October Layoffs

[Anonymous]

No...Merck does not honor "handraising". They already know who they're going to cut. The handraising is a psychological ploy. Don't fall for it.

 

[Anonymous]

If your in R&D your site head or EC+3 should have communicated with you that many will know their fates by the end of October. With the EC+4 being notified, I would not be shocked if Merck started to roll out layoffs real soon. The EC+4 announcements have to happen soon because at least in Kenilworth we know that the last days for some EC+4s have been releived of their duties, so they have been notified. It is just a matter of time now.

Just to add to the speculation pile, I think it will start real soon and majority will know by the end of October, it will just be rolling.

Yes, EC+4 terminations have already started in some WP R&D departments and for those places where it's started, it will probably be wrapped up the next couple of weeks. Each department is doing it at their own pace and all are supposed to be done by end of Oct. It's not practical to try and sync every department so they all do it on a given day or week.

It's hard not knowing if we'll just do this again next year, and then the year after that. I want to believe it's over but that's probably naive.

As far as handraiser chatter here, they do genuinely consider it, but may not accept it because of business need. You may not agree with the decision but they will try to honor it if the area were slated for reduction anyway. Each area has a FTE target and they don't want to go below or above it.

 

[Anonymous]

No...Merck does not honor "handraising". They already know who they're going to cut. The handraising is a psychological ploy. Don't fall for it.

HQ insider here - ALL signed handraiser letters go to Legal for review along with all suggested terminations. If you're a good performing handraiser and have the misfortune of working with a screw up, you're likely to be passed over in favor of paying out the screw up. All past reviews being equal and open headcounts being eliminated otherwise, it's down to salary. The more you're paid, the quicker they are to take your letter.

So, either be a screw up, get paid the most when there are no screw ups or open positions to eliminate and you're golden. OH, and by screw up I mean on paper. We all know what a railroading campaign has been going on for at least the last review cycle to line people up to get chucked out.