Laying off usually means the person's role is declared redundant, or in a department maybe a number of jobs are declared redundant rather than individual ones (

Laying off usually means the person's role is declared redundant, or in a department maybe a number of jobs are declared redundant rather than individual ones (i.e. a call centre finds it needs 20% fewer people manning the phones). There is no fault seen in the individual¹, it is seen as a matter of the state of the company, the market, or the economy as a whole. When you are fired there is a direct implication of fault or failing to perform. These things can vary a lot depending on local/state/country laws, but if you are laid off you may be entitled to a redundancy payment, you may be entitled to apply for other roles in the company², you will have a notice period which you will either work or go on gardening leave for, and so forth. If you are fired, none of this applies³. If you are in an work-at-will state things are a bit different. Gig economy jobs are a grey area in many places⁴. -- [1] other than the implication that the people who kept the same/similar role are better or otherwise more useful to the company [2] if the lay-offs are due to restructuring rather than downsizing [3] except you have access to some sort of appeals process (for unfair dismissal for instance) which goes your way [4] there are court cases and other investigations ongoing to determine/clarify what rights such workers do[n't] and should[n't] have