matters most right now?”
    • “I want to confirm we’re setting this up for sustainability, not just short-term urgency.”

    Remember, raising your voice raises your value. If an organization requires you to sacrifice your well-being to keep things running, the issue lies with their structure, not your performance. True career safety comes from clarity, strategy, and self-respect.

    You’ve survived the layoffs. Your job now is to ensure that staying doesn’t cost you yourself. If the only path to success involves slow burnout, it’s ultimately their loss. You’ve got this!

    How do you set boundaries at work, especially after layoffs? Share your strategies and experiences in the comments below!

  • UPS Slashes 14,000 More Jobs in Restructuring

    The United Parcel Service (UPS) is making major moves as its ambitious restructuring plan continues to unfold. The company has announced plans to eliminate an additional 14,000 jobs, adding to the thousands already cut this year. This latest round of layoffs primarily targets management positions, signaling a significant shift in the company’s operational structure.

    Deepening Restructuring Efforts

    These new cuts come on top of approximately 34,000 operational roles that have already been eliminated in 2025. UPS confirmed that it has closed 93 leased and owned facilities as part of these efforts. The company anticipates substantial financial savings, projecting annual savings of about $3.5 billion from these restructuring initiatives.

    According to a company statement, UPS has already realized cost savings of approximately $2.2 billion as of September 30, 2025, and expects to reach the full $3.5 billion target by the end of the year. These figures are calculated based on year-over-year changes in volume from their largest customer, factoring in certain additional volume they’ve chosen to serve.

    Focus on Shareholder Value and Efficiency

    CEO Carol Tomé emphasized that maximizing profit for shareholders remains a top priority. She expressed gratitude to UPS employees for their dedication while highlighting the strategic importance of the ongoing changes. ‘We are executing the most significant strategic shift in our company’s history,’ Tomé stated, aiming to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders.

    The company is positioning itself for what they believe will be their most efficient holiday shipping season yet, aiming to provide industry-leading service for the eighth consecutive year. This leaner operational model is designed to enhance efficiency, especially as the busy holiday season approaches.

    Impact of Amazon Relationship and Automation

    A significant driver behind these job cuts is UPS’s strategic decision to reduce its volume from its largest customer, Amazon.com, Inc., by more than 50% by late 2026, citing declining package volume from that account. Furthermore, the company points to increasing automation and facility consolidation as major structural factors influencing these workforce changes.

    While UPS asserts its commitment to maintaining top-notch customer service, the long-term impact of operating with a significantly leaner workforce remains to be seen. The company is betting that these strategic shifts will lead to greater profitability and efficiency in the years to come.

    What are your thoughts on UPS’s massive job cuts and restructuring? How do you think this will affect their service? Share your opinions in the comments below!

  • Taylor DeBerry Turns Layoff into Period Product Aid

    Losing a job can be a devastating experience, but for Taylor DeBerry, her layoff became the catalyst for a powerful mission. Faced with the challenge of affording essential items while unemployed, she realized a critical need: access to menstrual products shouldn’t be a luxury, especially during times of financial hardship. This realization sparked the creation of ‘Periods of Transition,’ a grassroots initiative aimed at providing dignity and support to women in need.

    From Personal Struggle to Community Support

    The inspiration struck DeBerry while she was in a Nevada dollar store, trying to make ends meet after being laid off. “I’m unemployed and still bleeding,” she recalled thinking. “If I’m going through this, there are so many other women and other people who menstruate as well and are going through the same thing.” This moment of empathy fueled her desire to ensure that no one has to compromise their dignity due to lack of access to period products.

    Through ‘Periods of Transition’ – a name cleverly referencing both menstrual cycles and the phase of job loss – DeBerry distributes free, high-quality menstrual care kits. These kits are thoughtfully stocked with organic pads and tampons from trusted brands. The effort is driven by community support through an Amazon wishlist and GoFundMe campaign, embodying DeBerry’s belief that dignity should remain intact, regardless of employment status.

    Impact and Growth in Six Weeks

    The response to DeBerry’s initiative has been overwhelming. In just six weeks, ‘Periods of Transition’ has raised over $6,500 and successfully shipped 140 care packages, with an additional 250 individuals already on a waitlist. DeBerry and her mother have transformed her living room into a makeshift packing center, personally assembling and mailing each box.

    DeBerry highlighted the often-taboo nature of both layoffs and menstruation, particularly for women and Black women. “No one wants to feel alone,” she stated, emphasizing the silence surrounding these issues. The drive directly addresses the growing crisis of period poverty, exacerbated by widespread layoffs this year, which have disproportionately affected Black women.

    Addressing Urgent Needs and Future Aspirations

    The stories shared by those seeking help are heart-wrenching. Some women have had to postpone job interviews due to the inability to afford pads, while others describe the anxiety of using makeshift solutions like toilet paper. DeBerry admits that reading these submissions can be emotionally taxing, but it reinforces her “why” and fuels her determination.

