Yup. Job insecurity is now a thing in The Sims 4 Growing Together.

Sims 4 layoffs from the Growing Together expansion might seem like a strange addition to the game. After all, The Sims 4 has been more focused on the good aspects of life than the bad during its eight year run. The Sims Team has always leaned heavily into fantasy and escapism which makes sense given that the overall state of the world right now is kind of a dumpster fire. Players naturally want a perfect, happy utopia to escape into and forget about the many problems that they face in the real world.

However, Growing Together seems to embrace both the good and the bad parts of life in equal measure. From midlife crises, difficult and distant family dynamics, and the potential for low confidence as a child to turn into low self-esteem as a teen, this expansion really encapsulates life during all of its highs and lows. Sims 4 layoffs are just another way Sims can experience some of the more difficult aspects of life.

The Sims 4 Layoffs Guide

No matter how great your Sim’s career is going, don’t get too comfortable. A layoff could always be just around the corner. Layoffs can happen to any Sim with a full-time career at any time. Your Sim’s work performance is not necessarily indicative of whether they’ll experience a layoff period or not. It’s largely random, just like real life. Hard working, dedicated people get laid off due to reasons outside their control all the time in the real world. It’s no different in The Sims.

When your Sim’s workplace is going through a layoff period, you’ll be notified about it. The game will let you know that your Sim’s job could be in jeopardy. During the layoff period, your Sim will have frequent Tense moodlets from the uncertainty of not knowing whether their job is safe or not. These Tense moodlets may make it more difficult to complete work tasks and be in a good mood at work. In turn, this may make it more difficult for them to keep their job.

The layoff period usually lasts for about three in-game days. At the end of the layoff period, you’ll get a notification either telling you that your Sim has been laid off, or that they were lucky and managed to make it through the layoff period with their job still intact.

Keeping Your Job

Although the initial Sims 4 layoffs notification encourages you to put in extra effort at work to keep your job, this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your Sim will avoid being laid off. That being said, it’s still a good idea to try. During the layoff period, you should focus intently on your Sim’s career. Make sure they always complete their work tasks before every shift and keep up with skill building. Try to combat those Tense moodlets with small but powerful things to help boost their mood before work, like brushing their teeth and gussying up in a mirror. Don’t forget to have them Work Hard while at work, too.

Still, even with all your best efforts, it is possible to get laid off anyway. If your Sim still gets laid off even after throwing everything they have into their work, just know you didn’t necessarily do anything wrong. That’s just the way the Sims 4 layoffs cookie crumbles sometimes.

I Got Laid Off. Now What?

So your Sim drew the short straw in the precarious game of Sims 4 layoffs. They got laid off and are officially unemployed. Now what?

There are some benefits and drawbacks to getting laid off. The obvious drawback is that the career your Sim spent their whole life working so hard to succeed at has been ripped away from them. Many “years” of their life are now down the drain. They won’t be able to get their old job back, either. At least not right away. Sims cannot join a career if they’ve recently been laid off from that career.

However, the Sims 4 layoffs feature does offer some helpful advice about how to get back on your feet. Sims who’ve recently been laid off can Make Looking For Work Post on the computer under the Career options. Doing so will give you a notification suggesting a new career path your Sim is well suited to based on their traits and skills. It’s up to you whether you want to join the suggested career, but it’s a nice way to get some direction if you’re struggling with what to do next.

Of course, The Sims 4 layoffs offer endless opportunities for Sims. Why not take the layoff as an opportunity to travel for a while? Or go back to university if you own the Discover University pack? Maybe start your own business where you’re your own boss and no one can lay you off again! There’s always a silver lining in every storm cloud!