Hacker News Reader

As a fellow European, I used to feel that way. Having lived in Canada for a while now, I prefer short notice periods.

It means that I can be more flexible in pursuing opportunities. Businesses also tend to be more risk-seeking because the downside of hiring someone is lower. That benefits me as an employee because it is much easier to get hired.

I’ve been laid off, so I also felt the negative consequences. The key for me was building an emergency fund. Granted, if a person is in an employer's market, the short notice system is terrible.

The asymmetry between employee and employer is especially troubling to me. The socially expected forewarning for quitting a job is 2 weeks notice. In contrast, it's common for employers to terminate effective immediately. I get that it's technically not a requirement to provide notice when leaving, and this is a direct consequence of at-will employment, but it sure sucks.

They will likely remain on the payroll for many months. Tech company of that stature give very generous severance packages.