Have you been laid off recently? Here is advice for Charlotte workers facing job loss
Charlotte workers have endured multiple rounds of mass layoffs over the past month, according to the North Carolina Division of Employment Security’s most recent WARN report.
The WARN report omits Charlotte workers who were not let go by means of a mass layoff or as part of any workforce reduction of less than 33%. The layoffs -- affecting approximately 122 workers citywide -- have occurred primarily within the mortgage industry due to changes in the real estate market, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Also, the stock trading app known as Robinhood initiated a 9% company-wide layoff affecting a number of Charlotte employees, the Observer reported in April.
Many workers in Charlotte relieved of their duties may be experiencing a layoff for the first time. Here’s what to do after being let go by an employer.
Get a document explaining the termination
Typically when an employee is laid off, it is due to circumstances beyond their control. The reason for termination is something that future employers will need to know as you attempt to find a job elsewhere.
According to the career and employment website Indeed, layoffs occur when “a company relocates, completes a merger, faces economic downturns or buyouts.” Layoff letters communicate these changes to the affected employees and explain the details.
Other important information like an explanation of remaining benefits, earnings, and the return of equipment should be included in the layoff letter, Indeed writes.
Find out when you will receive your final paycheck
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 require businesses with 100 or more employees to provide at least 60 days’ notice before employment officially ends. During that period, your wages and benefits should still be available.
Stay in good graces with former employer
It can be easy to let resentment against your company build up after being laid off, but keeping a positive attitude with colleagues and superiors will ensure that your network contacts yield good letters of recommendation and references.
John Lees, a UK-based career strategist and author of “How to Get a Job You Love,” told the Harvard Business Review that it’s important to not burn bridges. Instead of venting to former co-workers or ex-employer, find an outlet with trusted friends and family or “people with whom you don’t need a script and who have no agenda,” Lees said.
Apply for unemployment if necessary
Good jobs are hard to come by in some industries. If you need more than a 60-day notice to find a new job, explore the option of filing for unemployment.
According to the North Carolina Division of Employment Security, laid off workers should:
Be unemployed at no fault of their own. The DES will determine eligibility based on the information provided, so this is where a letter from the company HR department can come in handy.
Be considered financially eligible. You’ll need to prove you’re losing a substantial amount of money to make an unemployment claim.
Be physically able and available to work while actively seeking a new job.
You can create an online unemployment account through the North Carolina Division of Employment Security’s unemployment application page.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 5:18 PM.
