Sack employees in insufficient numbers, getting attacked? (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
under fire
'attacked?' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'sack employees in insufficient numbers' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'sack' could be 'fire' (both can mean to dismiss from a job) and 'fire' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 'under' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'getting' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for under fire that I've seen before include "exposed to criticism" , "Being shot at" , "subject to criticism" , "Military situation, at the bottom of the grate?" , "Make half-baked" .)