When does a company lay off an employee?

An employee is laid off when their position is no longer needed for reasons other than their work performance. A company can lay off a single employee or a group, and the reasons can include:

What is the no longer employed letter sample?

no longer employed letter sample. The letter typically asks for time or a gentleman or a girl. Though this seems like a letter of reference, there are large variations in between the two. There are numerous methods to create letters and it is dependent on the font you adhere to in your business.

Can a company terminate an employee for any reason?

For an employer, it means that virtually any reason for termination – from poor job performance to company restructuring to the whims of upper management – is acceptable, as long as they are not legally defined as discriminatory, and the employee is not protected by a contract or union agreement.

Can a company terminate you for low productivity?

Managers can meet productivity goals by having a team that is efficient and productive. If you, as the employee, do not help companies meet their goals in this way, you could be terminated for low-quality work. The productivity of a workplace depends on all employees arriving on time and ready to work.

An employee is laid off when their position is no longer needed for reasons other than their work performance. A company can lay off a single employee or a group, and the reasons can include:

How to say an employee is no longer with the company?

Never allege just cause for the termination of employment unless it is something criminal or very serious, and you better be really careful even then to ensure that nothing slanderous is said. Just say Mr. X is no longer with the firm as of [date]. Sick of tracking down employee receipts?

When an employee is laid off, it typically has nothing to do with the employee’s personal performance. Layoffs occur when a company undergoes restructuring or downsizing or goes out of business.

What should I expect at a layoff meeting?

Of course, this section of the layoff meeting largely depends on your corporate culture and the employee being let go. You don’t want to let the employee make a scene or go off the rails, but give them enough space to let them say what they need to say.

How to communicate layoffs to employees, gusto?

If the employee asks questions, answer them. If the employee wants to vent, let them. The key is to give the employee a chance to respond and, if they choose, to express their emotions. While you may not be able to change the emotions they feel, you owe it to the employee to listen. 5. Describe next steps.

Which is the best method to layoff employees?

This is one of the most popular methodologies in choosing which employees to layoff. And for good reason! It helps managers weed out poorly performing employees, so that organizations don’t lose any company assets that they could potentially lose using other methods.

What happens to the employees when a company lays them off?

Make sure that the people that remain will be able to cover the work of those who are being laid off. Layoffs, unlike firings, are typically about the company performing poorly and needing to let part of the workforce go. With layoffs, employees will be able to claim unemployment benefits.

What happens if you quit your job and get laid off?

Don’t get fired or quit your job. Instead, get laid off. If you quit or get fired, you get no benefits. But if you get laid off, you can receive a severance, unemployment benefits and more. A baby panda dies in the woods every time you quit your job or get fired.

What to say to an employee during a layoff?

Nothing you can say as an icebreaker is going to make the news feel any better. When the employee enters, explain what is happening. Tell them the reason for the layoff, explain that their job is one of the ones impacted, and then give them a second to process the info they just heard. This section is important.

Do you need to lay off a lot of people?

It might turn out that you don’t need to lay off people (or at least not so many as you thought). If you do end up doing layoffs, at least your staff will be aware that this is part of a larger problem and not due to their performance. ”I’m sorry to have to tell you all this, but our business has been dropping for the last two quarters.

How to write a layoff letter due to restructuring?

While writing such a letter, mention the date of effectiveness of the layoff, contextualize the issue leading to layoff and mention your service of outplacement optimistically. Re. Permanent Layoff due to Restructuring

What happens to an employee when the company goes out of business?

Layoffs occur when a company undergoes restructuring or downsizing or goes out of business. In some cases, laid-off employees may be entitled to severance pay or other employee benefits provided by their employer. Generally, when employees are laid off, they’re entitled to unemployment benefits.

How is a restructuring carried out in a company?

After the accumulation of substantial damages in the form of huge loss to the company, the shareholders have decided to give consent on the internal restructuring which is economical. The restructuring involves various formalities, legal in nature, and carried out internally through an appropriate agenda.

When an employee is laid off, it typically has nothing to do with the employee’s personal performance. Layoffs occur when a company undergoes restructuring or downsizing or goes out of business.

What should you include in a layoff letter due to restructuring?

After that you will have to notify people that they will either begin working on a new project, or that they will be let go because of the lack of headcount available after the restructuring. What should you include in a layoff letter due to restructuring?

Are there any layoffs in the oil industry?

