In New Zealand, when someone's going to get laid off, their companies give them a heads up . . . and they're legally required to let the employee bring along a, quote, "support person" like a friend, their spouse, or their lawyer.

Or . . . um . . . this.

There's a guy named Josh Thompson in Auckland, New Zealand who recently got an email from his bosses at an ad agency telling him they needed to have a meeting to discuss his future at the company.  He knew it meant he was getting canned.

So . . . he hired an emotional support CLOWN to come with him.  Josh paid the clown around $125 to come with him to the meeting in full makeup . . . and make balloon animals while Josh was being let go.

Anyway, he says his bosses found the whole thing funny . . . and he already has a new job with one of their competitors.

As for the clown, he says this was not, quote, "the weirdest job I've had . . . top 10 though." 

(UPI / Facebook / Newshub / New Zealand Herald)

(Here's a picture of them at the meeting.)