I am one of the owners of a small company, and I too have had to lay people off for lack of work. It is painful for both of us. I have seen all of them though, find another job in a matter of weeks. I make it my personal mission to assist them by providing a personal leter of recomendation as well as talk to a potential employer if requested. Twoplustwo your welcome to the garage but neither it nor the house is winterized (no insulation, no furnace).
It will be tough for a lot of people as we head down the next path. This country has been living on too much credit and that is the fault of everyone. Yes, it galls me when I see CEOs who don't work any harder than their line assembly guys getting salaries from Boards of Directors that should be protecting the stockholders of a company rather than those in the ivory tower. Maybe this current crisis will open some eyes and get responsibility back in play.