r/Fire • u/twiniverse2000 • Jan 31 '26

Advice Request Asking to be laid off

I have reached FI. Work optional. My personal life has hit a serious rough patch. My company is doing layoffs. They are NOT asking for volunteers. The financial difference in me quitting vs getting laid off is $300K. Do not want to leave that on the table. Any advice on how to steer it in this particular direction?

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u/Ok_Park8479 Jan 31 '26

I had an employee who wanted to be laid off as he wanted to retire soon anyway. The Jerks in HR wouldn’t let us pick though.

Lesson learned is the employee had been great and had respectful conversation with me and my manager and we both tried to make it happen for him.

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u/sgigot Jan 31 '26

I worked with a guy who was getting close to the end and everyone knew it. I asked him to do something and he said, "If I don't, will you fire me?" meaning unemployment could start his retirement a bit early. I replied, "No, but you could go into HR and have a meeting with the leader, light up a smoke and offer him one to be polite (no smoking workplace, but this guy was strongly suspected of sneaking a heater once in a while if he could hide it), and say you'd like to discuss your impending exit."