As expected, many AOLers in Dulles started receiving "the email" yesterday afternoon. The email asks them to attend an "important meeting" this morning--at which they will be fired.

This is the way AOL's layoffs have been handled over the past several years, with depressing regularity.

Today's cuts -- mostly in Dulles, but taking place in New York and California too -- are part of the layoffs announced in January. That plan was to fire about 700 people by the end of March.

Some AOLers weighed in yesterday afternoon:

Anybody who gets "the IM" or "the meeting notice", etc please post here. Thanks

You are required to attend a meeting on tomorrow morning, Tuesday, March 10th at 10 AM in my office (46A:A01).Thank you.



so classy!

emails are already out - important meetings tomorrow morning, if you were lucky enough to receive one

Mobile emails have been sent this evening at 7 to some of the marketing managers and teams that are not revenue generating. The picture will be clearer tomorrow on who is gone and who is left to work on the remaining projects. If anything, while these layoffs cut costs, confusion increases and morale continues to decline.

The subject line of the email is "Important Meeting Tuesday". Mine was sent by my VP at 5:15 this afternoon - 15 minutes after I left work. I read it about 45 minutes ago and am still in shock.

Sorry to hear that some of you got the email already.

In the past, they have gathered 2 groups in two different places...and let go of 1 group...the other is told..you are safe (American Idol style). So, there is still hope.



On the brighter side, this is the only time to spend with family and friends....take some time off for a month, go travel somewhere...recharge yourself. Once you start working again (hopefully soon)....you won't get this golden opportunity.



That's how I see it. Am already looking for dates to travel somewhere....in case I get the boot tomorrow.



Btw, any1 know if it's standard 2 month package or....3+ (yummy) ?

i heard from a co-worker that severance was 4 months this time.



at which point i kinda want to get the axe, something to kick my butt into gear to get out of here, the problem being those of us who have enough family obligations here that our opportunities are limited by the area we live in. good luck to everyone, its a terrible time for them to do this, especially when aol isn't really 'losing' money - i can see it for a business that's absolutely over and done with, but for a company who isn't in dire straits to do this now, for the sake of the stockholders, is completely unpatriotic - we're supposed to be in this together, not crapping on eachother.



i'm just glad i never got to be a manager who has to break the news tomorrow, i, for one, sure don' t have the balls for that.

OH MAN..4 MONTHS !!! wowwww....pick me , take me !!