Meta Layoffs May 20: How Much Severance Will You Get? The 16-Week + Tenure Formula Explained

# Meta Layoffs May 20: How Much Severance Will You Get? The 16-Week + Tenure Formula Explained

> **Quick answer:** Meta's severance formula is 16 weeks of base pay plus 2 additional weeks per year of employment. A 5-year employee at $200,000 base receives 26 weeks of pay — roughly $100,000 before taxes. But California workers should know that 8.5 of those weeks are legally required WARN Act notice, not voluntary generosity. The 18 months of paid COBRA health coverage, worth up to $54,000 for a family plan, is genuinely exceptional. New York workers get a longer WARN window that can capture an August 15 RSU vest. Here is exactly how to calculate what you are owed and what to do in the next 48 hours.

Meta layoffs May 20 severance is the most urgent financial question for roughly 8,000 employees whose notification arrives this week. The formula is straightforward — but what the company does not advertise is how much of that payout is legally mandated, how state-specific WARN Act rules change your real timeline and your equity outcome, and that severance is taxed at a flat 22% federal rate that will reduce your actual check. This guide does the math the HR deck doesn't.

## The Exact Severance Formula and What It's Actually Worth

Meta's confirmed US severance package has three core components:

**1. Base cash severance** - 16 weeks of base pay (flat for all employees) - Plus 2 additional weeks per year of completed service - PTO payout: all accrued unused vacation days paid at your base rate