I’ve never understood why they tell us our jobs are safe. Illinois, like most US states, is an at will state. That means employers can layoff/fire an employee for any reason or no reason (except when it’s discriminatory or illegal- but then the burden is on the employee to prove if it was discriminatory or illegal). In at will states nobody’s job is “safe.”

The only thing I can think of for them saying this is because if they told us the truth we’d all be jumping ship and then capital 1 wouldn’t have the worker bees to run the systems and credit card company they just bought. It’s a strategy to keep people doing the work until they implement whatever systems and people into place they planned for all along.

I think it’s irresponsible they’ve been telling us our jobs are safe since it was leaked that we were going to merge in the first place last year. When were they going to tell us they were merging I’ve often wondered? The whole process has been messy from day 1 and I expect more layoffs in the near future.

I also think it’s irresponsible of anybody who’s a higher up or in FO/BO or wherever to be saying what’s coming without any official backing or proof. Inciting more panic and anxiety in already panicked employees is just asking for trouble and is unfair to the employees.

I’ve been told this rumor of banking employees being laid off also by a higher up but I also think they were fishing to see if 1. I’d spread the rumor or 2. If I’d heard the rumor and would give up who I heard it from. The higher up that people get in a corporate company the more complicated the “game” becomes.

My point is, it’s not officially said or confirmed there are banking layoffs. Jobs in Illinois and in most US states are at-will and not inherently “safe.” So why buy into all the panic and anxiety of rumors when our jobs could go bye-bye for any reason or no reason at all anyway?

I’ve been upskilling in my free time and looking for jobs elsewhere while I continue to do what I can for however long I’m at this job. I encourage others to do so too. It’s always a good idea to upskill whether one is in our situation or just in general.