It’s Getting Spooky at Microsoft (Blind TL;DR: October 30, 2026)
Stay on top of the biggest tech stories in under 3 minutes. Blind TL;DR brings you fast, insider-driven insights from the people shaping the industry — technologists like you.
Who needs a Halloween scare when you work in tech? Every day is spooky here. This week’s TL;DR is sharing the scariest stories in the industry.
Microsoft reintroduces its Voluntary Exit Program
60,000 Microsoft employees received an email this week offering a generous package for voluntarily leaving the company. Employees based all over the world received the offer.
Here’s what we know:
- Severance pay: One week of base pay per six months of tenure for levels L64 and below; two weeks per six months for levels L65–L70 (payout in January 2027).
- Benefits & stock: Continued stock vesting for six months post-separation (starting Dec 31) alongside subsidized healthcare.
- Career support: Access to career transition and outplacement services.
- Deadline: Employees have until December 9, 2026 to accept.
Working 80 Hours a Week at What Cost?
One Meta professional shared their battle with an 80 hour work week while making nearly $1 million. At what point do you move on?
Many tech professionals battle with work life balance constantly, “My job is eating my life. I barely have weekends, health and relationships going to sh*t.”
It’s the same at Microsoft, with employees saying they’re miserable and “suffering for the paycheck.”
When Your Manager Catches You Slacking
While some employees are complaining about no time off, this Blind user shared an embarrassing story from their desk this week:
“Work was dead today, so I started browsing shopping sites to kill time. I was comparing prices when my manager suddenly appeared RIGHT BEHIND ME and saw my entire screen.”
How would your boss react in this situation? It’s giving me flashbacks to college when the professor would call you out for scrolling instead of taking notes.
Don’t Make Career Decisions Blind
Join millions of tech professionals getting weekly insights on:
- layoffs before they happen
- real salary trends across companies
- which roles and companies are still hiring
If you work in tech, this is information you can’t afford to miss.
Read last week’s TL;DR. (Changes are Coming at Qualcomm)
