Questions to Ask When You Get Laid Off
Questions to ask in the layoff meeting and in the days after, covering dates, severance and what it is conditional on, health coverage, unused time off, earned bonus and equity, references, and what has to be returned. Anything to do with the agreement you are asked to sign is a matter for an employment lawyer in your jurisdiction.
20 questions, each with the reason to ask it · includes a conversation guide
The questions
Open any question to see why it works.
- 1
Is my role being eliminated, or is this related to my performance?
The distinction affects what you say to future employers, and in many places it affects eligibility for unemployment benefits. Ask for the answer in plain terms and note how it is worded, because the wording usually reappears in the paperwork.
- 2
What is my last day of employment, and what is my last day of pay?
These are often different dates. There may be a notice period you are paid through without working, and benefits, vesting and coverage generally track employment rather than the day you stop coming in.
- 3
Am I expected to work between now and then?
Some employers want a handover, some cut access the same afternoon. Knowing which one this is decides whether you should be saving your own contacts and documents today rather than next week.
- 4
What is the severance, and how was it calculated?
Ask for the formula, not just the total. Weeks per year of service, whether partial years count, and whether it is capped are the details that show whether the offer follows a policy or was decided case by case.
- 5
Is severance paid as a lump sum or over time, and does it continue if I start a new job?
Salary continuation can stop when you are re-employed, while a lump sum usually does not. This changes the value of the package considerably if you expect to find work quickly, and it affects how the tax lands.
- 6
Is any of this conditional on signing an agreement, and may I have a copy to read?
Severance beyond what a policy or contract already requires is normally offered in exchange for signing something. You are entitled to read the document itself rather than a summary of it before deciding anything.
- 7
How long do I have to consider the agreement, and by when do you need an answer?
There is often a set review period, and in some jurisdictions a minimum one applies. Take the deadline in writing. A verbal statement that it must be signed today is worth checking against what the document says.
- 8
May I have this reviewed by a lawyer before I sign?
This is a normal question and a reasonable employer expects it. The answer, and the tone of it, tells you something. A severance agreement typically involves a release of claims, and that is a matter to put in front of an employment lawyer.
- 9
When does my health coverage end, and what are my options after that?
Coverage may end on your last day, at the end of that month, or be continued as part of the package. Ask what continuation is available, what it would cost, and by what date you have to elect it, because those deadlines are firm.
- 10
What happens to unused vacation, paid time off, or sick leave?
Payout rules vary by employer and by jurisdiction, and accrued time is sometimes treated differently from time already scheduled. Ask for the number of days they have on record and check it against your own count.
- 11
What happens to bonus or commission I have earned but not been paid?
Plans commonly require you to be employed on the payment date, which a layoff date can fall just short of. Ask how the plan treats an involuntary termination, and ask to see that section rather than being told.
- 12
What happens to my equity: what is vested, what is forfeited, and how long do I have to exercise?
Post-termination exercise windows are often short and start running from your termination date. Ask for your vested count, the strike price, the deadline, and the cost, in writing, because these questions get much harder to ask once your accounts are closed.
- 13
What happens to my retirement account and any employer contributions?
Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule, and any outstanding loan against the account can come due after separation. Ask who administers the plan and how to reach them once your work email is gone.
- 14
Will the company contest an unemployment claim?
In a role elimination the usual answer is no. Asking now, while the conversation is cooperative, avoids a dispute later, and the answer tells you how the separation will be characterized on the record.
- 15
What will the company say if an employer calls for a reference?
Many employers confirm only dates and title. If that is the policy, ask whether your manager may give a personal reference in an individual capacity, and get their personal contact details before your access ends.
- 16
How will my departure be described to the team and to clients?
Ask what the announcement will say and when it goes out, so your own message to colleagues and contacts does not contradict it. If you have client relationships, ask who is taking them over and whether you may say goodbye.
- 17
Do a non-compete, non-solicit, or confidentiality agreement still apply to me?
Ask for copies of anything you signed at hire, including documents from years ago that you may not have kept. Whether such terms are enforceable depends on where you are and on the specific wording, which is a question for a lawyer.
- 18
What has to be returned, when, and how?
Laptop, phone, badge, keys, and any company data on personal devices. Ask about your work phone number if clients use it, and ask before you delete or copy anything, since access is usually logged.
- 19
Is there outplacement or job search support, and for how long?
It is often included and rarely mentioned unless asked. Quality varies widely, so ask what it actually consists of and whether an unused allowance can be applied to training or certification instead.
- 20
Who do I contact about all of this after my email is shut off?
Get a name, a direct phone number, and a personal or external email address before you lose access. Questions about final pay, tax documents and benefits arrive weeks later, and by then the internal helpdesk no longer recognizes you.
The layoff conversation and the days after
Practical guidance for the conversation itself.
In the meeting itself
In the meeting itself
- You do not have to sign anything in the room, and you do not have to respond to the offer while you are still in it.
- Write down the date, who was present, and what was said about the reason. Do this the same day while it is accurate.
- Ask for everything in writing, including the parts you were told verbally about pay, benefits and dates.
- It is reasonable to say you need time to read the documents and will follow up with questions. That is a complete answer.
- If you cannot take in the detail, say so and ask for a follow-up call. This is common and nobody will find it strange.
- Ask for a personal contact method for your manager and the human resources contact before your access is cut.
Before you sign anything
Before you sign anything
- Read the agreement in full, including the release of claims and any clauses about what you may say afterwards.
- Check the stated dates against your own record of your start date, last day, and accrued time off.
- An employment lawyer in your jurisdiction can tell you what the document actually gives up and what is negotiable. Many will review a severance agreement for a fixed fee.
- Note any deadline in the document and diary it, along with any benefits election deadlines, which are separate and often earlier.
- Keep copies of your offer letter, any agreements signed at hire, recent pay statements, benefits summaries, and equity documents.
- If anything in the agreement contradicts what you were told in the meeting, raise it in writing and ask for the document to be corrected.
In the first week
In the first week
- 1Save your personal contacts, your own work samples where you are permitted to keep them, and any records of your performance. Do this before access ends and within whatever your agreements allow.
- 2File for unemployment benefits promptly if you are eligible where you live. Eligibility periods and filing deadlines are set by the agency, not by your employer.
- 3Work out the date your health coverage ends and what continuation costs, then decide before the election deadline rather than after.
- 4Write down your severance end date and your runway in months. A concrete number is easier to plan against than a vague sense of time.
- 5Tell a small number of people you trust before you make anything public. They are the ones most likely to know about openings.