Employees in Technology

Are you being targeted just prior to an RSU/stock vesting date? 

Was feedback always positive and then suddenly one day, everything changed? Are you being retaliated against because you took medical leave, requested a reasonable accommodation, or complained to Human Resources or your manager? Have you been placed on Focus, a Performance Improvement Plan, or received a Pivot letter?  

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are at risk for termination and need to be prepared for Amazon's next move to protect yourself and your job. Amazon does not give employees much time to make career and life changing decisions, so being able to identify red flags and know when you are at risk is critical. Also, in order to obtain the Pivot (severance) payment from Amazon as promised in the Pivot letter, employees must sign an agreement that releases all claims against Amazon, which an employee is not permitted to review until after deciding to leave Amazon. We have had several clients who choses to leave Amazon and then read the severance agreement and refused to sign it because they did not agree with the terms. Amazon then refused to pay the severance and would not them change their decision. As a result, these employees were terminated and had no severance pay to rely on until they found a new job. However, they did preserve their right to sue Amazon for damages because they had not waived or released their legal claims. 

Our consultations include analysis of potential legal claims and insight into Amazon's severance agreement. Meeting with us before you are on the spot and under stress will help you make the right decision for your situation. There are many other issues that also arise due to the Pivot process, which we will also discuss with you, as well as tips and tricks.   

Other issues we have helped Amazon employees deal with are age, gender, disability, and racial discrimination, wrongful termination, and obtaining medical leave and reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

As a result of our work with Amazon employees, we have obtained additional severance pay, negotiated removal from Pivot, helped clients reach their RSU/stock vest date by extending employment, extended employment for immigration and other reasons, successfully coached clients through improve plans, prepared successful appeals, obtained leave and accommodations, and obtained internal transfers.   

Microsoft employees rely on us when their rewards and ratings do not reflect their work, when they have received a proposal for voluntary separation, when retaliated against for complaining to Human Resources or for the information they provided during an investigation, and when needing medical leave or a reasonable accommodation. We have also represented Microsoft employees in matters involving race, age, and gender discrimination and in negotiating severance. All of the above issues typically also involve targeting and efforts to push employees out by either trying to get them to quit or via termination. 

If you start noticing red flags, receive minimal or no rewards, have job responsibilities diminish, or simply feel like something is off, a consultation with us will help you gain clarity and strategize regarding what actions you should take to protect yourself. 

We provide advice and representation to Microsoft employees regarding employment agreements, severance negotiations, termination, Performance Improvement Plans, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, and hostile work environment. We provide coaching and counseling, negotiate severance agreements, and litigate legal claims when necessary.