Procedural justice is applied to layoffs to study the effects of layoffs on survivors. Procedural norms, developed as components of procedural justice, are applied to develop two different layoff procedures, merit and random. The hypotheses come from this application as moderated by the individual's self-perception. Low performers prefer a procedural equality layoff, while high performers demonstrate no clear preference for either layoff procedure. When given the opportunity to choose a layoff procedure, the subjects having control over the layoff procedure to be used were no more satisfied with the process than those who had no control. Performance equity (merit) layoff. Subjects in this condition decreased performance, while the subjects in the other layoff conditions maintained performance levels.