Ask HN: How do I get laid-off? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do I get laid-off?

My company is probably like many others out there -- struggling. They have done one round of layoffs, but I did not make the cut.

I want to help them help me - by laying me off - but how do I do it?

I mainly just don't want to be completely reckless by quitting. I'm financially secure-ish, and I'd like to keep it that way. So, some type of severance package or unemployment insurance at least (which I cannnot get if i just quit), would be nice.

Do I just ask my manager, "Hey, can you lay me off?"

Outside of that, I could just use a break, there's nothing much new going on at work, etc.

Thanks for any thoughts.

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Hiring manager here. The market is really tough right now for finding new jobs. If I had a job that was "fine" and "meh", I'd take that boring safety over the risk of being a candidate in this market. The market isn't the same as it was six months or a year ago, when engineers were in crazy high demand. Right now there are a bajillion people looking for jobs, and few companies are hiring like crazy.

You may be financially secure-ish now, but consider what your financial situation might be if you are unemployed for 12-18 months. That might be too long, even with a few months worth of severance.

If you're just bored, I would ride it out until the market stabilizes a bit.

That said, if you trust your manager, then as others suggested, you can casually express that if there's a future round of layoffs, you are open to being considered.

I wish you the best of luck.

Counter-point, I'm an average software developer, not great, but not bad. I started and completed a job hunt in about 2 weeks being _very_ picky about who I talked to. It was just as easy in March of 2023 as it was in March of 2021.

Personal anecdote, to be sure, but I haven't found the market to be any different. I even picked up a nice 30% bump per the tradition of my people.

Depending on the company and country, they may or may not be able to do this. For example, I have been told (and IANAL) that in the U.S. if you ask to be laid off you don't get unemployment benefits.

Just start looking. "My company is having layoffs, I wasn't in the first one but it seems like things are not stable" is a perfectly acceptable reason to give your prospective new employer for wanting to move on, and it's always easier to interview when you aren't unemployed yet (easier to feel relaxed).

It would really be nice to have this work, and maybe sometimes it will work by having a discreet conversation with a trusted manager. But that's not a sure-fire thing. For all you know they're done having layoffs.

Another idea, you could see if the company might be open to an unpaid sabbatical.

The only sure-fire solution in my mind is to get another job, and the way to make that into a break is to set your start date later. Most employers don't even mind a start date that's around a month into the future.

Ask if they’re looking for volunteers in the next round of layoffs.

(There are quite a few factors that play in here, but...)

If you ask to be laid off they might just fire you with cause (insubordination). Then you might not get any severance package, unemployment insurance, etc.

Unemployment assistance eligibility varies widely by state, OP should definitely look into that before taking any action if they want to seek that

Precisely, hence why I said

> There are quite a few factors that play in here

I know a few people that have done this, from what I understand managers like this because they don't have to choose and nobody gets mad, it's a win/win.

Tbh, I'd just slack off. Don't tell anyone at work you want a pink slip, that can work against you when applying for UI. Also mind UI won't let you travel internationally, since logically your not exactly looking for work.

I had a job that wasnt a great for me, about two years into it i paid off all my debt and was hoping to make a career pivot to get into software development.

I just started taking longer lunches, was always polite and civil, but stopping making effort to communicate with directors when we were in the same room together.

Eventually, i was included in the layoff!

Gonna depend on your jurisdiction ... my dad years ago told his manager when he was retiring to help out the rest of his team (he was retiring in 6 mos, but with rumors of layoffs coming, he was "volunteering" to be let go "early") - the layoffs ended up not happening, but he was fine being one if they did

Some companies'll ask [informally] if anyone wants to be considered

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