Is it really a contract if it can end unexpectedly? I know it is, but really the original purpose of a contract is to set the terms and conditions, so nothing was surprise when it happened.

We really need a better term for these one sided work agreements.

The cost of the contract being one cost, so when you think about cost of managing the contract and contracts etc. severing it via a payout can be cheaper, and is often sudden to the contractors unfortunately.

They share in the profits with the employees and such.

I mean sure, it's not 100% a save job. If something truly terrible happened and the company went bankrupt etc, then of course you can still lose your job.

But no time have I ever seen or felt like they would ever lay off people unless the company literally couldn't go on to survive some other way.