An awning over an Allstate branch. Oil giant Shell is cutting up to 9,000 jobs, or roughly 10% of its workforce, as of September 30. The layoffs are meant to cut costs amid the pandemic, as well as position the company to move away from fossil fuels.

What makes a layoff an impersonal layoff?

The general idea is that a layoff is impersonal: Any employee in the position targeted for elimination would have lost the job. The reasons for a layoff have to do with the company’s financial picture and future plans, not with the particular employee who loses a job.

Is it legal to rehir an employee after layoff?

Employers are required by law to provide employees with many forms and pamphlets upon hire — which should be no different, even when you’re rehiring a recently laid-off employee.

How are laid off employees entitled to severance?

There are two ways a laid-off worker might be entitled to severance: state law might require it, or the employer’s policies or practices might provide for it. State laws requiring severance.

When do you get laid off in Ontario?

Further information is provided about this in Monkhouse Law’s article on March 17, 2020 Temporary Layoffs in Ontario Due to Coronavirus and Employee Rights. When an employee is fired, this is a permanent situation where the intention is to sever the relationship between the parties.

Why was my employer laid off in April?

Q: My employer laid me off due to COVID-19 in April. The job scene is a disaster. I get up every morning searching job postings. I’ve had some initial interviews, but no call backs and no offers. When I opened indeed.com this morning, I learned my former employer had posted my former job.

There are two ways a laid-off worker might be entitled to severance: state law might require it, or the employer’s policies or practices might provide for it. State laws requiring severance.

What happens if you get laid off from your job?

Your employer isn’t required to hire you unless they’ve provided you a written agreement promising you’d be rehired. According to Corey Daspit, founder of the Human Resources firm APEX HRO, “Being laid off means the employer did not have enough work available and could not justify the cost of keeping underutilized labor on payroll.

When did Honeywell lay off thousands of employees?

The Idea: When the Great Recession hit, many companies “restructured” and laid off thousands of workers. By asking employees to take unpaid leaves instead, Honeywell positioned itself for the recovery. When I arrived at Honeywell, in 2002, the company had gone through a challenging period.

Why did I get Laid off from my job?

If there’s new management, the chances are that they’ll come up with new goals and plans, and this can lead to layoffs. In such an instance, the new management will look at every employee’s position, performance, and length of time spent with the company so as to decide who they will lay off.

Who are the layoffs at Bedrock Real Estate?

Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock real estate firm has laid off about 60 employees, according to news reports. The layoffs, first reported by Detroit Metro Times, occurred Monday via a prerecorded Zoom meeting video bearing news that job positions had been eliminated.

How many WPX employees are going to be laid off?

More than 180 WPX employees will be laid off due to the company’s merger with Devon Energy. Those layoffs will start Friday. Company leaders said some of the employees will be offered new jobs in Oklahoma City if they’re willing to relocate but didn’t give any exact numbers. The merger was announced last year and finalized in January.

What to do if your business gets laid off?

Knowing what to do if the ax falls on your business will put you in position to take the best, quickest advantage of these otherwise good times. Overall in 2019, layoffs were running at about 1.2% per month (about 1.7 million jobs), according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What are the benefits of being laid off in San Francisco?

If you are laid off, you get a number of benefits: 1) You are eligible for government unemployment benefits. Here in San Francisco, you can get $900 every two weeks. That’s $1,800 a month for at least 26 weeks, and up to 73 weeks back in 2012 when the unemployment rates were much higher.

Can a company rehire you after a layoff?

Unfortunately, there are no requirements for employers to contact former workers about open positions. And unless you signed a contract, there’s no guarantee you will get your job back, even if your company is hiring for the same position. At the end of the day, organizations are not required to rehire laid-off workers.

Can you simultaneously make layoffs and new hires?

The short answer is yes, but there are some caveats. What you cannot do is lay off an employee in a specific position and then turn around and fill that same position with a new hire. If that is the route you are looking to take, you cannot refer to that employee termination as a layoff.

When is it good practice to rehire laid off employees?

Whether or not to rehire laid-off employees is mostly a matter of the employer’s judgment. Generally, though, if it’s been less than six months from when you laid off an employee to when you need someone in the position again, it is good practice to rehire the same employee.

How are salaried employees get ripped off at work?

People work through lunch. They never stop working. Their boss has a big stick to use in pressing an employee to take work home, stay late or work on the weekend: The boss is the person who determines the employee’s status at work, his or her pay increases and his or her very job security!

