I weas laid off recently.
I had been with the company for 10 years but had recently moved to a new team within the same company. Within 3 months of starting with the new team the company took an axe to the department as as one of the “new people” I was let go.
Redundancy pay was calculated based on my time with the company, not just my new team, so I ended up receiving a massive pay-out. After all the paperwork was finished and signed someone must have realised what had happened or maybe they just cut too many people because I got a call from senior management asking me to come back.
I had already landed a few job offers though so I said I'd stay only for a huge pay rise and if I got to keep my pay-out. However the manager I was negotiating with got angry that I expected to keep the pay-out money. I had to explain to him that If I accepted the other offers I had I would get to keep the money and get a raise, so why shouldn't they have to match that.
When he asked me “where is your company loyalty?” I told him its in the trash along with all the stuff I threw out when I was laid-off. Suffice to say I took the money and ran.
Company loyalty is a scam they use to keep you from getting the best deal for yourself. They will throw you to the curb without a care in the world but expect you to sacrifice for them. Never fall for the trap.