Last month, I predicted we would see more layoffs in the food tech sector, specifically in biotech or lab-grown meat, as that house of cards finally falls.
Just a few weeks later came news published in Wired that Upside Foods is pulling the plug on a 187,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Illinois that was announced to much fanfare just last September. Not only are the 75 promised jobs gone, in the process Upside laid off 16 people. More to come seems highly likely.
Over in nonprofit land, word on the street is that one of the largest animal welfare organizations, Mercy for Animals, has laid off 10 percent of its staff, or 20 people. MFA has been a staunch promotor of biotech, giving rise back in 2016 to the biotech pusher in chief, the Good Food Institute. MFA referred to GFI as its “sister organization” upon proudly announcing GFI’s launch in its magazine. Whether this connection is relevant to the layoffs is not yet clear.
Details are still emerging, but meanwhile, if you or anyone you know have been impacted by these and other layoffs, please share this message: Do not sign anything your employer asks you to upon being let go, no matter what the reason! Once you sign, it's pretty much game over.
Here are a few tricks employers like to use to get you to sign:
- Pretending there is a deadline. In California, employers must give you at least 5 days to review, and 21 days if you are age 40 or over. This is for YOU, and does not mean they will remove the agreement even if you go over this time frame. Remember they WANT you to sign so no need to feel rushed.
- Making final paychecks contingent on your signing. In California, by law your employer MUST pay you EVERYTHING that they owe you, including pay AND vacation on your last day. This is NOT contingent on severance.
- Pretending to help you. HR may seem like they care, and may pretend to advise you, but they work for your employer not you. Do not take any advice from HR!
If you are age 40 and over California law requires a statement that says you have the right to consult an attorney. But of course ANYONE has this right!
And you should exercise it. Level the playing field even just a little.
Need help? Reach out here:
https://www.workplacetraumalawyer.com/