Is it tough to let workers go in a layoff?

Letting workers go — whether you’re laying off a single worker or conducting a large layoff — is one of the toughest tasks managers face. And because of the emotional stakes involved, it’s also one of the tasks most likely to land a company in legal trouble.

How often do people get laid off from their jobs?

Overall in 2019, layoffs were running at about 1.2% per month (about 1.7 million jobs), according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s more than enough churn that you could be well-employed in a growing industry and still worry about losing your job.

Is there going to be a great layoff in 2020?

Layoffs always have been an unwelcome part of the U.S. economy, but nobody expected the Great Layoff of 2020 caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

When do the PlusOne layoffs start in Ohio?

Layoffs will begin May 1 and continue through early August, before the plant is shuttered. PlusOne is closing a facility in Akron after losing a client contract, the company said in its letter. All employees at the campus will be laid off starting May 1, the company said.

Is it free to join the layoff network?

The Layoff Network is free to join and use. Individuals looking for a job can sign up and ask their friends and former colleagues to nominate them for their exceptional skills. Recruiters on the network will see nominated candidates and request introductions. Are you looking for a job or just got laid off?

Are there any layoffs in the California newsroom?

Starting last year and through March, the Lodi (California) News-Sentinel laid off five people, four from the newsroom and one in design, Poynter has learned. The newsroom has also had 20% pay cuts since summer. It is owned by Central Valley News-Sentinel Inc. NBCU has laid off 130 employees in Los Angeles since the start of the year.

Are there any layoffs at the Lodi News-Sentinel?

It owns eight newspapers in Arkansas. Starting last year and through March, the Lodi (California) News-Sentinel laid off five people, four from the newsroom and one in design, Poynter has learned. The newsroom has also had 20% pay cuts since summer.

Who are the layoffs at Community Impact Newspaper?

Lee Enterprises had furloughs and cost-cutting measures, including a 20% pay cut for executives. It owns two newspapers in Arizona. Community Impact Newspaper, which owns two publications in Arizona, laid off 21 people, Poynter has learned. Gannett had furloughs and cost reductions.

Is there going to be layoffs at Dell?

Customers walk outside of a Kohl’s store in Colma, California in November 2019. Dell told employees on September 14 that it will start eliminating an unspecified number of jobs in an effort to cut costs, according to Bloomberg. The logo for Dell Technologies Inc. is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

When to quit a job after a reorganization?

Even if you conclude that things have fundamentally changed, Coyne advises resisting the urge to quit immediately. “Don’t pull the trigger just yet,” he says. “You need more information,” and you can use the next several months to evaluate the situation.

Is it normal to go through a reorganization?

Restructurings may be an inevitable part of organizational life but living through them—even when you’re one of the lucky ones still standing—is challenging and stressful.

What are the reactions to a company reorganization?

Reactions are typically varied, says Gretchen Spreitzer, a professor at Michigan’s Ross School of Business and coauthor of How to be a Positive Leader. “Some people are cynical—there’s this sense of ‘You fired my friends’ and ‘This reorganization is never going to work.’”

Restructurings may be an inevitable part of organizational life but living through them—even when you’re one of the lucky ones still standing—is challenging and stressful.

What does it mean to lay off professional staff?

For regular, monthly-paid professional staff, layoff is the elimination of a position due to a lack of work, a lack of funds and/or because of a reorganization. Reducing a professional staff position’s percent time or months worked per year are not subject to the layoff process.

How to notify human resources of a layoff?

Notify Human Resources of the need to administer one or more layoffs (see Initiating a Layoff below). Ensure that employees scheduled for layoff and all other staff and clients receive appropriate and timely communication about the layoffs.

Getting laid off is when the employer ends your employment for reasons that are beyond your control. It usually happens when the economy requires the company to modify its current structure. Typical reasons for being laid off include: Changes in business needs. Restructuring.

Is termination the same as layoff?

Termination and layoff often are used interchangeably, but “termination” is actually a broader term, referring to any situation in which a worker leaves a job. Being laid off means a termination was involuntary but without cause.

What to say when you fire an employee?

What to Say When Firing Someone: Takeaways You Can Use. Resist the temptation to soften the blow with false praise. Show sympathy, but remain firm in your decision. When possible, it is wise to have a second manager present for a firing.

What are benefits of being laid off?

