Layoffs

Layoffs have become increasingly common in the American workplace as the United States suffers through a particularly tough recession — one which has been described by leading economists and politicians as being "the worst since the Great Depression".

A layoff by definition is what happens when your occupation — your "job" — has been eliminated for reasons other than termination due to things like violating company policies, theft, or poor job performance.

Layoffs most often occur as a result of companies making necessary reductions in the work force, or in some cases eliminating positions or even entire departments altogether. This is commonly referred to as "downsizing". The one upside to being "laid off" is that companies will often call dismissed employees back into service, once their own economic fortunes improve. The net result, however, remains unemployment for the dismissed worker.

With the current economic downturn showing little signs of a quick turnaround, leaders around the world are looking for solutions to stimulate their local economies. In the meantime, layoffs continue to cut deep into the economy, even affecting such business giants as Microsoft, Target, and IBM.

by Glen Boyd Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “Layoffs”

• in Lifestyle
  Volunteer Unemployment Offered At AOL
  AOL is asking for volunteers to join the ranks of the unemployed.
  by breetreport / on Nov 19, 2009

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “Layoffs”

• Layoffs Hit Online Game And Toy-Maker Smith & Tinker - paidContent.org

  
  Webkinz - Collectible Stuffed Animal Toys — Authority: 141
  Layoffs Hit Online Game And Toy-Maker Smith & TinkerpaidContent.orgGuess its a bit harder to launch the next Webkinz than the backers of web-based toy-maker Smith & Tinker thought. The company raised $29 million from VCs …and more »
  3 hours ago

• Layoffs in Las Vegas

  
  gary scott — Authority: 429
  An "unspecified number of layoffs" are part of a reorganization plan for the Las Vegas Sun, according to a staff report. The paper, which won a Pulitzer Prize last year, plans to merge its web and newspaper staffs as a way to save money. From the Sun: The changes were prompted ... by the need to better meet the ...
  7 hours ago

• Unemployment Nine: An eventful couple of days

  
  9nine9's Weblog — Authority: 112
  The emotional roller-coaster of being unemployed moved up a level in class over the past couple of days, transforming from the typical, run-of-the-mill ride at an average amusement park like Rye Playland to Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. First, I received a Facebook message from a former co-worker, who ...
  8 hours ago

• Newseum trims 13 percent of its staff in second round of layoffs

  
  The Washington Post — Authority: 959
  The Newseum, one of Washingtons newest attractions, has trimmed its staff for the second time since reopening in its new, larger location on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in April 2008.
  8 hours ago

• Gannett Job Cuts Hit USA Today, Magazine

  
  Fading to Black — Authority: 435
  Newspaper publisher Gannett Co. imposed a new round of cutbacks Tuesday, with USA Today reducing its newsroom staff by 5 percent, as the industry continues to suffer through an extended advertising slump.}}} full story {{{.
  11 hours ago

• Report: Smith & Tinker Lays Off 30 Percent

  
  Xconomy — Authority: 702
  Layoffs , startups , Gaming Gregory T. Huang wrote: Bellevue, WA-based gaming company Smith & Tinker has cut about 30 percent of its staff, according to a report in VentureBeat . The company has confirmed an unspecified number of layoffs. Led by co-founders Jordan Weisman and Joe Lawandus, Smith & ...
  13 hours ago

• Advice for Job-Seeking Lawyers: Cast a Wide Net, Don’t Vent

  
  ABA Journal — Authority: 632
  Deferrals, long periods of unemployment and layoffs are no longer the black marks they once were for those lawyers looking to find a new or a first job. So says career consultant Kate Neville in a column for the National Law Journal. Neville says that at this point in the recession, "It is fairly obvious that law ...
  14 hours ago

• Tis the Season To Be Jolly: Not at Sanofi Aventis!

