They probably shouldn't be called layoffs - they're actually mass firings, usually to reduce labor expenses.
"Layoffs" implies that it's a temporary shutdown of production and that workers will retained when business conditions improve.
Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
21–30 of 31 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#22Basically, if you're salaried (Full-time employee) and an executive gets a hair and decides to pivot, then layoffs'll happen. Basically, it's your employer looking at financial prospects and going "We no longer have need of your services." It is generally coupled with a severance package, which if taken delays your eligibility to avail yourself of your State's unemployment benefits. Many states are at will employment…
> gets a hair Is this an expression?
I was wondering the same. After some searching, I think it's a shortened version of this: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+a+wild+hair+up+some...
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
> gets a hair Is this an expression?
I was wondering the same. After some searching, I think it's a shortened version of this: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+a+wild+hair+up+some...
That is a decent definition. Typical implication is the idea has no basis in logic or reason.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#24You're missing that most US workers aren't under contract. You may also be missing that if I decide I'm tired of my job, I don't have to go in on Monday. I don't even have to tell them I'm quitting: I can just mail their laptop back to them and stop communicating. Eventually, they'll figure out I'm not coming back, and send me a termination letter along with my last paycheck. [edit] While it's certainly rude, there i…
Basically all employment contracts in Europe have a dualsided probatonary period in which both sides can walk away, only if you decide to stay would you have a 4 week notice period from the employee side of the contract.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
> And if your income has dropped a lot, most if not all of the coverage will be subsidized by the government This seems to be very location-dependent. Most states will be reasonably generous and extend Medicaid coverage to you. Some will not. Even when you have Medicaid coverage, it's still a crap-shoot whether a Dr. will take you on as a patient. Hospitals will, in general, but there's plenty of Dr's offices with "N…
> COBRA is an utter joke. If you've just lost your job, how are you supposed to afford $1750/month [1] for medical insurance for your family ? Agreed. But that's how much your employer was paying. I'll die on the hill that the US medical system would be so much better if we just gave that cash to everyone instead.
> I'll die on the hill that the US medical system would be so much better if we just gave that cash to everyone instead.
You really don't get it, do you? Remove the profit from the equation.
The rest of the civilised world figured it out decades ago, but the US is just too damned greedy to swallow such a pill.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#26You're missing that most US workers aren't under contract. You may also be missing that if I decide I'm tired of my job, I don't have to go in on Monday. I don't even have to tell them I'm quitting: I can just mail their laptop back to them and stop communicating. Eventually, they'll figure out I'm not coming back, and send me a termination letter along with my last paycheck. [edit] While it's certainly rude, there i…
Basically all employment contracts in Europe have a dualsided probatonary period in which both sides can walk away, only if you decide to stay would you have a 4 week notice period from the employee side of the contract.
No they don't.
In the UK[1] the legal minimum is 1 week notice in their first two years of employment, then it's 1 week per year.
It's common in some industries to have a 4 week notice after a 3-6 month probation, but it's not universal.
[1] which obviously had to confirm with EU law, even if it's now left
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#27Europe has much stronger labour laws, and a much deeper social safety net for people who do in fact lose their jobs. Almost all states (Montana being kind of the exception where at-will goes away after the probationary period of your job) have "At-Will" [1] employment, which basically means you can be fired for anything, at any time, without any reason needing to be given, apart from for a few carved-out exceptions;…
AFAIK, under the affordable care act, you can get health insurance at a much more reasonable price, though I haven’t used it myself and cannot comment if it’s equal to quality of care and cost vs. other developed countries.
Everything else you said is spot on.
Not every company will necessarily enforce and fire people at a moments notice. While yes that can happen, I think any reasonable business cares about perception and employee morale.
Aside from that, I think everything you said is spot on.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#28i googled 'labor violence in the us' -- b/c i've read before that the history of anti-worker violence in the us is basically insane -- worse than any other industrialized nation.
so of course the first result that comes up is _union_ violence -- against the companies/authorities. :-D
https://www.google.com/search?q=history+of+labor+violence+in...
at least wikipedia is not biased in favor of the people who own the country.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was wondering the same. After some searching, I think it's a shortened version of this: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+a+wild+hair+up+some...
That is a decent definition. Typical implication is the idea has no basis in logic or reason.
This is an accurate representation of the meaning being conveyed.
Re: Ask HN: How do layoffs in the US work?
#30No post body was provided.