What does being laid off mean Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ˈlɑɪd ɔf/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Phrase

Definition

To be let go or terminated from a job or position, often due to reasons such as financial constraints, restructuring, or downsizing, rather than poor performance.

Examples

• After the company merger, several employees were laid off due to redundant roles.
• She was laid off from her job without warning, leaving her struggling to make ends meet.

Synonyms

• Terminatated
• Dismissed
• Let go

Antonyms

• Hired
• Promoted
• Retained

Additional Information

Being laid off can be a challenging and emotional experience for individuals, often resulting in financial instability and stress. It’s essential to understand the difference between being laid off and being fired, as the reasons for termination and any subsequent support or benefits may vary. In many cases, companies offer severance packages or career transition support to help laid-off employees transition to new roles.

Etymology

The origin of the word phrase seems vaguely attribtical evidence work originally indicates literal direction down from physical heights, even perhaps from a workplace or a table top where piece manufacturing done resulting a later related idiom placing on notice: a worker doing something laid up e.g repair off sick also having been placed such either fully restored (now synonymously being fixed something literally broken ready next day work ready have work awaiting an early response while laid-over taking longer for temporary away time although no job given e.g time waiting to repair (as laid up again but some jobs getting laid then in work with examples traveling many examples traveling doing journey example doing traveling. The final part originally made as the laid off phrasal verb have the idiomatic sense people saying dismissed employee was to reduce wages, avoid redundancy – laid off to avoid redundancy to make dismissed employee quit work by making it necessary to reduce wages.

Usage Notes

Use “laid off” to describe a situation where an employee is terminated from their job due to circumstances beyond their control, such as company restructuring or financial constraints.

Cultural References

Being laid off has been featured in various TV shows and movies, such as “The Office” and “Up in the Air,” highlighting the emotional impact on individuals and the challenges they face in finding new employment.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

Related Words or Phrases

• Unemployment benefits
• Jobless claims
• Workforce reduction

Collocations

• Get laid off
• Employee layoffs
• Mass layoffs

Frequency of Use

The phrase “laid off” is common in modern language, often used in news articles and everyday conversations to describe job terminations due to circumstances beyond an employee’s control.

Common Misspellings

• Layed off
• Laying off
• Layoffs