Also has implications for the social safety net in the US: if you resign or are fired, you can't collect unemployment checks; if you are laid off, you can. A la

Also has implications for the social safety net in the US: if you resign or are fired, you can't collect unemployment checks; if you are laid off, you can. A lay-off also means the company can't immediately turn around and hire for that position because, supposedly, the position is not needed, or is needed but can't be funded (as you said). Companies can easily circumnavigate this by creating a new position with a slightly different title and slightly different responsibilities, then just hire for that.