The problem is not so much the money, but the damn Visa: The moment you become unemployed, the countdown clock to deportation starts ticking.

This is a HUGE stress, and also puts you at a disadvantage against your prospect employers.

IMHO, there should be legislation for covering these cases. I.e. when you sponsor a Visa as an employer, it should be mandatory to pay the employee for a minimum of 12-24 months. If you want to lay them off, that's fine, but legally they would still be considered employed and paid in full until that grace period expires.