Don’t take a voluntary buyout before answering these four questions

Taking a buyout from your employer is certainly better than getting laid off, but it’s not always an ideal career move. Here’s how to decide whether to accept a ‘voluntary exit package’ when offered.

Amid the mass layoffs in tech and retail in the past month, YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan sent out a recent internal memo that he’s also looking to lay off employees—who volunteer. Mohan details how YouTube is undergoing a major AI-focused reorganization and introduces a “Voluntary Exit Program” with a severance package to eligible YouTube employees. This voluntary exit deal has been couched as an opportunity for employees, but it’s really just a buyout.