Laid-off workers who understand how decisions were made and believe they were treated fairly are more likely to recommend their former employer to others. In fact, 45 percent of the mostly college-educated layoff victims in a Fox School of Business study said they would return to their former employers. "Employers have a vested interest in ensuring the process is perceived as a fair one," especially when angry former employees can vent via social media, says lead author Gary J. Blau, a human resource management professor.