Advantages of Laying off Employees: 1. Ensures that you have the best employees on your team: One of the biggest advantages of carrying out employee layoffs on the basis of performance is that it ensures that only the best employees are retained.

What does terminated mean employee?

If you’re wondering, “what does terminated mean,” being terminated is the last and final step at which point the employee’s position ends, and the relationship between the employer and employee is severed. In simple terms, the employee will no longer be working for the company. Termination can be either voluntary or involuntary.

How many jobs were lost in September 2010?

This is an era in which employment is becoming unstable, and in which being either underemployed or unemployed is a common part of life for many people. September 2010 – 27,000 jobs lost (According to U.S. Labor Department, 64,000 private sector jobs are added but a net loss of 95,000 jobs are due to government layoffs)

What happens if you get laid off in your 60s?

The one benefit, so to speak, of being laid off in your 60s is that you’ll be eligible to take penalty-free withdrawals from your IRA or 401 (k), so if you need to use that money to pay the bills in the near term, you can dip in without worry.

What happens to your money if you get laid off from your job?

Unemployment will pay you a portion of your earnings provided you didn’t leave your job willingly and weren’t terminated for cause. Though your weekly benefits won’t seem like much if you were a higher earner, it pays to get your hands on whatever money you’re entitled to.

What happens when you get laid off from a company?

Getting laid off happens when your employer needs to let go of team members, usually because of hard economic times. Layoffs can also happen when companies restructure or merge with another company, eliminating certain positions. Ready to find your dream job? We’ll show you how.

Can you take a 3 month break after being laid off?

You are a bit burnt out, and you wish to take a three month break in between jobs to recharge. You can’t just quit because you’ll lose out on 10 weeks of severance pay. In addition, you won’t be able to receive unemployment benefits or health care. Instead, negotiate a severance package and get paid to take your three month break.

Is it better to quit your job or get laid off?

If you are Never quit if you don’t have to! Getting laid off is a much more profitable way to leave your job due to severance, COBRA, and other benefits. Never quit if you don’t have to! Getting laid off is a much more profitable way to leave your job due to severance, COBRA, and other benefits. Financial Samurai Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries

Is there a limit to how long you can be laid off?

How long you can be laid off. There’s no limit for how long you can be laid off or put on short-time. You could apply for redundancy and claim redundancy pay if it’s been: Lay-off pay entitlement and short-time working payments. You should get your full pay unless your contract allows unpaid or reduced pay lay-offs.

What happens when you get a short time lay off?

A lay-off is if you’re off work for at least 1 working day. Short-time working is when your hours are cut. There’s no limit for how long you can be laid off or put on short-time. You could apply for redundancy and claim redundancy pay if it’s been: You should get your full pay unless your contract allows unpaid or reduced pay lay-offs.

Do you get full pay if you get a lay off?

You should get your full pay unless your contract allows unpaid or reduced pay lay-offs. If you’re unpaid, you’re entitled to guarantee pay. If you’ve been told to take unpaid leave or reduced pay because of Coronavirus (COVID-19), your employer might still be able to pay 80% of your wages.

Are there any companies that have never had a layoff?

“We don’t technically have a policy, but we’ve been in business since 1925 and never had a layoff,” said Vanessa Paris, a spokeswoman for Erie Insurance. “We’ve never had layoffs and we do not anticipate having layoffs,” echoed Laura Kane, a spokeswoman for Aflac.

What does layoff mean in human resources category?

For regular classified non-union and contract covered staff, layoff is the elimination of a position, the reduction of a position’s percent FTE, or a reduction in the number of months the position works annually due to a lack of work, a lack of funds and/or because of a reorganization.

What happens to an employee after a layoff?

If employees remaining in the unit after layoffs believe that management has neglected their needs by withholding critical information for too long, they may not trust management, may not support changes in work, and may look for other employment opportunities just when their contributions are most needed. Your communication to employees should be:

Are there any good reasons to be laid off?

Whereas there could be good reasons for being laid off. When a team member gets layed off, it has nothing common with job performance. Employee layoffs are usually related to company restructuring or downsizing. Sometimes it can be temporary and the employee gets hired back after the economy improves.

What happens to your rights when you get laid off from work?

In most cases when people are laid off from work, they are so shocked or emotional about the experience that they aren’t sure what to do, what their rights are, or if they might even have a legal basis to sue. As a result, they end up walking away, no questions asked—sometimes with severance pay, sometimes with nothing at all.

