Massive Layoffs At AOL

JLavezzo writes "Several news sites are reporting that the United States' largest ISP has laid off 750 employees. My sources at AOL put the actual number at approximately 950 regular employees and 300 contractors from various departments including new technology and marketing. The contractors aren't mentioned by the news outlets. Severance packages are known to include up to four months pay and keeping laid off employees on the AOL payroll through February (to retain health insurance). With most of the layoffs coming from the Northern Virginia offices, what are their hopes for finding new jobs?"

Comments

Thanks the Indian/Chinese Programmers

[Anonymous Coward]

AOL will layoff a large number of employees due to the fact that other ISPs have used Indian/Chinese H-1Bs in order to keep costs low. AOL had traditionally given Americans a fair shot at a programming job.

Chinese engineers and Indian engineers are willing to work 70 hours per week, effectively receiving a per-hour wage approaching the minimum wage. The only way for AOL to compete is to treat its employees just as horribly. After this new layoff, look to AOL hiring a batch of H-1Bs.

Re:Thanks the Indian/Chinese Programmers

[Anonymous Coward]

Come on now, this doesn't even have anything to do with Tibet. At least you could have said, "This kind of layoff pales in comparison to the ongoing Chinese torture in Tibet." I've really seen you do much better work. What's it been now? Two weeks?

New Jobs?

[Lord Kano]

what are their hopes for finding new jobs?

Who fucking cares? They worked for AOL!

Seriously, these people worked for a company that is HATED by IT professionals all over the world. Why should we care if they can find new jobs after they were used up and thrown away?

LK

Re:Ok

[Anonymous Coward]

Just because you're employed doesn't mean the economy is kicking ass.

AOL SUCKS SHIT

[Anonymous Coward]

The assholes that work there deserve to be canned. I hope their CHRISTMas is ruined. Have a good day.

Did AOL sign those mortgage papers too?

[blitz487]

Did you want AOL to provide "make work" employment for these people?

Better than throwing them into the street after mortgages were signed.

Hey, AOL didn't sign your mortgage papers. You did. Why is AOL on the hook for what you irresponsibly did?

Quit blaming outsourcing on the US gov't

[tjstork]

Outsourcing is not the government's fault, it's ours. I mean, how many of you drive a Japanese or German car and thought, jeez, all those -millions- of American workers will adjust to the new economy. Now the new economy has hit us, and you fools are still blaming the government while still looking for more foreign made junk to buy. When will you get it that buying a foreign product is probably worse for the country than any so-called act of terrorism? Do you want to end outsourcing, then stop buying foreign products. We need to get it into our collective heads that foreign countries do not want equitable trade with the USA, they are all our economic enemies and want us to be destroyed so they can take our place. Buying a Chinese product, giving money to Bin Laden, there's no difference.