[paulie_a]

If you fail training or quit you should not get the bonus. If you were fired for cause same thing. That's on the employee.

But layoffs were coming and probably known, that was out of the employee's control. Pay the damn bonus as goodwill.

Does a company want a reputation of "yeah they hired me but unfortunately with cutbacks I was new, but they made good on their promises even though I hadn't been there long enough"

Or "they hired me, enticed me with a signing bonus and then didn't bother making good, fuck that company"

I don't care if the contract specifically allowed that, it will leave a bitter taste in that employee's mouth. And it will be repeated regardless of the original contract. Reputation matters more than some line in a contract.