Just got laid off, what should I do first?

They called a meeting on Thursday and 18 of us were let go. I had been there 18 years. There are 18 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. I have a box of my things and a short letter about benefits. What did you do in the first week?

File for unemployment right away. Do not wait for severance decisions. The date you file can matter.

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.