Comcast Fired 500 Employees Right Before Christmas Comcast fired 500 employees right before the holidays while simultaneously claiming its new tax cut would help boost employment. Insiders tell The Philadelphia Inquirer that Comcast managers, supervisors, and direct sales people in Chicago, Florida, and other parts of Comcast’s Central region were terminated just ten days before Christmas. These employees were then required to sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing them from talking about the terminations, the report states.

As a result, the firings went unreported while Comcast made headlines for its promise to dole out $1,000 bonuses for some employees as a result of the company's new tax cut and the recent FCC attack on net neutrality. The 500 layoffs in the company's Central region were also accompanied by the firing of 405 employees in Atlanta, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Comcast also spent the weeks before Christmas making headlines for its claims that the death of net neutrality and its new tax cut would be directly responsible for the company investing $50 billion over a period of five years. Ignored by many outlets was the fact that this is the amount of money Comcast was already on pace to spend regardless of both policies. "Periodically, we reorganize groups of employees and adjust our sales tactics and talent," Comcast says of the firings. "This change in the Central Division is an example of this practice and occurred in the context of our adding hundreds of frontline and sales employees. All these employees were offered generous severance and an opportunity to apply for other jobs at Comcast." It stands to reason that additional layoffs should be expected in the new year if this "reorganization" makes its way to other Comcast divisions. It stands to reason that additional layoffs should be expected in the new year if this "reorganization" makes its way to other Comcast divisions.







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Most recommended from 56 comments



SpottedCat

join:2004-06-27

Miami, FL 40 recommendations SpottedCat Member It's funny how these companies say one thing, then do another. Actually, no, it's not funny at all because they've been doing it forever now and WHY ARE WE STILL FOOLED?



Big corporations are not our friends. They do not deserve tax cuts and special treatment. When will people learn?

ISPGeek

Premium Member

join:2017-04-02

Saint Petersburg, FL ·Frontier Communi..

12 recommendations ISPGeek Premium Member Why.... Why does this make news when Charter/Spectrums canning of thousands of people much in the same way with the same requirement that you sign an agreement not to say anything about them true or otherwise (forever) if you want to receive your severance (most states call that duress btw and therefore is illegal) meanwhile jetting off to the Whitehouse and receiving accolades for creating 20,000 new jobs in the next two years (forget that nearly 10k lost their jobs if estimates are accurate). At least Comcast gave every single employee a $1000 Christmas bonus. Why don't you spend a few minutes and ask Spectrum employees what they received for Christmas this year and report on the real injustice.

tshirt

Premium Member

join:2004-07-11

Snohomish, WA 8 recommendations tshirt Premium Member Not quite skills Dickens 500 leave sales position A....and will move to company B in the new year

500 out of the many tens of thousands they employee is a low percentage

There tends to be a knee jerk reaction because

A}it's Christmas... would LAST 4th of July be better?...it's the end of the 4th quarter and pre-xmas sales campaign.

B}it right after the tax law change....very little time between, means this was not connected, very little time to react to anything unless it means closing the doors.

C}A large number hired and fired, started as TEMPORARY classified for 6 months or less employment, for tax and benefit reasons.



Sure it's unfortunate anyone has to leave, look at all the sears/Kmart/Macy's sales people who stayed, improved overall sales, as requested and still are going home, (but not for xmas)

Right now unemployment is really low, and in some labor pools is really hurting business expansion, not that there aren't warm bodies outside but QUALIFED, DRUG-FREE, with SKILLS, willing to show up on a regular scheduled basis and put in a best effort day.



So, the annual tearjerker about the Evils of Comcast earns a headline on B-1, and Karl who loves "the Evils of Comcast" show, passes it on. rody_44

Premium Member

join:2004-02-20

Quakertown, PA 4 edits 6 recommendations rody_44 Premium Member Whats new Comcast lays off hundreds of employees every year right before christmas. its always been like that. Did you really expect them to keep employees around they dont feel they need because they gave bonuses to the ones they feel they need. Im sure they were offered to relocate. Thats just the way comcast does it. But most wont. Comcast isnt terrible pay but its not near enough to uproot your family and move for. Direct sales is incentive based. You either make the cut or you dont.



Now unto how exactly Karl thinks comcast forced the layed off to sign non disclosure forms. Did they like hold them at gunpoint or something like that. LOL



Wonder why its news this year and has never been news before. Comcast has over 123,000 employees 1000 is nothing. They get 1.2 million applications a year to work for them. How many old people do you really see working for comcast? Heres a clue, next to none. You either retire before you get old or your layed off because old people including myself cant meet their numbers to keep a job. Ladders get heavy as you get older.. and comcast has never had any heart when it comes to dumping dead weight.

maartena

Elmo

Premium Member

join:2002-05-10

Orange, CA 3 recommendations maartena Premium Member 2018 budget... The reason for these "bah humbug" firings (trust me, telco companies aren't the only one) is because the companies have created their 2018 budgets back in October or so, which included the human resources they will no longer need in the 2018 budget. And because they want to USE those human resources as long as possible, they won't be let go until right before the end of the year.... and because they don't want anything on the 2018 budget, about a week or two weeks before the end of the year, is financially the best time.



It sucks. Friend of mine was let go on the Friday before Christmas this year, and the way he found out (as the HQ is in Europe) was that he read in the news his division was closed, and all personnel was let go. Only they forgot about the ones who worked for the US side of that division, and the news was released during CET time in Europe.



It really sucks.... but January ALSO makes for a good time to look for a job, as those 2018 budgets with other companies may be an increase in headcount, and they will start interviewing quickly.

Economist

The economy, stupid

Premium Member

join:2015-07-10

united state ·AT&T FTTP

3 recommendations Economist Premium Member Lowest year in 20 for job cuts www.cnbc.com/2017/12/07/ ··· ays.html



There is always churn. With U6 at 8%, anyone breathing can get another decent job. There is always churn. With U6 at 8%, anyone breathing can get another decent job.