  
  Bio Job Blog — Authority: 419
  Sanofi Aventis asked it entire sales force to remain at home the Monday after Thanksgiving to wait for a phone call to see whether or not they still had jobs. Nice way for the affected employees to spend Thanksgiving, eh? Sanofi-Aventis is laying off an unspecified number of US sales reps, as the firm restructures ...
  15 hours ago

• Web-based toy maker Smith & Tinker lays off 30 percent of staff (via postie)

  
  Gadget Reviews — Authority: 156
  Bookmark this categorySmith & Tinker had a high-profile launch of its Nanovor toy and accompanying game web site this fall. It was billed as a marriage of toys and online games.But yesterday the company laid off about 30 percent of its staff, which may be about 15 of its 50 or so employees, VentureBeat has [...]No ...
  16 hours ago

• Union-Tribune editor to step down

  
  gary scott — Authority: 429
  Karin Winner, the respected editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune, told staff today that she plans to step down at the end of the year after 15 years on the job. Winner leaves after a year of turmoil at the newspaper, which lost a substantial portion of its newsroom after being sold to a private equity firm ...
  17 hours ago

• Grassroots Daily show v.8: oil and opium edition.

  
  Esrati — Authority: 132
  Week 2 of the Grassroots Dayton Daily Show featuring Greg Hunter and David Esrati (both who’ve run for Congress). In this rapid-fire edition we talk about layoffs at Montgomery County , Congressman Turner’s new digs , Tiger Woods (why not, everyone else is), the surge in Afghanistan and why we fight- hence oil ...
  17 hours ago

• Nokia Siemens Networks to Focus on Market-Share Gains and Reduced Costs

  
  Twilight in the Valley of the Nerds — Authority: 432
  Even though it struck out twice in auction-ring swings for pieces of insolvent Nortel Networks, joint-venture Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) apparently has devised another plan to improve its fortunes as a vendor of telecommunications-networking gear. For the past two years, NSN has focused primarily on profitability at ...
  17 hours ago

• Print Refugees Laid Off by Web Site That Was Supposed to Save Them

  
  Gawker: valleywag — Authority: 657
  Oyster.com, a hotel-rating site that launched just five months ago with the aim of hiring real journalists—ones who got laid off from all the real journalism jobs—is laying off a bunch of people. The lifeboat is sinking. Oysters schtick when it debuted to much fanfare in June was that it would hire experienced ...
  18 hours ago

• Print Refugees Laid Off by Web Site That Was Supposed to Save Them [Layoffs]

  
  Gawker — Authority: 864
  Oyster.com, a hotel-rating site that launched just five months ago with the aim of hiring real journalists—ones who got laid off from all the real journalism jobs—is laying off a bunch of...
  18 hours ago

• CEOs Corner: Edward Jones Jim Weddle offers post-recession advice

  
  DailyFinance — Authority: 792
  Filed under: Columns , People , Investing Ranked as the No. 2 company to work for by Fortune magazine, St. Louis-based financial services firm Edward Jones , which has continued to expand during the economic downturn has no plans to slow growth anytime soon. In fact, with about 11,000 branches, serving more ...
  19 hours ago

• Internet Marketing and the Global Recession

  
  Internet Marketing Solutions — Authority: 491
  experts today before; are online any the the Web, marketing, But starting online realize marketing viable current meltdown.
  20 hours ago

• Worry Continues Over Sun Buyout

  
  Revelations From An Unwashed Brain — Authority: 595
  The problems of Sun continue, every day that the buyout does not happen. According to one article on ComputerWorld , the money Sun hemorrhages every month amounts to $100 million. That is a staggering amount for any company, and an untenable feature of one that might be forced to try to continue alone if the deal ...
  20 hours ago

• DCs Laid Off Teachers Request Financial Assistance From Washington Teachers Union

  
  The Washington Teacher — Authority: 507
  The letter below was presented to Washington Teachers Union President, George Parker on November 30, 2009 by wrongfully terminated/laid-off teachers in a meeting held to discuss their right to appeal under OEA. This letter was also sent to all WTU Executive Board members, WTU Board of Trustee members, Randi ...
  1 day ago

• Getting Back in the Game: Fears and Obstacles When Returning to Work

  
  WSJ.com: The Juggle — Authority: 571
  A look at the obstacles many women face in deciding to go back to work, or after they’ve made the decision.
  1 day ago

• 2009 Job Toll: 14,661 And Counting

  
  Fading to Black — Authority: 435
  Nothing like a Monday after Thanksgiving weekend pick-me-up than to check in on our favorite layoff tracker, Paper Cuts, the site maintained by print and multimedia newspaper designer Erica Smith. }}} full story {{{.
  1 day ago

Comments about Layoffs