However, CA has very strong worker protection laws, where the worker can incur a lot of legal costs for the employer by accusing them of violating those laws. For this reason, employers are reluctant to fire and more likely to offer a severance package to leave, in exchange for a general liability release. The company has to have all of its paperwork in order to terminate your employment or it'll be open to lawsuit. Anyone over 40, all women, all non-white people, all non-straight, and all people with medical issues or handicaps are a protected category in CA, and in firing them, the company has to show that those reasons were not involved. Put another way, it's really simple to fire a white, under 40, straight guy, but you have to be more careful with everyone else.
The net effect it has is that firings are uncommon, and people hang around until the next round of layoffs, when a reason will be found to lay them off.
The net effect it has is that firings are uncommon, and people hang around until the next round of layoffs, when a reason will be found to lay them off.