Is it normal to be sad after a layoff?

You do not want interviewers to see a layoff as a reflection of your ability to do the job well. This may be complicated by your own strong emotions about the experience. It is normal to be sad or angry after losing your job.

What does it mean to do a job restructuring?

Job restructuring is when an employer changes the nature and responsibilities of an employee’s position. With job restructuring, you might add similar tasks to an employee’s workload. Or, you might give higher-level responsibilities to an employee, even though they are in the same position.

When do you get a layoff notice from your employer?

If your employer is large: The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act sets rules for notifying workers about large layoffs and plant closures. You must receive a written notice 60 days before the date of a mass layoff.

What to do in the first week after being laid off?

To help you find a job after being laid off, we created a step-by-step list of X things to do the first week after being laid off. Follow the simple steps and you’ll be organized, calmer, and on the path towards finding a new job, even if you still feel like you don’t know which end is up.

What are the alternatives to being laid off?

However, company owners can choose other options instead of terminating their employees’ contracts. Viable alternatives include offering more unpaid time off, adopting virtual work setups, and cutting back on the extras. Thank you for reading CFI’s explanation of being laid off.

What kind of jobs did the US lose in 2008?

Job losses were spread across a wide variety of industries. Manufacturing lost 149,000 jobs, the leisure and hospitality industries cut 22,000 jobs, and the mining industry shed 1,000 positions. Even in the midst of the holiday shopping season, retailers still slashed payrolls by 66,600 workers last month.

When did Apple lay off 2, 300 employees?

In 2008, they quickly laid off 2,300 people, according to HBR. Their abrupt approach caused protests, a government investigation, boycotts, and an estimated loss of $850 million in sales and $121 million in profits. In 2011, the company announced more layoffs–18,000 people this time.

When did companies lay off employees during the recession?

Until then the assumption was that if a company laid you off, it would rehire you when the economy picked up. That changed during the 1981–1982 recession. Companies had become bloated with managers during the slow growth of the 1970s, as talent management practices failed.

How long do layoffs last in an organization?

Most managers underestimate how much disruption layoffs create; they consume everyone in the organization for at least a year. Managers also typically overestimate the savings they will achieve and fail to understand that even bad recessions usually end more quickly than people expect.

“Some companies offer severance as a matter of company policy,” says Davis, “but it is discretionary.” In larger companies, severance plans may be based on a set, standard formula, says Siegel. “Generally, you’ll see offers of one to four weeks of pay per year of service, and it’s capped at a certain number of weeks,” he adds.

Where can I get workers comp after being laid off?

To find out how to file a claim, go to your state’s unemployment agency website; you can find links and more information at State Unemployment Agencies. Workers’ comp isn’t a form of severance pay, but you may be entitled to receive it even after you are laid off. Workers’ comp is a form of insurance that most employers are required to carry.

What’s the legal way to get laid off from a job?

Siegel says generally speaking, states such as Illinois, New York, and California have stronger employee protections. Read up on your state’s labor laws via the Department of Labor’s website. Ultimately, consulting with an attorney can help you determine whether your layoff appears to be legal or illegal,…

How many times have you been laid off after turning 50?

It’s steady work and, for that, Steckel, 62, is grateful. After turning 50, he was laid off three times before landing his current position in 2014, weathering unemployment stints of up to eight months. When he started, his $90,000-a-year salary was only 60 percent of what he made at his highest-paying job.

What’s the difference between a layoff and termination?

What does it mean to be laid off? 1 Company downsizing. Companies will typically downsize because of a lack of funds to continue operating at the same level, and they may try to recoup some costs by eliminating non-crucial 2 A merger or acquisition. 3 Outsourcing. 4 Company relocation. …

Discrimination in the workplace is very real, and sometimes people are fired or laid off for discriminatory reasons—like race, pregnancy, parental status, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability—under the guise of poor performance or downsizing. This is called wrongful termination or wrongful dismissal.

What to do if you lose your job in a layoff?

If you’ve lost your job in a layoff, you are no doubt concerned about your finances, benefits, and finding new work. There is help available to laid-off workers from the government, in the form of unemployment compensation. But your former employer has legal obligations as well.

Is it illegal for an employer to lay off an employee?

Other potentially illegal reasons for a layoff include: If the employer violates public policy: For example, if an employee files a workman’s compensation claim or reports an illegal or unethical behavior, and then a couple of months later is terminated, that worker might be able to prove that the layoff was done in retaliation, says Siegel.

