How to get yourself laid off?

[michalm21 2]

Ok, so if a certain person is not on the "cut list", what can one do to get there and get him/herself laid off from work?
I'm aware it's bad timing with so many companies letting people go and tough economic situation, but I'm looking for some advice about how to actually get laid off so one can collect severance and other perks instead of just quitting.
Any ideas?
This is a serious question.

[Misternatural 0]

no no, THIS is the serious question.

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[guppie01 0]

Talk to your manager and offer yourself instead of him!

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[airathanas 0]

Be careful what you wish for...

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[quade 4]

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. . . but I'm looking for some advice about how to actually get laid off so one can collect severance and other perks instead of just quitting.

The point we're at now, most companies have laid off the dead wood and are working under the assumption that every employee is valuable but even still they have to make cuts somewhere.

You might nose around HR and find out if the company has any plans to ask for volunteers to take "the package." Some companies do this as a way to reduce head count in an attempt to not cut the legs off of people that really can't afford to be laid off.

Just after 9/11 the company I worked for was taking a pretty bad hit and needed to lay off some folks. They didn't want to be excessively cruel about it, just reduce the head count and this is exactly what they did. If I was smart, I would have taken them up on their offer, but I didn't and when times got even tougher my number came up anyway and it blindsided me.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[michalm21 2]

Appreciate your sound advice, Quade.

[tigra 0]

Yeah- what he said. Depending on your situation, you might want to talk with your manager and let him or her know you are open to "the package" if they are planning another round of layoffs. In this envoronment, they might appreciate the honesty and you might even help someone else out who really can't afford to lose their job.

[Dumpster 0]

From personal experience in a union shop.

I worked a manufacturing company, union shop, that was famous for cyclical hiring/laying off workers in droves.

Most companies go by seniority. - If person X is facing lay off in department "A", and qualifies for a position in department "B", they may be able to "bump" a person with less seniority out on the street and take thier slot.

Also, it wasn't uncommon for people with more seniority to volunteer to be laid off, basically "sacrificing" themselves so a person with less seniority could work a little longer. (Some one actually did that for me, while my wife was expecting our first child.)

If you're in a union shop, check the rules and check with your steward and/or HR department about what ever bennies you might get. All I got was unemployment, pay for my unused sick and vacation days, and a COBRA letter.

In any case, you may be much better off waiting to get axed against your will. The longer you work, the more you may be entitled too.

Added after reading Quades' post -

+1 Quade - Good info and true also - Many companies certainly differ in policies. May be the difference between getting laid off (the spirit being you could get called back when business picks up- ) Or just plain eliminated, downsized, rightsized, or whatever the PC term-du-jour is.

Right now we're cutting back to 24/5 operation from 24/7, and going to 4-day weeks, and short shut-downs. Let all of our temps go, froze all hiring, took an axe to the budget, curtailed OT, yadda yadda yadda - - Hopefully that's as slow as it gets. Most all of our customers (we haven't lost any-) are placing smaller orders and asking for shorter lead times. Delivery of raw materials are frequently delayed. Everyone is trying to keep inventories to bare minumums, ourselves included.

But that's OK - That's going to get fixed today with one stroke our our Prez' magic pen -

I'll shut up before we get sent to S.C. - -

Easy Does It

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Ok, so if a certain person is not on the "cut list", what can one do to get there and get him/herself laid off from work?

Ask HR.

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I'm aware it's bad timing with so many companies letting people go and tough economic situation, but I'm looking for some advice about how to actually get laid off so one can collect severance and other perks instead of just quitting.
Any ideas?

Most people have at-will employment where the company is under no obligation to pay any sort of severance. Being laid off (or forced out) only entitles you to collect unemployment insurance and that's not much. Some union jobs are different. Some companies are nicer.

If you don't like your job you're generally _MUCH_ better off finding a new one while still employed.

The one time I stuck around until my company crashed, I took an $8000 pay cut and spent $30,000 out of pocket on living expenses until I collected my last pay check.

That was during "good" times.

Unless you have a speciall situation (are going to start a business and have enough money to fund it until you turn a profit in a few years; have another job; just won the lottery) you probably don't want to do that.

[Misternatural 0]

ok I'll be serious for once today since the Dow is taking a short dive,

Anyway It would seem to me that a layoff is a very risky thing these days as companies will be looking to cut costs in this new economy for the time being. That said the company may discover that they can do without you during your leave and you may get a permanent pink slip as a result. I vote make them fire you instead.

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[quade 4]

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ok I'll be serious for once today since the Dow is taking a short dive,

Anyway It would seem to me that a layoff is a very risky thing these days as companies will be looking to cut costs in this new economy for the time being. That said the company may discover that they can do without you during your leave and you may get a permanent pink slip as a result. I vote make them fire you instead.

