After weeks of drama, SF tech CEO gives workers $30,000 to quit

Matt Mullenweg, one of the founders of the WordPress web software, sits at a conference in Dublin, Ireland, on Nov. 6, 2014.

Drama has embroiled the San Francisco tech company Automattic for weeks, with barbs flying between the website-hosting company and a competitor. On Thursday, CEO Matt Mullenweg, the beef’s flash point figure, gave the most tangible update yet: 159 of his workers have chosen to quit.

Mullenweg announced the news on his blog, writing that it had become clear a chunk of his staff disagreed with how he’s dealt with WP Engine (more on that company later). Framing the moment as an opportunity for “alignment,” he said he offered workers the “most generous buy-out package possible:” $30,000 or six months of salary, whichever was higher. They wouldn’t be able to come back to the company, and they had to quit by Thursday afternoon. Many did.

In the blog post, Mullenweg wrote that of the 8.4% of the company who quit, 18 pulled in more than $200,000 salaries; their pre-tax severance checks will clear $100,000. A few employees took the deal, then changed their minds. The CEO wrote that “it was an emotional roller coaster of a week,” and said, “every resignation stings a bit” but he now feels “much lighter.”........

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