Quiet firing | RTO mandates used as cover to hide job cuts in US firms

Return-to-office mandates are emerging as an alternative to layoffs, with US employers using stricter in-person requirements to shrink headcount through attrition rather than formal redundancies.

The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, published last week, reported that businesses across multiple districts have “encouraged” voluntary departures by tightening office policies. The document, released eight times annually, reflects interviews with executives, economists and local contacts on current economic conditions.