YET: BUSINESS ENGLISH - to fire / to lay off
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to fire / to lay off

Verbs:  Business English
​
Used incorrectly, confuses the listener.
​Gives the wrong information.

You don't want to be "fired" or laid off from a job.
UPDATED:  SEPT 2020
to fire (fired)
  • To lose your job because of incompetence or something you did wrong. 

  • The boss or supervisor fires you.

  • Donald Trump had a program called "The Apprentice" where he would "fire people".
to lay off  (laid)
  • You lose your job not because of something you did, but because there is no work, such as when a company or small business goes bankrupt and closes.

  • During a recession, the economy is weak. People get laid off.
EXAMPLES - to fire:
  1. I fired John because he came to work drunk.

  2. My boss fired me yesterday because he said I was not doing a good job.  I am going to sue him.

  3. Jack got angry and called his supervisor an idiot.  He was fired on the spot.
EXAMPLES - to lay off:
  1. I got laid off last month, but I got another job the next week.

  2. During the 2008 economic crisis in the US, over 2,000,000 were laid off.

  3. Mary had worked at JP Morgan for three years, when she got laid off.
What is the opposite of "to fire" or "to lay off"?

It's "to hire".