I was recently laid off from Intuit, where I worked for several years. They let go over 3,000 employees last week, and I was among those affected. The company cited "AI" as a reason for the layoffs, yet I noticed their careers page and LinkedIn are still filled with numerous open positions. This has left me questioning the motives behind these layoffs. It seems like a trend among tech companies to cut costs by laying off higher-paid employees, only to hire back at lower salaries and reduced benefits. It's disheartening to see this cycle where layoffs are followed by new hiring, often at a fraction of the previous salaries. I can't help but feel that this is part of a larger strategy to reset salary expectations in a post-pandemic job market. The Great Resignation of 2021 forced companies to offer better pay and benefits to retain talent, and now it feels like they are trying to reverse that trend. As I search for my next opportunity, I’m left wondering about the state of employment rights in the U.S. and how companies can get away with these practices.