Friday, September 5, 2008

23 Modesto Bee employees had their last day of work on Friday

Modesto Bee:
Eighteen days after Bee employees were offered buyouts, 23 people will put in their last day of work today. Twenty-five people applied for the buyout package, which includes two weeks of pay for every 12 months an employee worked for The Bee, with a minimum of 10 weeks of pay and a maximum of 40 weeks. Margaret Randazzo, The Bee's president and publisher, said every department was affected.

Thanks to readers who emailed me this item.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's sad that just because a Company wanted to be No. 1 got greedy and now how many people are being put out work. Maybe Gary Shemp Pruit should be put out of work and into an unemployment line. Maybe some of the Management at the Bee, like the V.P., should join him.

Anonymous said...

Even if McClatchy does send Gary Pruitt packing, he'll gets a package deal worth plenty... maybe into the millions.

Not the 2-weeks-pay-for-every-ten-years-you-worked-at-McClatchy that the 23 Modesto Bee workers got.

Anonymous said...

I think it was 2 weeks for every year worked. But hey they got theirs before McClatchy goes bankrupt...Hope we get ours Sept. 28

Anonymous said...

You better RUN to the bank and cash your check before Pruit does.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand the payouts. At The N&O you can only get a maximum of 26 weeks paid out. McClatchy ought to be consistent across the board with the payouts.

Anonymous said...

I work at another MCT paper that was offered buyouts today and we have a maximum of 26 weeks as well if we take it.

Anonymous said...

I'm seeking some more clarity as well on the 40 weeks vs. 26 weeks maximum payout. I'm hearing some people i earlier rounds got 40 weeks in places other than the Bees.

But why the desparity in max. payout this round? Why are Modesto and Sacramento getting 40 weeks max? Do state laws enter in? Shouldn't California employment (and unemployment) law apply to all McClatchy papers? Or is it something else?

Anonymous said...

I am hearing from our H.R. that the maximum is determined at individual papers. Special circumstances determined the length at other papers which the publisher was not at liberty to discuss. (The question was asked).

Anonymous said...

Maybe the future cost of layoffs in California is higher than elsewhere.

Unemployment claims from ex-employees can apparently increase the future unemployment tax a company pays. That rate varies by state. And the rate varies at which state unemployment offices approve claims.

Search Google for: bnet jobless benefits cost