Difference among 'lay off', 'sack', 'fire', 'dismiss', and 'make redundant'?

[Abc123]

Hi,

What's the difference among 'lay off', 'sack', 'fire', 'dismiss', and 'make redundant'?

Thank you very much.
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[Mordant]

"To lay off" means to terminate employment when the worker is not at fault. Usually, it is accompanied by severance pay, an arrangement sum of money to ease the blow. "To make redundant" is the same thing.

The next three, with respect to employment, mean the same thing. "Sack" is especially informal. "To fire" almost always indicates culpability.

[Alan]

Hi,

These are ways of removing someone from a job: 'sack', 'fire', 'dismiss'.

'Lay off' is to remove someone from a job for a limited period.

'Make redundant' is to remove someone from a job and also remove the job. Usually the redundant employee receives some kind of compensation - 'redundancy pay'.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Mordant]

Alan, in the United States, a temporary layoff is usually called a furlough. The latter term is far more popular than the former now, probably to avoid the American connotation of "lay off." By itself, "layoff" is understood as permanent.