What Should I Do After Being Terminated?

The First 48 Hours: What to Do (and Not Do)

The most consequential decisions after a termination are made in the first hours, when shock and pressure are highest. The single most important rule is simple: do not sign anything and do not resign. Signing a release on the spot, or agreeing to 'resign' instead of being fired, can forfeit notice, severance, and unemployment benefits that you would otherwise keep. You are entitled to take the documents home, review them calmly, and respond later.

During the meeting, stay professional and brief. Do not admit fault or agree with any allegation of cause. Ask for a copy of everything in writing, note who was present, and write down what was said as soon as you can. A short, polite written message afterward — confirming you received the package and are reviewing it with an advisor — both preserves the record and, in practice, extends almost any signing deadline the employer has imposed.

Protecting Your Money: Final Pay, Severance, and Benefits

Two different pots of money are at stake. First is your final pay: all earned wages, accrued vacation, and any unpaid commissions or bonuses. This is owed regardless of any severance dispute, and many jurisdictions require prompt payment — some US states require final wages on the last day of work, with penalties for lateness, while Canadian employment standards set their own deadlines. Second is severance itself. In Canada, non-union employees are entitled to statutory minimum notice plus, unless a valid contract clause says otherwise, common-law reasonable notice that often far exceeds the minimums. In the US, severance is generally contractual or policy-based rather than legally required, except where the WARN Act applies to a mass layoff.

Do not overlook benefits and equity. Health and dental coverage, pension or 401(k) matching, and unvested stock or options can be worth more than the cash on offer. In the US, COBRA lets you continue group health coverage (usually up to 18 months) at your own cost. Total your full compensation package before evaluating any offer, because the real value of what you are giving up is easy to underestimate.

Should You Sign, Negotiate, or Push Back?

Almost every severance offer is a starting point, not a final number. Employers routinely open low and attach short deadlines to discourage negotiation. Because a signed release permanently extinguishes your claims — wrongful dismissal, human rights, and more — the decision to sign deserves professional review. Employment lawyers commonly negotiate first offers upward, and many offer flat-fee or free severance reviews that pay for themselves.

Timing still matters after the initial rush. Apply for EI (Canada) or unemployment benefits (US) right away — applying does not harm your claim. Begin a documented job search, because mitigation is a legal duty that affects what you can recover. And diarize the limitation period: wrongful dismissal actions must generally begin within two years in most Canadian provinces, while US contract and discrimination deadlines vary and can be as short as 180 days for an EEOC charge.

Related: Employment Law Wizards · Was I Wrongfully Dismissed? · Is My Severance Package Fair? · Layoff Rights & WARN Act Review · Employment Law Wizards · All Legal Wizards