layoff
/lā′ôf″, -ŏf″/
noun
- A dismissal of employees from their jobs because of tightened budgetary constraints or work shortage (not due to poor performance or misconduct).
- A period of time when someone is unavailable for work.
- (UK, soccer) A short pass that has been rolled in front of another player for them to kick.
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english › layoff
LAYOFF | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
October 5, 2025 - LAYOFF definition: 1. an occasion when a company stops employing someone, sometimes temporarily, because the company…. Learn more.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Layoff
Layoff - Wikipedia
October 21, 2025 - A layoff or downsizing is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees (collective layoff) for business reasons, such as personnel management or downsizing an organization. Originally, layoff referred exclusively to a ...
temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees for business reasons
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › dictionary › layoff
LAYOFF Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
5 days ago - The meaning of LAYOFF is a period of inactivity or idleness. How to use layoff in a sentence.
Videos
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Laid-off Meaning - YouTube
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What is a Layoff? - YouTube
There is a difference between fired and laid off #employmentlaw #employmentlawyer #fyp | TikTok
02:53
What Is A Layoff? - CountyOffice.org - YouTube
09:40
How To Bounce Back Stronger Than Ever After A Layoff! - YouTube
WordReference
wordreference.com › english dictionary › lay off
lay off - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
lay off - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.
CNESST
cnesst.gouv.qc.ca › en › working-conditions › work-schedule-and-termination-employment › termination-employment › termination-layoff-dismissal-and-resignation
Termination, layoff, dismissal and resignation | Commission des normes de l'équité de la santé et de la sécurité du travail - CNESST
A layoff temporarily suspends the employment contract between the employer and the worker for economic, organizational or technical reasons. The person may be recalled to work.
Canada.ca
canada.ca › en › services › jobs › workplace › federal-labour-standards › termination.html
Termination, layoff or dismissal - Canada.ca
November 4, 2025 - The Canada Labour Code outlines requirements for the termination of employees. There are different requirements for individual terminations and group terminations.
Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › lay_off
lay off - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
layoff · [edit] to dismiss workers from employment · to place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker · to cease, quit, stop · to stop bothering, teasing, or pestering someone · painting: to apply gentle strokes to smooth a wet coat · to plan out using a chart ·
Vocabulary.com
vocabulary.com › dictionary › lay off
Lay off - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
October 29, 2025 - In most cases, companies lay people off in an effort to save money. It's awful to lose your job no matter how it happens, but when workers are laid off, they sometimes get severance pay. Lay off is used as a verb, while layoff is a noun: "It's shocking they decided to lay off our whole department.
Investopedia
investopedia.com › terms › l › layoff.asp
Understanding Layoffs: Definitions, Statistics, and Real-Life Example
November 23, 2003 - A layoff is the involuntary termination of an employee's job, typically for reasons unrelated to the employee's performance, such as cost-cutting or organizational changes.
Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › dictionary › layoff
Layoff Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
LAYOFF meaning: 1 : the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers; 2 : a period of time during which there is no activity
Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › layoff
LAYOFF Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
3 weeks ago - LAYOFF definition: the act of dismissing employees, especially temporarily. See examples of layoff used in a sentence.
TalentHR
talenthr.io › resources › hr-glossary › layoff
What is a Layoff? - HR Glossary | TalentHR
Unlike being fired, which results from performance or behavioral issues, layoffs happen when a business finds it necessary to reduce its workforce for reasons beyond an individual’s control. For affected employees, a layoff can mean either a temporary or permanent separation from the company.
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english › lay-off_1
lay off phrasal verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Definition of lay off phrasal verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Intoo
intoo.com › home › terminated vs laid off: what each process should look like
Laid Off vs Terminated: What Are The Differences?
September 26, 2024 - Terminated vs laid off. Both mean different things to the company and the departing employee—legally, financially, and emotionally. Learn how to manage both
Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › lay-off
LAY OFF Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
October 30, 2025 - This expression formerly referred to temporary dismissals, as during a recession, with the idea that workers would be hired back when conditions improved, but with the tendency of businesses to downsize in the 1990s it came to mean “terminate permanently.” [First half of 1800s]
ADP
adp.com › resources › articles-and-insights › articles › f › furlough-vs-laid-off.aspx
Furlough vs Laid Off: What is the Difference? | ADP
May 16, 2025 - Furloughed individuals are still considered employees and usually resume their jobs at a later point, while those who are laid off are separated from their employer indefinitely. Further distinctions between furloughs and layoffs are as follows:
Indeed
ca.indeed.com › career guide › career development › what does laid off mean? (and how to handle layoffs)
What Does Laid Off Mean? (And How to Handle Layoffs) | Indeed.com Canada
Being laid off means your company is ending your employment for reasons beyond your control. It usually happens because the company is lacking the necessary finances or is restructuring and eliminating your role.
Published November 21, 2025
Collins Dictionary
collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english › lay-off
LAY OFF definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
7 meanings: 1. to dismiss (workers) from employment, sometimes with the intention of re-employing them at a later date 2..... Click for more definitions.
Citizens Information
citizensinformation.ie › en › employment › unemployment-and-redundancy › redundancy › lay-off-short-time-working-and-redundancy
Lay-off, short-time working and redundancy
May 16, 2025 - If your employer has no work available for you, or less work available than usual, you may be put on a lay off or short time working arrangement.
AllVoices
allvoices.co › glossary › layoff
What is a Layoff? Definition and Explanation | AllVoices
Learn what a Layoff is. Termination of employees due to business reasons.