    With the initial wave of care packages sent, DeBerry is now focused on scaling her efforts. She hopes to streamline the process and potentially establish local chapters nationwide, inspired by the outreach she’s already received. Her vision includes partnering with larger organizations to extend support to unhoused and incarcerated women, recognizing the essential role these women play in the economy.

    DeBerry affectionately refers to the women she serves as her “Period Posse,” seeing them as the embodiment of her mission. “They’re the face of the brand. They’re the why. Without them, who would I be helping?” she shared, underscoring the profound human connection at the heart of her impactful initiative.

    What are your thoughts on Taylor DeBerry’s ‘Periods of Transition’ initiative? How can we collectively address period poverty? Share your ideas in the comments below!

  • CDC Layoffs Reversed After Trump Admin Error

    In a surprising turn of events amid the ongoing government shutdown, hundreds of employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who received layoff notifications have had those terminations reversed. The initial wave of workforce reductions, which impacted multiple government agencies on October 10th, mistakenly led approximately 700 CDC staffers to believe their jobs were eliminated due to a significant coding error.

    A Blunder with Widespread Impact

    The error meant that many central CDC departments, including those responsible for publishing the agency’s flagship journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, as well as critical areas like the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, the Global Health Center, and the Public Health Infrastructure Center, were effectively left unstaffed on paper. Even officers from the Epidemic Intelligence Service, the nation’s first responders to disease threats, had their layoffs rescinded.

    Andrew Nixon, director of communications for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), released a statement acknowledging the mistake. “The employees who received incorrect notifications were never separated from the agency and have all been notified that they are not subject to the reduction in force,” CNN reported Nixon saying. This correction, while welcome, highlights significant managerial issues.

    Concerns Over Managerial Incompetence

    The incident has drawn sharp criticism from public health officials. Dr. Nirav Shah, who previously served as a principal deputy director at the CDC, called the situation “pure managerial incompetence.” He questioned whether the chaos was an unintended byproduct or a deliberate outcome, stating, “I used to think that chaos was the byproduct of this managerial incompetence. Now I start to wonder whether the chaos is the point.”

    Beyond the immediate confusion, the actual layoffs resulting from the shutdown are expected to cause significant problems for the CDC. These cuts have already faced legal scrutiny and public backlash. Shah warned that such reductions could critically delay responses to future health crises, costing precious time when immediate action is needed. “These cuts will mean that when the next health crisis comes along, precious days, weeks, months will be spent getting ready when we should have been ready,” he added.

    Wider Impact Across Federal Agencies

    The CDC is not the only federal agency affected by the shutdown-induced layoffs. The Department of Education also saw hundreds of employees laid off, particularly impacting its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, which could jeopardize crucial programming for individuals with disabilities. Other federal departments, including Commerce, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, and Treasury, have also experienced workforce reductions.

    What are your thoughts on the managerial competence within federal agencies during times of crisis? Share your opinions in the comments below.

  • Emory Healthcare Sued Over WARN Act Violations

    Emory Healthcare, a prominent academic health system in Georgia, is now the target of a class-action lawsuit filed by former employees. The suit alleges that the company violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act when it laid off dozens of employees in its financial services and revenue cycle department in early August 2025.

    Allegations of WARN Act Violations

    The lawsuit claims that over 500 full-time workers were terminated without the legally required 60 days’ advance written notice. Instead, employees reportedly received severance agreements that offered payments contingent upon them signing away their rights to back pay claims. The WARN Act mandates that companies provide this notice period during mass layoffs to protect employees’ rights to benefits and back pay.

    The lawsuit explicitly states, “Emory’s conduct demonstrates a willful attempt to circumvent WARN Act requirements and deprive employees of their statutory protections.” Paulette Simmons, a former employee and the lead plaintiff, recalled receiving a termination letter dated August 12th, announcing her immediate dismissal. The letter offered a lump-sum payment but required her to agree not to sue, among other conditions.

    Emory Healthcare’s Defense

    Emory Healthcare, however, disputes the applicability of the WARN Act, arguing that the layoffs did not meet the threshold for a “mass layoff” under the act’s definition. A spokesperson stated that the layoffs affected only 232 out of its 29,500 employees, representing about 1% of the workforce. They cited the WARN Act’s criteria, which require employment losses to represent at least 33% of the workforce at a single site, excluding part-time employees, neither of which applied in this case.

    The company expressed its commitment to supporting the departing employees with resources during their career transition and conveyed gratitude for their contributions. Despite Emory’s defense, Simmons and other affected workers are urging the court to certify them as a class and declare that Emory Healthcare violated the WARN Act, seeking appropriate compensation for all affected employees.

    What are your thoughts on employee protections during mass layoffs? Share your opinions in the comments below!