3RD-PARTY PERCEPTIONS OF A LAYOFF - PROCEDURAL, DEROGATION, AND RETRIBUTIVE ASPECTS OF JUSTICE

Third-party observers (N = 123) learned about a layoff from a newspape r article developed for this study. Two aspects of the layoff procedur e were manipulated in the article: (a) the level of input (voice) by l ayoff victims in the layoff procedure and (b) how the layoff was commu nicated to the victims. Both variables predicted observers' perception s of the procedural justice of the layoff. Victim derogation was posit ively related to observers' procedural fairness of the layoff. Victim derogation also moderated the relationship between the justice manipul ations and fairness. Procedural fairness predicted observers' behavior al intentions both as a customer and potential employee.