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How to deal with a job loss the smart way

On Behalf of | May 7, 2020 | Wrongful Termination |

Losing your job suddenly can bring a huge amount of chaos into your life, and you may now have worries regarding how you will be able to continue paying rent or keep up with your mortgage payments. You may also have concerns about being able to afford basic living expenses in the weeks or months to come.

Losing a job is never easy, but there is a right way and a wrong way to deal with it. Allow yourself a day or so to come to terms with the loss, but also make sure that you are thinking about how you can make the best out of the situation. Following are some smart things to do in the aftermath of a job loss.

Make sure your employer pays you what you’re owed

Being fired or laid off does not mean that your employer does not owe you pay for the hours that you have worked. Sit down and calculate the pay that you are owed, making sure to account for overtime.

File for unemployment compensation

If misconduct was not the reason why you were fired, you will likely be eligible for unemployment compensation. Therefore you should take action to file as soon as possible.

Consider whether you were wrongfully terminated

You cannot legally be fired because for a discriminatory or retaliatory reason. If you can show that you were wrongfully terminated for either of these reasons, you may be entitled to damages.

Make sure that you understand your employment rights after you have suffered a job loss, and make sure that you take appropriate action if you were wrongfully terminated.