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Who's the First to Be Fired? [Free Money Finance]

With the economy on life support, CNN Money asks which employees will be the first to be let go in any downsizing. Their conclusion? Those employees who perform poorly, have high salaries, and aren't vital to the business. A few key quotes:

• When a workforce must be cut, "employers need to keep their best talent," Challenger said. "You want to keep the people that you think are your A-players."

• "When companies cut back, they certainly look hard at people at the high end of the salary range," Challenger said.

• Employers will also take a hard look at each division or department, to find areas that can be cut without sacrificing successful business operations.

I've been part of a few "down-sizings" or "right-sizings" if you prefer, and this list is pretty spot on based on my experience. If your job contributes to the company in a vital way and you're a good performer, you probably won't have any trouble keeping your job no matter what your salary. Now if you're in a department that's not really that important and/or you're not the greatest employee, it could be time to think about Plan B -- especially if you have a high salary.
There are exceptions, of course. If your company is in trouble and in danger of going under, then no one's really safe. Then again, maybe you're in an industry that's actually thriving these days. For instance, I've seen reports that say grocery stores are doing well as people are eating at home more often, so those in that industry might actually thrive in these tough times.
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