No, these details won't be spelled out in the documents you sign. Because Amazon doesn't have to pay you any severance, and in some cases won't, depending on why you're being let go. Layoffs vs. Pivot vs. fired for cause are all going to be handled differently. With Pivot, you usually want to take the first package offered, as they only get stingier if you hang on and try to "improve with Amazon".

There is a target URA quota for each org. So yes, you are being used to hit a required metric for your org, and yes, it is very likely that there is nothing you could have done to succeed (on a performance basis) once your name was assigned to the "least effective" bucket in the OLR cycle. It sucks, but it's the devil's deal of Amazon - great comp often coupled with cool projects and good scope, but tethered to a draconian performance management system that requires yearly sacrifices to appease the core company principle that employees are best motivated by fear. My advice - take any lessons away from this that you can, it's always possible to perform better or be more politically savvy in a job. But don't try to make sense of your specific situation or beat yourself up about minor mistakes or things that were undoubtedly out of your control. You made a genuine effort to address the (likely inflated) performance concerns, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much greener the grass is after you land somewhere else.

I am assuming all of these are US based calculations. Anybody knows calculations over in EU and India?

-----Shared on Amazon forum please copy and distribute------- (Internal Mantra to keep on loop when dealing with your Amazon / AWS manager is "the lying liar lieth and still they lie their lies" which can help frame and guard your level of communication.) You need to forget about all work for Amazon except giving the appearance of doing bare minimum - start coasting that skit banana funded work right now!! Concentrate fully on interview prep and lining up external interviews with employers or if you are on visa then only visa sponsoring employers. Lets assume that you are in USA and have one year of penitude / servitude completed with Amazon / AWS so then you are eligible for paid FMLA leave..... this is a well trodden path (its Amazon so there are plenty of medics who will sign off around the WA HQ) so you will have no problems. You do NOT WAIT for PIP but you start now whilst in Focus and your approach should be: 1) Dev List / Focus / Coaching which is the stealth tracking period where your manager does not need to even inform you that they are working against you and coercing your colleagues and others for anything negative (only the negative) against you and measuring you up for a PIP to the head.... you are also blocked from internal transfer without unobtainable VP override. 2) During the above get your medic to listen to your droning about the stress and mental anguish that Amazon / AWS is placing you under... also ask if they can sign off or refer you to a therapist who can do so urgently as the stress is ubearable (use the phrase unbearable stress and anguish and specifically also say that you need some weeks away from it under FMLA)... FMLA evidence flag is set... 3) Amazon manager presents you with Pivot document and you have 5 days to choose Tier 1 severance or take PIP plan.... BANG this is where you submit FMLA into the DLS portal before the 5 days decision period is expired (DLS team need a day or so to respond to you so get this rolling at the start of the Amazon Pivot decision window) and then go on leave. Your backstabbing Amazon / AWS manager and HR cannot intervene if you do this as it is a separate team and *federal* mandated leave. The whole decison window for Pivot / PIP is now mandatorily paused beyond their control.... if it was within their control then they would of course be trying to sink you at every opportunity - its Amazon! 4) Get FMLA paperwork completed by the medic who you have already lined up and prepped earlier and submit that supporting material into the DLS team. 5) Tear through your interview preparation and job hunting networking to hiring companies and dont even consider one hour of work for Amazon... extend FMLA through renewal with the medic up to 12 weeks and throw in caring for family member as that is FMLA allowable too if your family are stressed that you are stressed.... so now you have taken 16 weeks of paid FMLA leave on Amazon's frugal dime. (FMLA is partly paid if u also file for Short term disability) 6) Burn through any paid PTO and sick days before returning to work too as only unused vacation time will be cashed out upon exit. 7) Accept the job offer from a better employer (there are so many compared to Amazon / AWS that if you throw a rock then you will hit upon one), which you undoubtedly will already have received by this time. 8) If you are on a visa then get the visa transfer process rolling under premium processing by the new employer. 9) Return to Amazon / AWS and take the maximum Tier 1 severance option instead of PIP, since every step after not taking that decision reduces the exit payout from frugal Amazon severely. 10) Cash the Tier 1 severance from Amazon and the sign on bonus from your new visa sponsoring employer and roll around on the floor surrounded by hundred dollar bills. 11) Return to Blind and tell the community all about it..... not forgetting to add your new TC tax to the post!!! Bonus level... 12) Rock it like a superstar and position yourself onto hiring panels in your new employer and never ever let an ex-Amazon/AWS manager get through..... your new colleagues will thank you. :-D Fifty percent of new hires gone within a year and average tenure only eighteen months.... hence the RSU vest after two years and tiny low 401K match from third year. Most folks will not see a big chunk of that TC (Frugality Leadership Principle). Rule 1 = Avoid Amazon / AWS Rule 2 = Avoid any companies which hire ex Amazon / AWS managers Rule 3 = Follow Rule 1 and In your next company join the hiring panels to keep Rule 2 enforced It is the way...... and in dealing with Amazon it is a very common well travelled way... happy trails.