You got laid off. Now what?

Hey! It’s official: Washington, D.C.’s pay transparency law is officially in effect. 💥 It’s a summer of pay transparency, and we’re all about it. 

Does your state have pay transparency laws in place? If you’re unsure, our interactive pay transparency map has your answer.

You Got Laid Off…Now What?

There could be many reasons why you got laid off—your employer is downsizing, restructuring, going through operational changes, etc.—and usually, they’re almost all out of your control. 🤷 But that doesn’t mean you’re without options.

That’s right. Employees have options, even during a layoff! We consulted employment attorney Delyanne Barros to give you a step-by-step guide on what you should do to maximize this unfortunate situation. 

First: Deal With Human Resources (HR) 

After getting laid off, HR will likely schedule a meeting with you to go over the details and get your signature for the severance agreement. But don’t sign anything before contacting an attorney.

Why? 

Because they can help you negotiate better terms (such as more severance pay, extended health benefits, and more) and avoid clauses with constricting legal implications. Here’s how to handle the meeting:

1. First, tell your point of contact, “Thank you for sending this over. I’ll need a few days to look over it carefully and will get back to you promptly.” 

2. Then, contact the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) to connect with an employment lawyer. 

Second: Request a “Layoff Letter” 

Next up is getting your layoff in writing. 

Ask your company to include the reasons for the layoff: effective date of termination, date of your last paycheck, and details about any severance package or benefits you’re entitled to.

If you’re wondering, “Why would I need a letter!?” here are three crucial reasons:

1. To qualify for unemployment benefits

2. To show to potential future employers in your job search

3. To handle any disputes or legal issues related to the layoff

Third: Understand Your Severance Package 

Get a severance package? Great! While it’s pretty common to receive one during a layoff, they’re actually not legally required unless specified in an employment contract or union agreement (another reason why unions are so important).

But like negotiating salary in a job offer, you can also negotiate your severance package. This is where having an employment lawyer comes in handy as they can negotiate on your behalf. 

If you’re hesitant to hire an employment lawyer for this, don’t worry! Most attorneys will offer a free consultation and may provide guidance on severance negotiations during that meeting, says Baros.

The Next Steps 

Next is handling your healthcare coverage, 401(k) rollover, finances, and more. It sounds daunting, but you’re not facing it alone. Our guide walks you through everything so you cover all your bases.

And once you’re ready to hit the job search, we’ve got you covered, too. 

Our Salary Database and free Market Research Guide can help you set your market range and see what options are out there.

How to Level Up Your Career

Sponsored by Coursera

Invest in your career growth with Coursera Plus—the ultimate subscription for online learning. With access to 7,000+ courses from 325+ leading universities and companies, this membership allows you to:

• Master in-demand skills from world-class institutions

• Earn unlimited certificates to enhance your resume (at no extra cost)

• Learn flexibly at your own pace

• Save money by subscribing instead of paying per course

Take your career to new heights with Coursera Plus—go here to start your 7-day free trial.

Speaking of layoffs… 🤔

If there’s one industry that’s been hit particularly hard, it’s tech. Between 2022 and 2024, roughly 40,000 software engineers across Meta, Coinbase, Apple, Google, and more were laid off. 

In this episode of The Break Room, we chatted with six-figure software engineers to get their direct perspective on layoffs and if they’re worried about artificial intelligence.

• The internet’s latest villain? A no-tipping influencer. 🍴 The anonymous account, who goes by @zerodollarstip on Instagram, said they’ve made not tipping a “lifestyle” to protest putting the responsibility of paying a waiter’s salary on the customer. But is shorting hard-working service people the answer? (spoiler: it’s not)

• Mercedes-Benz promised workers improved benefits and higher pay if they voted against unionizing in their May election. After the workers voted not to unionize, Mercedes-Benz suddenly said it can no longer fulfill its promise. In case you needed another reason to trust unions (and not corporations)...

• The FTC is suing Adobe over hard-to-cancel subscriptions. If users tried to cancel an Adobe subscription, they’d be forced to pay 50% of its annual price—which could cost up to hundreds of dollars. Adobe is so notorious for this that there are entire Reddit posts dedicated to finding a workaround (which is great, but…this should be illegal).

Thanks for being here! You know what’s wild? In 2021, when I was an underpaid Senior Data Analyst, I turned to Tori Dunlap’s podcast Financial Feminist for guidance.

Last week, my very own episode with Tori came out. 🥲 Talk about full circle! We covered how to be financially empowered, advocating for your worth, and more. If that’s up your alley, you can find the episode here.

See you next week!