1. Introduction: The Pink Slip as a Symbol of Modern Work The modern pink slip is no longer a slip of paper – it’s a push notification, an email, or an HR portal update that signals the same painful truth: employment has ended. According to Layoffs.fyi, over 1,200 tech companies collectively cut 262,597 jobs in 2023 and another 152,174 in 2024 through October, with 2025 projections surging past 180,000 cuts across 413 firms by October—driven by AI recalibrations at giants lik