AllThingsD » severence

RealNetworks Cuts 130, 7.5 Percent of Workforce

Peter Kafka — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:10:14 +0000

Next up on today’s layoff parade: RealNetworks (RNWK), which is cutting 130 jobs, or 7.5 percent of the workforce. Standard explanation: The company is trying to “bring expenses in line with revenues in a time of economic turmoil.”

The layoffs are companywide. The company tells us it is not shutting down the New York office of Rhapsody America, the music subscription service that Real runs as a joint venture with Viacom’s (VIA) MTV as Gawker reported this morning. The corporatewide layoffs were first reported by CNET.

Other details relevant to laid-off employees:

All are on payroll through the end of the year
Each will be offered a cash severance package based on length of service
Said severance package will include six months of paid COBRA
Etc., etc.

Real PR boss Bill Hankes has more details at the company’s blog.

AT&T Announces Q4 Morale Reduction

John Paczkowski — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:34:50 +0000

AT&T joined the sad conga line of companies laying off workers, announcing on Thursday the elimination of 12,000 jobs. That’s roughly four percent of its workforce. The company cited “economic pressures, a changing business mix and a more streamlined organizational structure” as the rationale for the move. It expects to take a fourth-quarter severance-related charge of about $600 million.

Ugly news for the company’s workforce, which has already seen its headcount reduced by 4,600 this year as part of a reorganization of AT&T’s shrinking landline business.

Shares of AT&T (T), which have dropped by about 30 percent this year, slipped another 2.7 percent in pre-market trading.

AT&T Announces Q4 Morale Reduction

John Paczkowski — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:34:50 +0000

Ugly news for the company’s workforce, which has already seen its headcount reduced by 4,600 this year as part of a reorganization of AT&T’s shrinking landline business.

Shares of AT&T (T), which have dropped by about 30 percent this year, slipped another 2.7 percent in pre-market trading.