What should I do in the first 72 hours after a layoff?

In the first 72 hours after a layoff: (1) Do NOT sign severance the same day — you have time to review it. (2) File for unemployment within the first week. (3) Get your COBRA paperwork — you have 60 days to elect coverage but premiums back-date to your last day. (4) Request a written separation agreement. (5) Download your company files and contacts now, before access is revoked. GotLaidOffToday provides a free 18-item checklist sequenced across these 72 hours.

How do I file for unemployment in my state?

Every state has its own unemployment filing portal. GotLaidOffToday covers all 50 states with step-by-step filing guides, benefit calculators, and direct links to each state's official portal. File as soon as possible — your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you were laid off. Texas pays $75–$605/week, California up to $450/week, New York up to $504/week. Most applications are approved within 2–4 weeks.

How long do I have to sign COBRA after a layoff?

You have 60 days from the date of your COBRA election notice (or the date coverage ends, whichever is later) to elect COBRA coverage. However, if you elect COBRA, your premiums are retroactive to your last day of employer coverage — so you won't have a gap even if you wait. The key deadline is 60 days. After that, you lose the right to elect COBRA entirely.

Should I sign my severance agreement the same day I'm laid off?

No. You are legally entitled to time to review a severance agreement. Under the ADEA (if you're 40+), you have at least 21 days to consider it and 7 days to revoke after signing. For all employees, severance is a contract — signing it may waive your right to sue for discrimination or other claims. Request the document in writing, review with an employment attorney if possible, and never let anyone pressure you into signing on the spot.

Does severance affect unemployment benefits?

It depends on how severance is paid. Lump-sum severance typically does not delay unemployment benefits in most states — you can file immediately. Salary continuation (where the company keeps paying your salary for X weeks) often does delay benefits because you're technically still being paid as an employee. Rules vary by state. Check GotLaidOffToday's state-specific unemployment guide for your state's rules.

What careers can I transition to after a layoff?

The best career pivots after a layoff are 'adjacent' roles — ones that use 70–85% of your existing skills but open new growth paths. For example: Software Engineers often pivot to Product Management, Solutions Architecture, or DevRel. Sales professionals transition well to Revenue Operations, Customer Success, or Account Management. GotLaidOffToday's free Career Pivot Quiz analyzes your role, skills, salary floor, and growth preferences to suggest 3 specific career paths with free training resources for each.

How do I update my LinkedIn after a layoff?

After a layoff, update LinkedIn strategically: (1) Turn off 'Open to Work' green banner — use the private 'Open to Work' setting that only shows to recruiters. (2) Update your headline to your target role, not your old title. (3) Add your most recent role's end date. (4) Post a brief, confident 'transition' post — frame it as deliberate, not desperate. GotLaidOffToday's LinkedIn guide includes a complete profile rewrite prompt, networking script, and copy-ready post template.

Can I get COBRA if my employer had fewer than 20 employees?

Federal COBRA only applies to employers with 20 or more employees. However, many states have 'Mini-COBRA' laws that extend similar continuation coverage rights to employees of smaller companies. Coverage duration and cost varies by state. Check your state insurance commissioner's website, or explore ACA marketplace plans — a layoff is a qualifying life event that opens a Special Enrollment Period.

What is the WARN Act and does it apply to my layoff?

The WARN Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60 days' advance notice before a mass layoff (affecting 50+ employees). If your employer didn't give 60 days' notice and triggers WARN Act thresholds, you may be entitled to 60 days of pay and benefits. Check if your employer announced the layoff publicly as a 'mass layoff' or 'reduction in force' affecting many people at once.

What To Do in the First 72 Hours After a Layoff

Getting laid off is overwhelming — but the decisions you make in the first 72 hours determine how much money you keep, whether your health coverage continues, and what your next chapter looks like. GotLaidOffToday is a free, no-login playbook that walks you through every step: severance review, unemployment filing in all 50 states, COBRA deadlines, retaliation rights, and your career pivot options.

Most people lose thousands of dollars in the first week — not because they made bad decisions, but because they didn’t know the deadlines. You have 60 days to elect COBRA coverage, but premiums back-date to your last day of employer coverage — so you won’t have a gap even if you wait. You have at least 21 days to review a severance agreement if you are 40 or older (ADEA protections). Unemployment benefits start from the date you file, not when you were laid off — every day you delay is money you cannot recover.

This tool covers everything you need to protect yourself: your rights around severance and what signing waives, how to file unemployment across all 50 states with benefit calculators, whether COBRA or an ACA marketplace plan is cheaper for your situation, how to spot and respond to potential retaliation, and how to position yourself for a deliberate career pivot — not a desperate job search.

Your first six steps

Do NOT sign your severance today — you legally have time to review it; signing may waive discrimination and retaliation claims
File unemployment now — your benefit year starts from the date you file, not the date you were laid off
Start your COBRA clock — you have 60 days to elect, but act before the window closes
Request your separation agreement in writing — get everything documented before access is revoked
Update LinkedIn strategically — turn on “Open to Work” recruiter-only mode before changing your headline
Take the Career Pivot Quiz — find adjacent roles that use 70–85% of your existing skills

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first after getting laid off?

The single most important first step is to not sign any severance agreement the same day you receive it. You have time — legally at least 21 days if you are 40 or older under the ADEA. Use that window to review what you are being asked to waive. Then file for unemployment the same day or the next day; your benefit year begins from the date you file.

How do I know if my severance offer is fair?

Industry standard is 1 week of pay per year of service for individual contributors; directors and VPs typically receive 1.2 to 2 times that amount. Enterprise companies (10,000+ employees) tend to be more generous than startups. Use the free severance calculator on this site to estimate your specific range and generate a negotiation email template you can send today.

Can I collect unemployment if I received severance?

In most states, yes. A lump-sum severance payment generally does not delay or reduce unemployment benefits. Salary continuation — where the company keeps paying your regular paycheck for a fixed number of weeks — often does delay benefits because you are technically still on payroll. Rules vary by state; check the all-50-state unemployment guide on this site for your state’s specific rules.

What if I think my layoff was retaliatory or discriminatory?

If your layoff followed a protected activity — filing an HR complaint, requesting FMLA leave, reporting potential fraud — you may have grounds for a retaliation claim. If you were among very few people in a protected class (age, race, gender, disability) laid off in a large reduction in force, you may have grounds for a discrimination claim. Do not sign your severance agreement before consulting a licensed employment attorney; signing typically waives your right to bring these claims.

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