They probably did conspire to screw him over. They probably hate him. He just showed why they have good reason to. Good luck trying to enforce 3 month notice at reduced pay. I'd shove that handbook so far up his ass it would get stuck in his throat.

Nobody should stop you from advancing in your life. Good employers invest in their employees and help them do well with their lives and careers.

This is much like the non compete clauses in many contracts, totally unenforceable. With that kind of attitude, they may be looking at replacing the entire workforce. Soon.

If this is an actual employer notification my answer is: I would give immediate notice that I was leaving, and included in that notice, I would tell the employer that what he/she wrote was the most selfish terminology I can imagine.

I had a job back in the 1970s and one day the boss/owner informed us there would be an employee meeting after lunch to cover some changes he was making concerning breaktime, bathroom visits,etc.-yes notice of leaving included.
It was a small printing shop so we all go out to lunch and agreed if these rumors were true about the draconian new rules we'd all walk off the job. Well, rumors were true and more. I was the only one to quit. The others had family and really could not afford to walk off. The owner pointed out if you quit you don't get unemployment benefits. Veiled threat imo.
I applied for benefits anyway, challenged the denial and the board who heard my appeal had one question for me. It was "Why did you wait so long to quit?" Apparently even before he wanted to institute the new rules he was already below the industry standard for employee treatment.
I won and my ex boss was pissed!

In short,hell no!

Silly and ridiculous demands that no one will or should abide by.

Oh absolutely .
First of all . At time of hiring , the terms of separation are spelled out .
If my contract says 2 weeks notice and nothing about pay reduction , he / she can send all the email he wants , no fucks given . In fact , it’s great
I will definitely give a 2 weeks notice and my intention to work past these 2 weeks as long my pay is doubled . Then I ll sit back and wait for the response email , and hopefully will be a hideous one . The rest is a labor law lawyers job , not mine . If my benefits / pay outs and other terms of separation are not met per my contract at time of hiring , then that’s wonderful news for me

..not a chance..

give no notice. leave them high and dry. I have had several jobs where I gave proper 2 week notice and a few hours later was shown the door. you are only a commodity to the company much like a printer.

After that email, I'd find another job ASAP and give zero notice.

no.

No, and they cannot legally do this.