I was laid off from my job but my employer is telling my co-workers I'm on PTO.

Anonymous

July 8,2022 at 7:41PM UTC

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I was laid off from my job but my employer is telling my co-workers I'm on PTO.

After my employer laid me off this week, they said my severance was contingent upon my confidentiality. I"m not allowed to tell anyone I was laid off. They've kept my network access live (after changing the password) and they have kept my Slack account active but marked me on PTO,. I can see all the Slack messages where my boss is telling people I'm on PTO. Does anyone know why a company would go to such lengths to hide layoffs?

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Julie HumbirdJuly 8,2022 at 7:49PM UTC
My guess is morale. My last org laid off a bunch of people in 2021 and the shock of it caused several others to leave.
Rebecca AliJuly 8,2022 at 10:43PM UTC
I was going to say this. Often there are more coming and if it's going to take a few weeks to get to them, they don't want panic/low morale to stop whatever production/work is happening at the moment.
Michele LaCagninaJuly 9,2022 at 1:52AM UTC
That was my guess. They are buying my silence so people don't panic.
Jill L. FergusonJuly 8,2022 at 8:05PM UTC
Were you the only person laid off or were there more?
Val LordJuly 8,2022 at 8:42PM UTC
That feels odd. Normally companies will revoke access to everything because of the potential for possibly disgruntled employees to take proprietary info or cause some other sorts of trouble. Depending on your level of access this seems very risky thing to do on their part.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 9:19PM UTC
Layoffs are never good indicators of a company's financial health. Layoffs make employees, customers and vendors very nervous and relationships become strained. Especially when the company is nit transparent in terms of their financial health.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 9:24PM UTC
If you were the one person laid off I think your boss is trying not to call your performance into question and pretend it's pto and then he'll just say you decided to move on.
I would let it go. Take your severance, file for unemployment and start looking for your new role.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 9:53PM UTC
I'm in similar situation and it's making it difficult to interview. I'm considered still working for the company until the severance ends and even then I'm not allowed to discuss. Therefore, I didn't know what to say when asked, whom I report to at the office due that stipulation. Why are companies doing this?
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 11:10PM UTC
Wow!!!
Employers sinking to a new low?? I've never heard of this happening, but then again, truth is stranger than fiction.
Be glad you are going/gone. Maybe tell potential employers you interview that you SUSPECT a layoff, this seeking out your options
AnonymousJuly 9,2022 at 8:52AM UTC
They fear a mass exodus that’s why
Audrey KirschJuly 9,2022 at 5:00PM UTC
That must be some kind of good severance. Was this stipulation in writing? I've never heard of something like this. Often, once you're gone, you can feel the knife in your back with the way bosses bad mouth you. The good news is that when applying for new jobs, you don't have to say that you were laid off. You have digital proof that you're on PTO and can say you're exploring new options.
AnonymousJuly 9,2022 at 6:06PM UTC
I'm not the original poster but the second one chiming in regarding my situation. My company put it in writing that I wasn't allowed to talk so that's why it's confusing what to say why I want to leave or if I'm still at the company? Right now, I'm keeping my old position on LinkedIn due the severance and stipulation. When asked about current projects, whom I report to and references, it's creating a difficult situation to navigate. It's hard being in reality gone but still straddling the line with work.
Michele LaCagninaJuly 10,2022 at 4:40PM UTC
Yikes, that's really lousy. I'm sorry that happened to you.
AnonymousJuly 10,2022 at 1:10PM UTC
I thought a lay-off was a potentially temporary thing, vs. being separated. Are you sure you were separated completely without the possibility of coming back?
AnonymousJuly 10,2022 at 2:33PM UTC
A company can say anything. This response might even help you with your job search since your boss will give you a great reference since he doesn't want to upset the story he's telling.
JENN O'TOOLJuly 11,2022 at 6:23AM UTC
It's happened to me in the past. It's frustrating for sure. When a company offers Severance pay at the time of termination, they can (within legal constraints) set the terms. Have you received a Separation Agreement that includes the terms (which may also include a release of rights to make claims against the company). Do you know if others were laid off as well? Or was there just an elimination of your position. It's possible they need to coordinate communication -- although that would be very poor planning on their part.