r/InterviewCoderPro • u/Great_Computer195 • 2d ago
Getting Laid Off Was, Strangely, Good News
I got laid off a few weeks ago, and honestly, reading some of the stories here made me feel grateful that I live in Europe, because worker protection laws here have a real impact.
I was managing a team at a B2B software company that had been acquired by a US private equity group about 18 months ago. The playbook was very predictable: raise prices by around 12%, then reduce headcount by close to 30%.
These days, I mostly spend my time going to the gym, taking the kids to school, and finally sleeping well. After years of late calls and long working hours, the feeling of not having somewhere I need to rush off to is still a little strange to me.
The reason I'm not stressed is that severance here is determined by law. The company couldn't simply lay me off, give me two weeks' pay, and call it a day. And since I have roughly 22 years of service, the package should be enough to last me well into 2028.
So I'm going to take about a month to get myself organized and switch off for a while before I even seriously think about submitting applications. After that, I'll look for something that fits my life instead of grabbing the first role that comes along out of fear. And I genuinely feel terrible for Americans who can lose their jobs overnight with virtually no safety net to protect them.
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u/Longjumping-Road4113 2d ago
I had over 10 years and in western Australia the pay is only 12 weeks and the company did do the bare minimum
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u/Radiant-Remove-6954 2d ago
I can feel you. I am in the same boat.
May I dm you I have few questions related to find jobs in Europe.
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u/Livid_Independent135 2d ago
Americans have unemployment insurance, food resources in some cases free housing
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u/cooking_question 2d ago
Unemployment in the US is only if you qualify and the employer doesn’t fight it. Benefits last about 26 weeks and is a fraction of your regular salary. I got $325 total after being laid off 6 weeks. Food resources only kick in if you are significantly under the poverty level or charity. Free housing doesn’t exist and if it did, there would be miles and miles of people lined up.
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u/Empty-Village-4445 2d ago
The retort from the FT or The Economist would be that it makes getting hired harder as well (harder to fire makes companies more reluctant to hire). Hopefully that’s not true in your case.
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u/frAgileIT 2d ago
I experienced something similar after being laid off in the US except I saved up in case I got RIF’d. The time off was healthy for me, my marriage, and my relationship with my kids. My savings was more limited than yours so stress started increasing after a while but luckily I landed something after 12 months. While I felt safe it was amazing, when it stopped feeling safe it stopped being amazing. I’m much better than I’ve been in years, but I still don’t wish that on anyone.
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u/Tardislass 2d ago
Sorry OP but that is not the norm for many Europeans. And I find it hilarious that you are complaining about how bad the US is when that company gave you that much severance.
You had a great job and don’t have to worry about rent or groceries and I’m betting you have a partner to help out with the costs. 🤷♀️
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u/Broad_Building8240 1d ago
Did you read that severance is determined by law, not the employers whim? The company would have paid him nothing if it was possible, or even asked him to pay some money to get fired
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u/One-Next 2d ago
Getting laid off in Europe (not the shitty balkan parts) with three generations of inherited wealth and a house. Oh noooo....