> Was it always like this or is this a new phenomenon? I haven’t heard about anyone being locked out before hearing they are getting laid off, unless there was serious wrongdoing. But I’m not in the US.

Always like this. First, layoffs are kept as secret as possible to avoid affecting the stock price as well as to facilitate insider trading by execs while limiting it by lower level managers.

Second, to avoid potential trouble with disgruntled employees, employees are locked out before being notified. In the rare case that someone is laid off mid-day, they immediately lose access to their office and are escorted out by security.

If this sounds abusive, it is because it is abusive. Not all companies operate this way, but many of them do.