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Ask HN: Accepted an offer from a company that is laying off

2 points by tkiolp4 ↗ HN
A month ago I accepted an offer (contract is signed) by an European company that recently has announced that is laying off x% of their staff (the announcement has hit the HN front page recently). I haven’t started to work them yet (I start in August). They have told me that I should not worry about my future position since the contract is signed. Even if what they told me is true, I don’t feel like I want to work there anymore for obvious reasons (I guess more layoffs are around the corner… and I guess recent hires would be the easiest ones to fire).

Have you been in a similar situation? I don’t know what would be the best move for me: either I start looking for another job (I’m coming from a break of around 5 months because of health issues) and reject reject working for them, or I continue with them and see what happens.

My contract doesn’t say what happens if I “reject” working for them even if the contract is signed (can they sue me?). It doesn’t specify either what happens if they tell me that they cannot afford a new hire.

When companies do lay offs, what’s “easier” for them? Fire hired people or reject people who hasn’t started yet but have a signed contract?

2 comments

[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 18.1 ms ] thread
groffee
Well bear in mind, if they do fire you then you'll most likely get severance too? And it's not like you'll be emotionally invested if you've just started there.
Someone
Why don’t you consider the option “start working with them, but also start looking for another job?” That seems the most logical one to me.

It gives you an income, and I guess many of your future colleagues will do the same.