layoff

[ley-awf, -of]

noun

1. the act of dismissing employees, especially temporarily.

2. a period of enforced unemployment or inactivity.

layoff

1. The temporary or permanent removal of a worker from his or her job, usually because of cutbacks in production or corporate reorganization.

Word History and Origins

Origin of layoff¹

1885–90, noun use of verb phrase lay off

Example Sentences

The high-profile layoff announcements reflect both the embrace of artificial intelligence and nagging concerns that companies overstaffed or overpaid hires as they scrambled to reopen from the pandemic four years ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

GM is also placing about 1,200 of the 3,400 workers at its dedicated EV assembly plant in Detroit on indefinite layoff.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“When we launched the new Paramount in August, we made clear that building a strong, future-focused company would require significant change — including restructuring the organization,” Ellison wrote in a memo to staff about Wednesday’s layoffs.

Read more on MarketWatch

Employers such as Amazon, UPS and Target have recently announced large corporate layoffs, creating a new normal where white-collar workers face a precarious job market as blue-collar opportunities grow.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Chief executive David Ellison said in a memo to employees that the layoffs were focused on “addressing redundancies” at the company and to accommodate its shifting priorities.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cutback 
• unemployment 

When To Use

What’s the difference between layoff and furlough?

A layoff is usually a permanent removal from a job. A furlough is a temporary release of a worker from their job, typically with the expectation that they will be asked to return.Both words can also be used as verbs. An organization can lay off employees or furlough them. The adjective forms are laid off and furloughed.The word layoff is typically used in the context of a company permanently letting go workers due to economic reasons (such as not being able to afford to pay them) as opposed to performance reasons (employees let go for poor performance are typically said to have been fired).A furlough typically involves an employer requiring an employee to stop working for a period of time during which they will not get paid—though furloughed workers sometimes keep their benefits, such as health insurance. Furloughs can happen during government shutdowns or when a company does not need certain employees for a certain period of time but expects to need them back after that period ends.Here’s an example of layoff and furlough used correctly in a sentence.Example: A furlough is not ideal, but at least it’s temporary—the company is doing it to avoid layoffs.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between layoff and furlough.