A practical checklist for the first week after a layoff

First 24 hours: collect facts, not conclusions

Ask for the separation terms in writing. Confirm the employment end date, final pay timing, severance amount and conditions, unused leave treatment, benefit end dates, equity implications, and how company property should be returned. Save only personal records you are allowed to keep.

You do not need to sign a separation agreement in the meeting. Ask how long you have to review it and consider professional advice if it waives rights or affects benefits, equity, taxes, or immigration status.

First three days: secure the basics

• Check the official unemployment or income support process where you live and note filing deadlines.
• Confirm when health or other essential coverage ends and compare continuation or replacement options.
• If your permission to remain in the country depends on the job, get qualified immigration advice immediately.
• List liquid savings, unavoidable monthly costs, and income that will continue.
• Tell one trusted person what happened; administrative decisions are harder when carried alone.

By the end of the week: establish your runway

Calculate a worst case runway without severance and a second result with any dependable severance. Pause recurring costs that are not essential, but avoid rushed financial moves that create penalties or remove important protection. Your first budget only needs to be accurate enough to show what deserves attention next.

If the runway is short, prioritize benefits, temporary income, creditor conversations, and a broad job search. If it is longer, decide what pace protects both your options and your health.

Start a search cadence you can sustain

Update your resume and professional profile, contact a small number of people who know your work, and set a weekly rhythm for applications and follow ups. A repeatable block of two hours is more useful than one exhausting day followed by avoidance.

Keep your explanation factual and focused on the future. A layoff is an employment event, not a verdict on your ability.

Use local official information

Benefits and employment rules differ sharply across countries and sometimes within them. The linked U.S. Department of Labor material is an example of the questions official guidance can answer. Use the equivalent labor, social security, tax, health, and immigration authorities for the place where you work and live.