On an individual basis, sure. But this is not what we're talking about. This is a mass layoff, which absolutely does have special legal treatment. Sure, you can call it a mass firing if you'd prefer, and I suppose you'd be equally "correct," but then it's not clear what the goal of that clarification is besides making these people feel worse about the situation. Everyone knows what a layoff is. Nobody is confused, thinking that it was the employee's choice. We call it a layoff because it absolves the employee from fault in fewer words than "involuntary termination without cause."
If, however, you're suggesting that there is in fact no difference between individual involuntary termination without cause and a mass involuntary termination without cause, then the WARN act in CA is just one such counterexample, and very clearly treats "plant closing or mass layoff" as a specific event, separate from other types of involuntary termination without cause.
If, however, you're suggesting that there is in fact no difference between individual involuntary termination without cause and a mass involuntary termination without cause, then the WARN act in CA is just one such counterexample, and very clearly treats "plant closing or mass layoff" as a specific event, separate from other types of involuntary termination without cause.