America's existing layoff safety nets, including unemployment insurance and outplacement services, are ill-equipped for AI-driven job displacement. These systems were designed for a different economic era with cyclical, blue-collar layoffs and shorter unemployment periods. Current unemployment insurance trust funds are underfunded, and outplacement services often lack accountability for actual job placement or skill development. Federal reemployment programs also de-prioritize mid-career professionals, leaving them underserved. HR leaders must proactively adapt these systems to support workers through the coming economic shifts.
https://hrexecutive.com/americas-layoff-safety-net-was-built-for-a-different-economy-and-ai-is-about-to-break-it/