You Just Got a Layoff Email: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

The First Hour After the Email

You open your laptop and there it is. The subject line that stops everything. 'Organizational Changes' or 'Your Position' or just a calendar invite from HR with no context. Your stomach drops. Your mind races. And then — the strange silence of realizing your entire daily routine just became irrelevant.

Here's what to do first: nothing impulsive. Don't fire off an emotional email. Don't post on LinkedIn. Don't text your coworker asking if they got cut too. Take an hour. Walk around the block. Call someone you trust. The worst decisions after a layoff happen in the first sixty minutes.

After that hour, you have work to do — not the kind you're used to, but equally important. The next 24 hours determine how smoothly your transition goes.

Email Template: Requesting Severance Details

Subject: Follow-up on today's conversation — severance details

Hi [HR Contact], Thank you for walking me through today's news. I'd like to request written details on: severance package terms and timeline, health insurance continuation (COBRA or company-paid period), unused PTO payout, any outplacement services offered, timeline for returning equipment, and reference policy. I want to make sure I have accurate information before signing any agreements. What's the deadline for reviewing and signing the severance agreement? [Your name]

Critical detail: most severance agreements have a review period (often 21 days, or 45 days if you're over 40). Don't let urgency pressure you into signing immediately. Ask for the timeline, then use it.

Email Template: Telling Your Network

To close colleagues (private, before any public announcement):

Hi [Name], I wanted you to hear this from me — my position was eliminated in today's restructuring. I'm processing it, but I'm okay. I valued working with you on [specific project/memory]. I'll be taking a few days to regroup and then starting my search. I'd love to stay in touch. [Your name]

To your broader network (LinkedIn, after a few days):

Keep it to 3-4 sentences. State what happened factually. Express what you're looking for specifically. Don't perform gratitude you don't feel, but don't burn bridges either. The post that works: honest, brief, forward-looking.

What Not to Do

Don't badmouth the company publicly, even if they deserve it. Not for their sake — for yours. Hiring managers Google candidates. A viral angry post feels cathartic for a day and costs you interviews for months.

Don't accept the first offer from the severance package without review. Many terms are negotiable — extended health coverage, additional weeks, outplacement support. The company expects some negotiation.

Don't disappear from your professional community. The instinct after a layoff is to withdraw. But this is exactly when you need your network most. Reach out to five people in your first week. Not to ask for jobs — to let them know you're available.