Layoff is a euphemism for being fired in modern corporate speak.

The company never really expects you to return.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[michalm21 2]

We are a small company and severance is paid to every employee that's laid off. I guess I could suck it up until the summer and by then maybe we will have another round of layoffs where I can "volunteer" so I get the extra 2-3 months worth of salary. That's better than quitting and getting no severance since I already decided to leave this year.
Yes, I have other opportunities ahead of me, though none of them completely secured.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Layoff is a euphemism for being fired in modern corporate speak.

The new term for layoffs is "right sizing"

[DJL 235]

It'll come down to more about why you want to be laid off rather than how to do it. The how is to just let them know that you're in a financially sound position to be laid off and that you'd rather it be you than someone who's in a tight spot.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[tigra 0]

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ok I'll be serious for once today since the Dow is taking a short dive,

Anyway It would seem to me that a layoff is a very risky thing these days as companies will be looking to cut costs in this new economy for the time being. That said the company may discover that they can do without you during your leave and you may get a permanent pink slip as a result. I vote make them fire you instead.

Layoff is a euphemism for being fired in modern corporate speak.

The company never really expects you to return.

One main difference is that if the company calls it a "layoff" they have to wait a certain amount of time before they can hire anyone from outside. If they realize they actually need to bring people on again, they need to offer those positions to the people who were laid off first.

Where I work, they actually have brought some people back, but only on a contract basis- no benefits, etc. And the job market is so tough right now that these people will take whatever they can get.

[quade 4]

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One main difference is that if the company calls it a "layoff" they have to wait a certain amount of time before they can hire anyone from outside.

Only for "below the line" union positions that have that as part of an agreement.

For management, layoff doesn't mean diddly about coming back.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[tigra 0]

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One main difference is that if the company calls it a "layoff" they have to wait a certain amount of time before they can hire anyone from outside.

Only for "below the line" union positions that have that as part of an agreement.

For management, layoff doesn't mean diddly about coming back.

I'm not union but work for a large corporation. It might not be the law, but there would still be consequences including law suits and a ton of bad press if my company "laid off" hundreds (more like thousands) of people then turned around and hired from outside when the realized they were in a crunch. Most large companies are extremely careful about new hires after a round of layoffs.

[jonstark 8]

Be careful what you wish for. Do NOT tell anyone of your desire unless you want to get the axe without benefit of your being in control of the timing. If a voluntary separation is offered be very careful to review it's conditions closely before expressing any interest. Has the company asked people to voluntarily leave yet?

[quade 4]

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Most large companies are extremely careful about new hires after a round of layoffs.

The only thing they really need to be concerned about is a direct replacement of a protected class individual and even then only if the person that was replaced is replaced within a short period of time by a non-protected class individual.

The times we're living in . . . I just don't see that even being an issue unless the layoffs are being used as an excuse to get rid of a specific protected class of people and times being what they are, they don't need that as an excuse. Most companies are smarter than that and if they're specifically targeting, for instance, higher wage earning people over 50, they're also going to toss out some low wage earners under 40 so it at least has the appearance of across the board cuts and is defensible on those terms.

In fact the last company I worked 9-5 with had across the board layoffs and provided a table of positions, ages, races, ect just to show how "fair" they were being. They didn't have to do that, but it was all part of the HR strategy to avoid pesky wrongful termination lawsuits.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[skittles_of_SDC 0]

tell your boss his wife is smoking hot and that you wanna take that ass to town.

edit to add: this is a serious reply.

[Rick 67]

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Layoff is a euphemism for being fired in modern corporate speak.

The new term for layoffs is "right sizing"

I would "layoff" employees for lack of work "firing" is for not abiding by company policies or poor work performance

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[Nightingale 0]

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Ok, so if a certain person is not on the "cut list", what can one do to get there and get him/herself laid off from work?
I'm aware it's bad timing with so many companies letting people go and tough economic situation, but I'm looking for some advice about how to actually get laid off so one can collect severance and other perks instead of just quitting.
Any ideas?
This is a serious question.

If you're going to leave anyway, let your boss or HR know that you're willing to be the one to take the cut because in this economy you're thinking about going back to school anyway or whatever, and you'd rather it be you than someone who really can't afford to lose their job. If you really are leaving anyway, you've got nothing to lose, and the company will probably appreciate having one less layoff decision to make.

[akarunway 1]

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Ok, so if a certain person is not on the "cut list", what can one do to get there and get him/herself laid off from work?
I'm aware it's bad timing with so many companies letting people go and tough economic situation, but I'm looking for some advice about how to actually get laid off so one can collect severance and other perks instead of just quitting.
Any ideas?
This is a serious question.

Join a union.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.