When business conditions turn south, numerous companies today try to spread the grief of a layoff around. They do have a good deal of freedom in this area, and many try to retain employees who may be higher performers or who show stronger potential. At the same time, there are laws that can impact the process, such as the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), and companies are not free to let such matters as race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or age enter the process.
As for future, your friend should try to learn more about her next company's appraisal system right from the start. In fact, a company's appraisal system will tell her a great deal about the firm's culture, values, and vision, and that's very important up-front data.
Your friend also needs to understand that if she ever senses that she is being unfairly evaluated, she should take immediate action to discuss her rating with her supervisor...and beyond if necessary.
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