[qqqwerty]

FWIW, severance is usually a lump sum, so it absolutely benefits the employees to wait until the new year because the severance will likely get taxed at a lower tax bracket.

[gambiting]

Doesn't tax year run April to April where you live? That's the case in the UK, so it would have made absolutely no difference to how it's taxed.

[disgruntledphd2]

That's just a weird UK thing I think.