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As someone who made the mistake in working for an international office, and caught the train out almost 10 years ago now, I agree. I escaped one set of layoffs
by iofj 10y ago
As someone who made the mistake in working for an international office, and caught the train out almost 10 years ago now, I agree. I escaped one set of layoffs and then kept thinking I'm next.
I was next.
Got fired at end of financial year, along with a couple thousand others. Had a new job before the day was out (another result of said anxiety).
- gaius 10y agoGetting fired and getting laid off are very different things!
- fgonzag 10y agoAm I missing something? They are the exact same thing. The company decides to terminate your employment contract, as opposed to you making the decision.
- function_seven 10y ago"Fired" is used to refer to termination for cause. As in, you're being let go because you screwed up. Being laid off is termination without cause. You're just being let go as part of a workforce reduction.
- gaius 10y agoExactly - getting laid off means that the job you did no longer exists - it is unrelated to your personal skills, performance, productivity, etc etc.
- biot 10y agoAdditionally, being laid off usually results in at least a respectable severance package. Being fired generally means you only get the minimum legally owed to you.
- nibnib 10y agoIt also effects your ability to find work. Being laid off can be completely out of your hands and isn't always something that works against you.
- gaius 10y agoThere is no stigma attached to getting laid off, at least not when interviewing at anywhere sane. People understand that it just happens sometime.
- sokoloff 10y ago"For cause" usually means something much worse than "poor performance". That term is generally harassment, fraud/embezzling, other illegal acts, gross insubordination, etc. Being fired because you are performing poorly in your job is, crazily enough, not "fired for cause" but simply "fired". Being fired "for cause" usually makes one ineligible for unemployment income.
- function_seven 10y agoThanks. I used the "for cause" a little sloppily. A sales person who misses quota will still be able to get unemployment benefits, while another salesperson who likes to walk around the office without pants will probably not.
- jasonkester 10y agoContext matters, though. Being one of 14,000 employees let go because they chose to eliminate that entire half of the company doesn't necessarily mean anything. Being one of four engineers chosen to be let go from a team of 20 can say something about your skill level.
- paulddraper 10y agoThat you were the last hired? The most senior (expensive)?
- jotux 10y agoThe practical difference is the ability to collect unemployment benefits. If you're fired you may not be able to collect benefits depending on the situation and state where you live.
- karma_vaccum123 10y agoGood companies also typically offer some documentation that the termination was not performance-based.
- TheCoelacanth 10y agoFired means that they don't want you doing your job. Laid off means that they don't want anyone doing your job.
- function_seven 10y agoDamn, that's concise and to the point. Thanks.