For top executives who have contracts and golden parachute clauses, not really.
Exactly. For top execs to get "fired" without a shit ton of money (like, more than your average person makes in a lifetime, sometimes more that a large group of people will make in their lifetimes) there is usually something pretty egregious, like sexual harassment or overt legal problems. Les Moonves was originally going to get $120 million in severance before there was a considerable uproar having to do with the Me Too movement, and CBS held firm on saying they were firing him for cause.
Arguably, everything that isn’t for a serious breach of contract or other cause which allows stripping the golden parachute is “laid off” for them.
But even with that, they occasionally do get “fired”.
right, I doubt this guy is worried about COBRA coverage