[dragnet2]

A 29-year-old maintenance worker for the City of Costa Mesa jumped to his death from the roof of the five-story City Hall building this afternoon, according to police. The man, a city employee for four-and-a-half years, was called into work at 2:30 p.m. to receive his layoff notice despite

http://laist.com/2011/03/17/worker_commits_suicide_at_costa_mes.php

[Revolting cat!]

When my former ex company was exporting IT jobs to India (which they may still be doing), they did the layoffs in the US the US way. You’re here and the next minute you’re gone, kick in the butt, twenty some years on the job, Affirmative Action black one year on the job fires you, and you’re walked to the door by a security monkey. In the EU, because India is cheaper than EU as well, the company was forced by the local laws to give the IT guys 3 month notices. Who’s more civilized?

[Crawdad]

On the other hand, I'd just as soon keep workin', keep a little change in my pocket.

[expatpat]

This is a 'nuclear option' and somewhat extreme, though probably necessary "pour encourager les autres". It should make the union thugs think twice about resisting pension reform.

[roadcat]

Jerry Brown's fault!

He's cutting state funding to cities and counties.

[RichInOC]

I feel for that guy, because he was obviously troubled beyond just losing the job. But having said that, let’s just say, forget Gil Gottfried, this story is bringing out the Mike O’Donoghue macabre humor in me.

[Palladin]

This burns me up. How much did they save by firing the janitor?

It’s the idiots at the top that should get the ax in that town.

[newssleuth]

More from the LA Times:

“City officials said the cuts were the first step in a plan to outsource many services to the private sector and significantly reduce the number of workers at City Hall.

The six-month termination notices affect 213 of the city’s 472 full-time employees and cut across departments: firefighters, maintenance workers, jail staff, even dogcatchers.”

[shekkian]

A 29-year-old maintenance worker for the City of Costa Mesa jumped to his death from the roof of the five-story City Hall building this afternoon, according to police.

Moments later, the city council double-checked the lay-off roster and realized their mistake. His job was safe.

[fightinJAG]

*

[tflabo]

Stop taxing the bejeevers out of people and let them save enough for their own retirements and not be a burden on younger generations to fund it.