How to Deal With a Job Termination

How to Deal With a Job Termination

Losing your job is a stressful and disheartening experience, especially if your termination came unexpectedly. First, you have to deal with the initial shock. Separation from your daily routine can cause feelings of sadness and anger. Uncertainty about where your next paycheck is coming from and how you are going to find new employment is also common.

Therefore, you need to take time to let the situation sink in before you move forward, then use the following information for getting past it.

It may seem impossible to get a new job, especially if you have been working at the same place for years. However, you should remember there are always daily advertisements for jobs, and people are hired every day, so there is work available. As long as you focus on finding work and you put in the required time, you are sure to find new employment. A few months down the line, you might have even forgotten all about your termination.

What do you do when you lose your job?

There are many things to think about when you become unemployed but if you have been wrongfully terminated, then you will have even more to consider. Being wrongfully terminated because you were sexually harassed or discriminated against makes the whole termination situation even harder to deal with. You may want to take legal action against your employer if you were unfairly dismissed. In some cases, there are deadlines to file a complaint, so the sooner you deal with it, the better. You do not want to be taking any ill-feelings with you to your next workplace and you need to be in peak condition when applying for jobs and attending interviews.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your dismissal, a top priority upon being terminated will be claiming unemployment benefits. Unemployment insurance benefits are available to eligible workers who meet the requirements of the state program. Not everyone is eligible though, and each state has its own guidelines, so you need to check to see if you qualify for unemployment benefits.

Partial-wage compensation is available to qualified ex-employees while looking for new professional prospects. Benefits allow you to get by during the aftermath of your termination while you look for new work. Being able to put food on the table for a few weeks will ease the stress of the situation and allow you to focus on finding a new job.

The next step is to put the past behind you. You have had your few days of feeling stressed and depressed, and you have dealt with the above issues, so now you need to pick yourself up and find a new job. The future is bright if you allow it to be, so think positively. See your situation as an opportunity to advance your career or do something you have always dreamed of doing, like setting up a small business. You may even wish to return to school. Create a reemployment plan for yourself so you can be organized and take the necessary steps to get back on your feet.

Tips for Handling a Job Termination

Before you leave your workplace for good, ask your employer any questions you may have. You may want to know if you are entitled to severance pay or if he or she can give you a reference. You will also want to consider things like extending your health plan if you are able to do so. These and other things to know when handling job termination can make finding a new job easier or lessen the financial stressors.

It is important to take a few days to get over the shock of being newly unemployed. The emotions you feel will be similar to grieving, so you should treat the situation as such. Grieve the comfortable, routine work life you have left in order to get it out of your system. Open up to friends and family about how you feel. You will find it is then a lot easier to move on and start thinking positively.

Wrongful Termination

What is wrongful termination? It basically means an employer has illegally fired an employee or the company policy has been violated when the employee was let go. This can cover many specific things like:

  • Being fired because you were a whistleblower about health and safety issues.
  • Your termination violated a written or oral contract.
  • You refused to commit an illegal act that your employer asked you to do.

Unfortunately, many cases of wrongful termination are down to employers’ discrimination, and that discrimination can take many forms. If you were terminated because you were discriminated against, then you should pursue matters further and consider taking legal action against your employer. Being dismissed for reasons of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, religion, sex, age, or pregnancy constitutes discrimination.

Unemployment Benefits

If your unemployment is through no fault of your own, then you should be able to claim unemployment benefits. The most common benefits available are from the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance programs. You should be eligible for Unemployment Insurance if you meet the work and wage requirements and your termination was not your fault, although other requirements are required state by state.

You should apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you have become unemployed. To make a claim, contact your state’s unemployment insurance program. This can often be done online.

Setting a Reemployment Plan

If you want to find a new job, then you must be organized. Set a reemployment plan so you can create a structure for job searching and have daily goals to achieve. As part of your plan, you should focus on writing a fresh resume. Think about the skills and experience you have and how to best word things. A resume is usually the first contact your potential employer has with you, so you need to come across in a warm and professional manner. It is therefore vital you spend time crafting the perfect resume to land the job you want.

Another part of your reemployment plan could be concerned with networking. The more connections you make, the better chances you have of finding a suitable job through an acquaintance or a friend of a friend. Use social networking regularly to meet new contacts and spread the word you are looking for work.

Going Back to School After a Job Termination

Another option you have after being terminated from your job is going back to school. If you feel like you want to take a new career path, then it can be worthwhile taking time out to train and get the necessary qualifications. You may wish to stay in the same work sector but in a new or better role. If so, then getting a new qualification under your belt will increase your chances of getting that job.

There are also employment and training programs for unemployed people, which are either free or available at a low cost.

It is worth exploring which programs are available from your state and taking the time to consider if the courses could be beneficial to you. Generally speaking, it is true the more qualified you are, the better your chances are of finding a good job with a high salary.

By Admin