I thought the Cafe Racer shootings happened in 2012? Small thing, I know . . . [Make sure you fact-check that though before correcting . . . ]

Don't most people who are about to be laid off, get some advance hints? I know there are some out-of-the-blue redundancies, but usually people have some idea when it's a possibility. If I were in that position, I'd be lining up my ducks ahead of time. I bet more than one of those 15 have their ducks lined up already.

@4: Yes. The Cafe Racer shooting was in 2012. And the Times did not win a Pulitzer for their coverage of it. They did win a Pulitzer in 2010 for their coverage of an entirely different shooting: the one of four police officers in Lakewood.

@5:

30 days notice from management is probably about as much as one can expect nowadays. And who got laid-off no doubt depended in large part on how many, and in which departments, other staff elected to take the severance package.

I am sad to see Misha Berson get the axe. I used to love reading her reviews when I was a Seattle boy.

@1, to what local newspapers do you suggest that they should apply for jobs?

We don't need a newspaper, cable news and twitter has just done a bang up job with their coverage of the 2016 Presidential Campaign. Just look how adult and civil it's all been! And it'll just get better!

So long Seattle Times! And check out Kim Kardashian's Twiter feed! Now THAT'S information!!!

200 staffers at the Times? Yikes! That sounds bloated to me, especially since print journalism is going out of favor.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely of these employees who are over fifty will never find jobs like the ones they had at the Seattle Times. My heart goes out to any of these employees who want to keep working.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/02/busine…

@9.....The Stranger has an opening.

Who reads a paper anymore? Up to the minute news is just a mouse click away for free.

You guys left out mention of all the other non-news room staff who will also be leaving. This is impacting the whole newspaper. I know due to having someone close to me working there for over 25 years...it's sad.

But more seriously, it is tragic to loose a job especially when you are in a dying occupation. All throughout my life I have lived with constant layoffs; i was a shipyard worker and that was par for the course. But so many careers are now coming to an end, especially in the manufacturing area. For someone in their late 40's-50's it can be devastating; it is impossible to compete with a younger person. I would hope that those, the older ones, have enough assets to be able to survive.

I went through a round or 3 of layoffs at the paper I worked at, and there was no notice. People went in for a meeting and were walked straight out the door. Like, someone went and got their keys and coat for them and they were allowed back in over the weekend to get their stuff.

Sad to see that list ...a lot of *very* talented & knowledgeable people there. I wish them all the best, and here's hope the Seattle Times can stop the hemorrhaging.

I don't think the article made this clear: these were voluntary layoffs. The people on this list volunteered to resign after Kathy Best said there was a need.

@19, do you honestly think they would all still be working there 3 months from now? Buyouts are offered instead of people getting laid off later on, so the employer can cut salary now instead of being sued for wrongful termination later..

"the buyout—one week of pay for each year of work at the paper up to 13 weeks"

Am I the only one who finds that kind of insulting, for the employees who have worked there two decades or more, like Ms. Berson? It's not like the Blethen Family (who owns the paper) is impoverished.

I got laid off at The Oregonian in Portland, because everyone in our department were making $24+/hr. They outsourced all the graphics to a Des Moines, Iowa graphics sweatshop where their 300 designers were making $12/hr or so.
These experienced professionals at The Times will be replaced by wet-behind-the-ears journalism grads who will work as interns. It's what newspapers do these days.