lay off
Cut the workforce
To lay off workers is to terminate their employment, typically due to economic conditions rather than poor performance: The company laid off two hundred employees after the merger.
The noun layoff describes such terminations or the period of unemployment that follows.
Separately, lay off is an imperative meaning stop or back off: Lay off, would you?
To lay off a habit is to quit it: I'm trying to lay off sugar.
Terminated from employment
- sackedDismissed from a job
- terminatedBrought to an end
- dischargedOfficially let go
- let goCease holding something
pink slip · canned · axed · dismissed · redundancy · severance · downsized · retrenched
Reducing workforce or scale
- restructuringRearranging an existing framework
- cost-cuttingReducing expenditures deliberately
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
- outsourcingThird-party task delegation
offshoring · automation · budget cuts · workforce reduction · headcount · redundancies · corporate restructuring · hiring freeze
Cease doing something
ease up · let up · give it a rest · cut it out · leave alone · take a break · cool it · drop it
Lacking paid employment
- out of workWithout paid employment
- unemployedWithout a job
- benefitsGains or helpful effects
- severance payCompensation upon job termination
unemployment insurance · claimant · welfare · retraining · career transition · job hunting · resume · outplacement
Become aware of
- redundancy noticeEmployer's workforce reduction letter
- termination letterOfficial firing notice
- two weeks noticeCustomary resignation advance warning
- HR meetingScheduled talk with staff department
fired
Terminated from employment
- sackedDismissed from a job
- terminatedBrought to an end
- dischargedOfficially let go
let go · pink slip · canned · axed · dismissed · redundancy · severance · downsized · retrenched · displaced
downsizing
Reducing workforce or scale
- restructuringRearranging an existing framework
- cost-cuttingReducing expenditures deliberately
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
outsourcing · offshoring · automation · budget cuts · workforce reduction · headcount · redundancies · corporate restructuring · hiring freeze · staff reduction
quit
Cease doing something
abstain · ease up · let up · give it a rest · cut it out · leave alone · take a break · cool it · drop it · stand down
jobless
Lacking paid employment
- out of workWithout paid employment
- unemployedWithout a job
- benefitsGains or helpful effects
severance pay · unemployment insurance · claimant · welfare · retraining · career transition · job hunting · resume · outplacement · filing for unemployment
notice
Become aware of
- redundancy noticeEmployer's workforce reduction letter
- termination letterOfficial firing notice
- two weeks noticeCustomary resignation advance warning
- phrasal verbspick up, look at, put down, turn on, wait for
- card gamespoker, blackjack, solitaire, hearts, spades
- card termsace, pair, flush, king of hearts, straight
- dismissdismiss, brush aside, wave away, sweep aside, push aside
- Back Offbutt out, step back, keep away, stay out, keep out
- soccer skillsdribbling, first touch, trapping, receiving, close control