Losing a job is hard for everyone. The blow to your ego shakes your confidence then dread for the future sets in as you wonder how you will support yourself and your family. This turmoil is expected and but you cannot let it consume you. Losing a job is terrible, but it does not have to be the be-all and end-all. You can move passed it. This article will go over some of the tips on what you should do after losing a job.
Your employer must give you your final check. Depending upon state law, you are either entitled to it immediately or by the next pay period. Regardless, if it has been a few weeks and you still have no received your check ? your employer is violating your rights. State law does not require that your employer provide you with a severance, however, if this benefit was included as part of your employment then you may enforce these rights in court as a breach of contract claim.
While trying to get your final check, file for unemployment immediately. Unemployment won’t replace your wages, but it is a good stopgap measure while you look for work. You should also elect to continue your health care coverage under COBRA. You will have to pay the premium out of pocket, but it will be cheaper than purchasing your own insurance (particularly useful since health care insurance became mandatory).
If possible, consider the skills you acquired through education and work. You may have a marketable skill you can turn into a business. Depending on what you learned and the contacts you made, you could have the workings of a small business. Moreover, you never where you next job will come from and your own business could open that next door.
If you believe that your employer violated your rights, from your rights as an employee to your final paycheck, then you may want to consult with an attorney. Your rights as an employee don’t end because your employer fired or let you go. Stay strong and keep a level head. A lost job does not have to be the end, in fact, it can be the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
