The sole purpose of this is to help people! I will start off with if you're an office associate get a USB and save all your work.
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1) Get your ducks in a row for unemployment (or at least familiarize yourself with the process)
2) Get any necessary paperwork in order for Social Security or Pension (or be prepared and familiar with the process)
3) Eliminate any unnecessary expenses.
4) Prepare a work area in your home for doing your paperwork/job apps/etc
Get plenty of files , notebooks, pens pencils paper etc for your work area.
Have a filing cabinet on hand- ready to go. Be neat and orderly
5) Be prepared and familiar with health insurance rules , COBRA and costs (ACA/Obamacare) and be prepared to act when health insurance runs out.
6) Know where your money is kept (IRA, 401K, Pensions, banks) Make a list of resources.
7) Have the phone numbers/ websites (current) listed of the Company HR Dept, Pension or other (88Sears) contacts that you will need written down. Once you are gone- you are GONE.
Another bit of advice - regardless of how angry or disgusted you are with Sears (or any company that you worked for in general) don't disparage them on social media or in job interviews. You're better off talking about the positives and the takeaways from working for previous employers (even SHLD) and not discussing the negatives unless asked directly. Hiring managers do pay attention to those details and will most likely not hire you if you spend ample time ripping into your former employer (Sears or otherwise).
Constantly update your resume, practice your cover letter writing, find good, trustworthy and reliable references to utilize. And finally, don't be discouraged about how it will take to find a new job. It takes time. Good luck.
Do not make any major purchases such as a new house or car and eat at home instead of eating out. In other words minimize your spending and save as much cash as you can!!
@gyf-you must not read.
I said to file a grievance while you have a job. Not while you are a disgruntled employee. Not roll over and die.
But you can do what you want.
I heard Feb 23 is the big day and I heard it could be 25% of the company
@vys probably the worst advice ever, basically just roll over and die
Make sure any accounts you might have like LinkedIn or Glassdoor are linking to a non-work email address. And spiff those up. Employers look especially at LinkedIn, at least in my field.
It won't really do any good to save everything to a USB. Maybe some copies of your performance appraisals if they are good and if they ever gave them for your next job.
And it never does any good to not sign the severance letter. It just means you don't get any severance.
If you have a true grievance you should start acting while you have a job, not after you are terminated. It is hard to win a case as a disgruntled former employee.
You can always get unemployment when you are layed off and offered severance.
I know we are all upset. I know we all think we can stick it to someone with all we know about everything that has gone on. But it doesn't do any good to get angry and think that after you lose your job you will be able to do something. At that point it is to late.
It's best to realize it is coming, get your appraisals together, shine up your resume, if you have true grievances start them before you are layed off and start looking past this.
It's not the end of the world.
Ask any managers, leads for a letter of reference
Document everything. Comments made, directives given by supervisors, conversations, reasons why a task cannot be completed (not enough time alotted, customer interruptions, too few employees etc) anything contributing to a hostile work environment as managers try to unload people etc. It may come in handy if you need legal services or need for benefits. Be specific, names, times, dates and details. Complete during and after each shift.
Burn through sick time if your state is like mine. Employers are not required to pay it to you upon termination.
They are required to pay accrued vacation though. State laws differ so now is the time to learn yours.
@nmy wise words thanks
If you have a team take them out for lunch a few times on the company card
If severance conversations begin, don't sign anything. At the very least take it home and share with a partner for a second opinion
Have your office space cleared out so should the day come you can just stand up and leave, don't give them the satisfaction of humiliating you as load up boxes of personal trinkets and trash you have collected at your desk as they are walking you out the door
Send important emails to your personal account, you will need to prove to the unemployment agencies you were not at fault for your job loss so anything that may help you forward to yourself. Anything harassment related would be good to forward to personal accounts to use as leverage in severance discussions
Burn through the vacation, but keep enough left over just in case you survive
The reference list is a good suggestion!
What work would you save as an office associate?
At my store they count the money bags, reconcile the registers, update the time cards, file the never used paperwork, stuff like that.
I am asking respectfully if I sound flippant. I just want to know.
For myself -- learning what my states law are for unemployment, training which I have been told some people get for free, looking at other jobs even if only online right now, thinking about going back to school if I can swing it, probably not though. Trying to figure out a career I can get into that might pay better than retail ...
Build your reference list, mock interviews, save cash, and pray your job makes it another day