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Former LA Times journalist says they got laid off during work trip, may need own credit card to fly home

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Updated  January 25, 2024 9:34pm PST
Los Angeles
FOX 11

PREV. COVERAGE: Massive layoffs at the LA Times

LA Times announced it is laying off about one-fifth of the publication's staff.

LOS ANGELES - It's one thing to get laid off. It's another when you get laid off in the middle of a work trip that was supposed to be on the company's dime.

Former Los Angeles Times journalist Julia Carmel was not only laid off mid-assignment in Oregon, they claimed on social media that the publication is asking them to have their credit card handy for their flight back to Southern California.

"[Just] got laid off by the Los Angeles Times and I'm currently staying at a lighthouse in Oregon for work," Carmel wrote on social media on Tuesday. 

The same day Carmel announced the newspaper laying them off, the now-former LA Times journalist shared a screenshot of what appears to be an iMessage exchange between them and an editor. Carmel explained to the newspaper's editor that they lost access to Slack and was worried the corporate credit card may stop working while they were still in Oregon.

"Hey, got laid off, can you please make sure they don't [cancel] my corporate card before I'm back on Sunda?" a text from Carmel read in their screenshot. "They already booted me from [Slack] and I can't cancel my hotels or get a sooner flight home."

In the screenshot exchange, the editor wrote back, "Hi Julia. I am so sorry. This is just terrible all around. Yes. Will do. I'll keep you posted on the credit card."

In that same screenshot exchange, the editor added the corporate card shouldn't be canceled but asked Carmel if they were willing to use their own credit card and LA Times could reimburse them afterward.

Carmel's post sharing the screenshot made rounds on social media with over 500 replies, and more than 22,000 likes on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Carmel was among the 20% of the newsroom staff that were laid off this week. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LA Times lays off 20% of newsroom staff

FOX 11 tried to reach out to Carmel but the journalist was not available for comment before Thursday night's 10 p.m. newscast.

The LA Times publicly announced the news of the staff reduction on the publication's website on Tuesday.