How to Celebrate a Holiday after Being Fired

sad female nurseCelebrating a holiday after being fired can seem impossible. And yet, everyone else expects you to show up, be the life of the party, and have fun. It can be a really difficult experience.

Losing your job can change everything. Suddenly, vacations are not a given, future bills loom, and financial crisis seem inevitable. But most importantly, you must deal with your family’s expectation for the upcoming holiday.

To help you figure out how to celebrate a holiday after being fired, we’ve created a list of what you can do after being fired to take charge of your life again.

How to Celebrate a Holiday after being Fired

1. Keep Your Cool

In most cases, the termination isn’t personal. By conducting yourself with class, you leave more doors open to yourself as you analyze the situation. Some terminations occur due to employment discrimination, retaliation, or hostile work environment. In these situations, you need to take steps to file a complaint against your employer.

2. Discuss Severance Agreements

A severance agreement may be a part of your termination. While most Americans see a price tag and take it at face value, a severance agreement may have some wiggle room. Take a non-confrontational approach and see if you can negotiate better terms for yourself, whether angling for more money or another month of benefits.

Caution: Never sign a severance agreement without thoroughly reading it. Better yet, have a lawyer check the document.

3. Call in the Calvary

As you prepare to leave your job, request a recommendation letter from your manager or HR department. Another step you can take is to consult an employment lawyer about the facts surrounding your termination. A lawyer knows your legal options.

4. Check Your Finances

When you lose your job, you need to take a look at your financial situation. This means asking yourself some tough questions and creating a new game plan for spending. You won’t be unemployed forever.

5. File for Unemployment Benefits

If you were terminated for no reason of your own, you should be able to apply and receive unemployment compensation benefits. Sometimes an employer may accuse you of willful misconduct so that you are no longer eligible to receive UC benefits. If that happens, reach out to an employment lawyer to improve your chances of winning your UC benefits appeal.

6. Don’t Hide Your Unemployment

Becoming unemployed can feel shameful, but the truth is that honesty can work out better for you financially and in finding another job. Your network may be willing to work on your behalf to seek out possible job opportunities. During a holiday, friends and family may chip in extra to help you stay within your budget.

7. Visit the Doctor

Health benefits often continue past your end date with your employer but only for a certain small time period. Therefore, schedule a check up with your doctor and dentist. You can catch up on medical checkups before the benefits are canceled.

8. Focus on Simple

Holidays don’t need to be about the most expensive activities. Rather than grilling, build a summer fort and have a picnic with leftovers. If you usually host the holiday party, angle for a potluck where everyone brings something.

9. Networking and Job Hunting

After the holiday is over, consider your options. If you believe you experienced an illegal employment action, you should take steps to investigate your legal solutions while also looking for possible job opportunities. Meanwhile, you need to apply for unemployment compensation.

 

When you suspect that your employer has broken the law with your termination due to discrimination, reach out to an employment lawyer to discover your legal solutions.

Chat with an employment attorney: (412) 626-5626 or lawyer@lawkm.com.