layoff

Definitions

The act of terminating an employee's job, typically due to a company's financial difficulties or restructuring rather than poor performance.

A period during which a person is temporarily unemployed or a business activity is suspended.

Examples

The company announced a massive layoff that affected over five hundred employees.

She was worried about the possibility of a layoff after the firm reported poor quarterly earnings.

Many workers were offered a severance package following the unexpected layoff.

Synonyms

redundancy dismissal termination discharge retrenchment downsizing furlough

Antonyms

hiring recruitment employment appointment engagement retention staffing