By Evan Lange
If Chevron lays you off in Houston, you are generally entitled to 60 days’ WARN notice (or pay in lieu of notice) in a mass layoff, your final paycheck within six days, and the benefits you have already earned. Severance is offered in exchange for giving up legal claims, so read the release carefully. If you are 40 or older, federal law gives you at least 45 days to consider a group layoff agreement and 7 days to revoke it after signing.
In February 2025, Chevron announced it would reduce its global workforce by 15% to 20% by the end of 2026 as part of a plan to cut $2 to $3 billion in costs. Houston, where Chevron moved its headquarters, has been hit repeatedly, including 575 layoffs at the former Hess Tower downtown after Chevron completed its acquisition of Hess.
Whether you worked for legacy Chevron, came over from Hess, or are a contractor on a Chevron project, a layoff notice raises the same question:
The federal WARN Act generally requires employers with 100 or more employees to give 60 days’ written notice before a mass layoff or plant closing at a single site. Chevron filed WARN notices with the Texas Workforce Commission for its Houston cuts, including the Hess Tower layoffs.
Many large employers meet WARN by keeping employees on payroll for the notice period, sometimes without requiring them to work. If you were cut with less than 60 days of notice or pay, you may be owed back pay and benefits for the missing days. Read our guide to the WARN Act in Texas.
Texas law does not require severance. When Chevron offers it, the payment is exchanged for a release of claims: your promise not to sue over your employment or your termination. Before you sign, look at:
Severance terms in large layoffs are often standardized, but they are not always final. See what a typical severance package includes and why to have a severance attorney review it.
Energy companies have experienced workforces, and many affected employees are over 40. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) sets strict rules when an employer asks workers 40 and older to waive age-discrimination claims in a group layoff:
Compare that list with your own team. If the people let go are mostly older, it may point to age discrimination. Learn more about age discrimination in Texas.
A layoff does not erase benefits you have already earned. Vested pension benefits and your 401(k) balance belong to you, and plans covered by ERISA must follow their written terms. Questions to ask HR in writing:
If a benefit is denied, there are deadlines to appeal under the plan. See our guide to ERISA and retirement benefits.
Chevron moved its headquarters to Houston, and many employees relocated for the company. Relocation and sign-on bonuses often come with a repayment agreement if you leave within a set period.
Many repayment agreements only apply if you quit or are fired for cause, not if you are laid off. Get written confirmation that you will not be asked to repay relocation or bonus money, and make sure the severance agreement says so.
Under the Texas Payday Law, an employee who is laid off must receive final wages within six calendar days. You can also apply for unemployment benefits with the Texas Workforce Commission. Severance and pay in lieu of notice can affect when benefits start, so apply promptly and report payments accurately. More on severance and unemployment in Texas.
A layoff can start a 60-day grace period for H-1B workers to find a new sponsor or change status. Talk to an immigration attorney right away.
No. Texas law does not require severance. Chevron offers it voluntarily, in exchange for a release of legal claims, which is why the agreement deserves a careful review.
It depends on the agreement. If you are 40 or older and part of a group layoff, federal law requires at least 45 days to consider it and 7 days to revoke it after signing.
Standard formulas are common in mass layoffs, but individual terms such as bonus, equity, relocation repayment or the scope of the release can sometimes be negotiated, especially when there are potential legal claims.
You can apply. Severance and pay in lieu of notice may delay when benefits begin, so file promptly with the Texas Workforce Commission and report all payments.
The ages and job titles in the OWBPA disclosure can reveal patterns. If older workers were disproportionately selected, you may have an age discrimination claim, which has filing deadlines of 180 days with the Texas Workforce Commission and generally 300 days with the EEOC.
The Lange Firm represents employees in Houston and across Texas. Attorney Evan Lange can review your severance agreement, check your WARN and OWBPA rights, and tell you whether your layoff raises a wrongful termination or discrimination claim.
A layoff ends your job. It does not end your rights.
Read the agreement before you sign it.
2026- The Lange Firm all rights reserved. Please review the legal disclaimer. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service