Pillsbury to Its People: Let's Make a Deal

Ah, Pillsbury. Like the commenters on Above the Law, we don’t know what to make of your latest HR move.

Following last week’s train revelation about layoffs coming in March, the firm is now asking attorneys and staff to raise their hands and volunteer to take a three-months’-severance buyout package, according to Above the Law. But at the same time, the firm is still warning its people that layoffs (the involuntary kind) will happen no matter what. (An aside here: ATL, churning out the layoff news today, has Sheppard Mullin confirming that it's gradually let go of about 25 lawyers over the first two months of the year, some "performance-related" terminations and others "true" layoffs.)

But back to Pillsbury. I guess if I knew I were going to be out of a job and and I was offered a face-saving way of “choosing” that option, maybe I’d take it. But in this job market, I'd need some really, really specific information that I’d be laid off either way (like, maybe if a trusted partner above me did some serious, serious hinting).

Interestingly, Pillsbury’s memo, as posted on ATL, doesn’t spell out what severance the involuntarily let-go will get. Making it kind of like that old game show “Let’s Make a Deal.” Will those who get pushed out next month against their will also get three months’ severance? Or something more like a goat?

—  Pam Smith

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