[georgeecollins]

I don't know if the way this works really correlate to worst / best performers in this case or in my experience. I once worked for a company that after some great successes slowly went bankrupt. Naturally there were many episodes of layoffs and in general I would say people were let go based on changing priorities. You could have been a great employee in an area they were going to pursue and you were gone.

After the first or second round of layoffs that I avoided, I mentioned to an older employee that I was really glad to dodge that bullet. "I don't know," he said. "The earlier ones usually get the better deal." This was so true! I stayed until the doors were closed for good and didn't even get vacation paid I was owed. I don't regret it though because as the company imploded I got to try my hand at new roles, and worked with a really clever team that tried heroically to turn the company around.