Though employees at the Tribune Co.'s benefits and payroll departments didn't offer updates on Wednesday regarding ex-LAT staffers' severance payments, the Times' own HR department had this good news to impart:

From: Denley, Susan

Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 4:48 PM

To: yyeditall

Subject: an answer to one question....

For those of you who have been expressing concern about what is going to happen to all our friends and former colleagues who were laid off or took a buyout this year, I am happy to report that, contrary to public speculation, they WILL receive their separation packages.

Our Human Resources Department here in LA was notified yesterday that payments will go forward as planned. There will be a little change in the paperwork people need to file in order to complete the transaction, and HR is in the process of sending letters to every individual who is affected to explain what to do.

Looks like little Maisie won't have to get a job after all.

*Not so fast: according to E&P, there's "a cap of $10,950 per person but excludes payments for health care, long-term disability, reimbursable expenses, workers' compensation and retiree medical care."