Fiorina Severance Package Raises Eyebrows in Silicon Valley

STEVE INSKEEP, host: We are learning a little more about the ouster of Hewlett-Packard's CEO. Details are emerging about Carly Fiorina's $21 million severance package. According to an SEC filing, Fiorina will receive a cash payment for her unused vacation time, and the company will pay her home security bill for a year. NPR's Scott Horsley has more. SCOTT HORSLEY reporting:

In addition to bonuses and a lump-sum payout of two and a half times her annual salary, Fiorina is entitled to some financial and career advice, courtesy of HP, $50,000 worth. That figure raised some eyebrows in Silicon Valley, where thousands of HP workers have been laid off in recent years. Gary Sanchez runs a career counseling service called CareerPro.com.

Mr. GARY SANCHEZ (CareerPro.com): In fact, I've done resumes for senior executives of HP, not at Carly's level but not far below. A resume package for an executive-level customer here at CareerPro runs $240 plus $40 for a cover letter. So then we'd have to dream up what to do with the rest of the 50K.

HORSLEY: Bryan Power helps clients with career transitions at another Silicon Valley firm, Valerie Frederickson & Company. His advice to Fiorina: take some time off to decompress.

Mr. BRYAN POWER (Valerie Frederickson & Company): I think there's going to have to be a cooling-off period where she puts some time between her role at HP and whatever the next thing is.

HORSLEY: Fiorina has the luxury of $21 million in cash severance payments which, Power says, should give her somewhat of a runway. She can update her resume on the HP computer she gets to keep. The company's even throwing in three months of free technical support. Scott Horsley, NPR News.

INSKEEP: This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

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