What are layoffs?

Answer 1

"Layoffs" are the temporary or permanent release of employees from a company due to downsizing or restructuring or other business reason, as opposed to discipline or individual terminations. Originally, "layoffs" were temporary, to reduce the labor expense during periods of low sales or lagging profits. Often the employees would be re-activated or rehired preferentially before any new employees. However, the term is now generally applied (as a euphemism for 'firings') to any mass reduction in the labor force of a company or industry, even permanent ones.

Answer 2

Employee layoff is when business is not good enough to afford to keep an employee or employees on the payroll they are "let go" or terminated from their jobs. The difference between being layed off and being fired is when you are layed off, the employers may soon or in the future call you back to your job if business improves.

Answer 3

"A dismissal of employees because of lack of work to be done. " "A period of unemployment, a time during which employees are out of work."