When there are layoffs in a company, workers are told by their employers to leave their job, usually because there is no more work for them in the company.
[business]
Store closures will result in layoffs of an estimated 2,000 employees. [+ of]
2. countable noun
A layoff is a period of time in which people do not work or take part in their normal activities,often because they are resting or are injured.
They both made full recoveries after lengthy injury layoffs.
layoff in British English
(ˈleɪɒf)
noun
1.
a dismissal; redundancy
It will close more than 200 stores nationwide resulting in the layoffs of an estimated2,000 employees.
2.
a period of inactivity
They both made full recoveries after lengthy injury layoffs.
layoff in American English
(ˈleɪˌɔf)
US
noun
the act of laying off; esp., temporary unemployment, or the period of this
Word origin
< phr. lay off (see lay1)
Examples of 'layoff' in a sentence
layoff
The England striker has fired three goals in two games since a lengthy layoff with an ankle injury.
The Sun (2016)
There will be mandatory layoffs of government workers.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
May have found it hard coming back after long layoff.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You have a layoff on the job.
Christianity Today (2000)
The usual prognosis for such an injury is a layoff of four to six weeks.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The security forces are trying to suppress myriad worker protests against layoffs and unpaid wages.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The country is braced for a wave of abductions as workers fight layoffs by taking direct action.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She is gradually returning to her brilliant best after a long layoff and this perfect draw makes her hard to ignore.
The Sun (2008)
It followed a long injury layoff.
The Sun (2011)
Latics fans cannot help but wonder how much better their outlook might be but for the lengthy layoff of their shining light.
The Sun (2011)
Protests have erupted over the imminent layoff of 3,000 workers.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Speak to fitness and conditioning coaches and they will tell you how long layoffs cause weaknesses that heighten a susceptibility to minor injuries.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
How long the layoff is, we do not know.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Given the unpredictable nature of back problems, a longer layoff would come as no surprise.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He made his name by nursing horses with ailments back to winning ways, often after lengthy layoffs.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Job layoffs, production cuts and factory closures are making the car sector a tough place to be.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
That would still mean the plant is mothballed with huge layoffs, but workers would probably receive redundancy pay.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Sometimes it takes me a shot, sometimes it takes me three or four holes after a longlayoff.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Raúl may be left on the bench by Spain having failed to rediscover form after a long layoff because of injury.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Back from a long layoff.
The Sun (2011)
The defence giant yesterday announced layoffs across the UK following government spending cuts.
The Sun (2010)
There were two layoffs because of injury but apart from those I really enjoyed it.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He went into the Masters after a lengthy layoff with a lower back injury only for the trouble to flare up again the next week.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They stopped making new loans and announced layoffs of more than half of the bank's 7,200 workers.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Vancouver and Beijing came only shortly after an 18-month injury layoff so bad that her funding was cut.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
layoff
British English: layoff NOUN
When there are layoffs in a company, workers are told by their employers to leave their job because there is no more work for them in the company.
It will close more than 200 stores nationwide resulting in the layoffs of an estimated 2,000 employees.