What to do after being laid off: first-week checklist and job search plan

What to do after being laid off: the first 24 hours

Knowing what to do after being laid off starts with slowing down. The news often arrives in a short meeting with HR, and you may be handed paperwork immediately. You do not have to decide anything in that meeting. Your job right now is to collect information, not to react to it.

Ask for everything important in writing, and take notes during the conversation. If you lose system access right away, email HR from a personal account the same day with your questions so you have a record.

Before your access ends, if you are allowed to, save personal items such as your own contacts, pay stubs, benefits statements and performance reviews. Do not copy confidential company files; that can put severance or references at risk.

• What is my official last day, and am I being paid through a notice period?
• When and how will I receive my final paycheck, and will unused PTO be paid out?
• Is severance offered? What are the terms, and how long do I have to review the agreement?
• When does my health coverage end, and when will I receive COBRA information?
• What happens to my retirement plan, stock or bonus?
• Will the company confirm my dates and title to future employers, and who handles that?
• Is there outplacement help, a transition session or a reference I can use?

How should you review your final pay and severance offer?

Federal law does not require an employer to hand over your final paycheck immediately, but some states do, and many set a deadline. If your last regular payday passes without payment, the Department of Labor suggests contacting its Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department. Whether unused vacation is paid out also depends on your state and your employer’s policy.

Severance is not required by federal wage law; the Department of Labor describes it as a matter of agreement between employer and employee. When it is offered, it usually comes with an agreement you must sign. Read it slowly. Most agreements ask you to give up the right to bring certain legal claims in exchange for the payment, and many include confidentiality or non-disparagement terms.

If the amount is significant, the terms are confusing, or you think the layoff may have been discriminatory or retaliatory, consider paying for a short review by an employment attorney or contacting a legal aid organization before the deadline. Severance can also affect unemployment benefits in some states, so ask your state program how it is treated.

• Amount and form: lump sum or salary continuation, and when each payment arrives.
• Deadline to sign, and whether you can revoke after signing.
• What you give up: which claims are released.
• Other terms: confidentiality, non-disparagement, non-compete, return of property.
• Benefits: whether the employer pays part of COBRA premiums, and for how long.
• Reference: whether the agreement says how the company will describe your departure.

How do you file for unemployment after a layoff?

Unemployment insurance is a joint state-federal program, but each state runs its own, with its own eligibility rules, benefit amounts and application process. Workers who lose a job through no fault of their own, which usually includes a layoff for lack of work, and who meet their state’s earnings requirements generally qualify. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the Department of Labor, has a finder that links to each state’s program.

File as soon as possible after your last day, generally with the state where you worked. If you worked in a different state from where you live, or in several states, your home state’s agency can tell you how to file. The Department of Labor notes that it generally takes two to three weeks after filing to receive a first payment, so do not wait until severance runs out to apply unless your state tells you to.

Have your employment dates, employer addresses and recent earnings ready, and answer every question accurately. After you are approved, most states require you to request payment regularly and report work-search activity; learn your state’s rules and keep a simple log of the jobs you apply to.

What are your health insurance options after a layoff?

Ask exactly when your employer coverage ends; it is often the last day of work or the end of that month. Then compare options before you pick one. Waiting too long can leave you with a gap or a missed deadline.

COBRA lets you keep the same group plan for a limited time. It generally applies to employers with 20 or more employees, and the Department of Labor notes you may have to pay the entire premium, up to 102% of the plan’s cost. That is often much more than you paid as an employee, because the employer’s share goes away. The plan must send you an election notice explaining your deadline.

Losing job-based coverage usually lets you enroll in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan outside open enrollment, and savings are based on household income, which may be lower this year. You may also be able to join a spouse’s or partner’s plan, or qualify for Medicaid. Check deadlines for each on HealthCare.gov or your state’s marketplace.

• COBRA: same doctors and deductible progress, but often expensive; useful for mid-treatment or short gaps.
• Marketplace plan: may cost less with income-based savings; check that your doctors are in network.
• Spouse or partner’s plan: job loss is usually a qualifying event for adding you; ask their HR.
• Medicaid: depends on your state and household income.

How do you explain a layoff in interviews and on your resume?

Layoffs are common, and hiring managers generally understand that they are about budgets and restructuring rather than individual performance. Explain it in one or two neutral sentences, then move to what you did well and what you want next. Do not criticize the company or overshare details.

On your resume, list the job with its real end date; you do not need the word “layoff” there. If the search runs several months, the employment gap resume guide shows how to handle the time honestly. Update your profile too; the LinkedIn profile tips guide covers headlines and open-to-work settings.

How to plan your job search after a layoff

Give yourself a few days to absorb the news and handle paperwork, then treat the search like a part-time job with a schedule. A layoff can be a chance to reconsider your direction, but decide that deliberately; if you are thinking about a new field, read the career change guide before you start applying widely.

Build a weekly rhythm around a small number of targeted applications, a few networking messages and time for skill-building, and track everything in one place. The job search plan guide goes deeper on setting weekly targets. Your local American Job Center, part of the public workforce system, also offers free job search help, career planning and training information.

What should you say when networking after a layoff?

People are usually glad to help someone who was laid off, but they need a specific request. Tell them what kind of role you want, where, and one concrete way they can help: an introduction, a heads-up about openings, or a reference. Keep messages short and easy to forward. The networking guide covers follow-ups and how to give back.