What happens if you get a layoff notice late?

If an employer fails to give the required notice, the employees can collect wages and benefits for every day that notice is late, up to 60 days. WARN applies only to employees with 100 or more employees, and only if there is a plant closing or mass layoff.

I found out last week that I am being laid off from my job. It was the nicest layoff I could have asked for though, despite the circumstance – I saw it coming as my manager and I have been discussing growth opportunities here, but in a company that’s downsizing and only hiring entry-level positions, nothing has come up.

What’s the best way to get laid off from a company?

Here are some ways and thoughts to get laid off: 1. Google “WARN notification your state” Then search by your company. WARN stands for “Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification” where a company legally must file with the state if they plan to do a mass layoff.

What happens if you get laid off in San Francisco?

Why did HMV have to lay off 190 employees?

Yesterday HMV, the beleaguered British entertainment retailer, laid off 190 employees, in an effort to cut costs and right its balance sheet. The company apparently pulled a large group into human resources and gave them the bad news.

How to make the best layoff decisions for your business?

Following the steps outlined below can help you make the best layoff decisions for your business: 1 Decide what the company will need going forward. Before deciding whom to cut, the company will have to think about… 2 Figure out which departments or positions will be cut. Now that you know your company’s goals, you will be able to… More …

How does HR pick employees to be laid off?

In large layoffs (a RIF, or Reduction In Force, in HR parlance), picking who gets laid off is a very involved and legalistic process — the process could take months at larger companies. The three common strategies: “last in, first out” (most recently hired employees are the first to go), performance reviews or forced rankings.

What should a supervisor do during a layoff?

Layoffs can be one of the most difficult tasks you face as a supervisor. Understanding how the process works will prepare you for any layoffs that your unit must initiate. Adequate planning and communication will have a significant effect on the employees being laid off, the remaining staff, and on clients who work with your employees.

What happens to the people who survive a layoff?

In a layoff, more work remains for the employees who survive the cuts. The people who were laid off leave their whole job for others to accomplish. That is just the way it is. Failure to recognize this is like the ostrich with his head in the sand.

What happens to your coworkers when you get laid off?

Laid off coworkers are experienced as a loss by the layoff survivors. Coping with this loss is a matter of letting go over time and after passing through stages of grief. The site states, “There has been much written about the process of coping with a loss.

What to do when your manager is laid off?

Seek communication from your manager. Communication is critical following a layoff. But, remember that the middle managers who would generally communicate are also experiencing loss and concern about their own jobs. (Often managers are the first to be laid off.)

What does it mean to eliminate a position?

Position eliminations and reductions in force allow an employer to say goodbye to an employee without having to lay out the reasons for the separation on the employee’s door step. It is, after all, easier to say the “business won’t support your continued employment,” than it is to say, “we don’t like your work.”

What’s the difference between being laid off and being terminated?

Yes, there is a big difference between being “laid off” vs being “terminated”. A layoff is a temporary stoppage of work while termination is a permanent stoppage of work. In the result, when somebody is laid off they do not get to collect notice / severance but they get to come back.

What’s the difference between being laid off and being fired?

Getting fired is an event specific to you, and is due to something within your control (work performance, communication, ability to work with the team, ability to learn the job quickly, attitude, etc.) Whereas when you’re laid off, the position itself is eliminated, and they do not look to replace you.

Can a company discriminate against an employee during a layoff?

If an employer intends to discriminate, it might include one or many protected employees in the layoff group. For example, if a company has one employee from Afghanistan, whose manager includes him in the layoff intentionally, out of prejudice, that employee could make a discrimination claim.

Can a manager let an employee go due to downsizing?

Ask any manager and they’ll probably tell you that one of the most difficult things they’ve ever had to do was let an employee go due to company downsizing.

I was laid off a few months ago. My position was eliminated after reorganization, so it wasn’t due to any performance issues. In the weeks that followed, of the 200+ people in the company, three former coworkers emailed to ask how I was doing.

Why did no one contact me after my layoff?

I’ve heard of the same thing happening to people who get a debilitating disease or injury. Ironically, everyone’s happy to be a LinkedIn contact, though some don’t use it much. I’m still processing feelings of betrayal and want these former “friends” to know how hurtful their silence has been, even though I’ll likely never see them again.