For those impacted by the August 20 RIF, here's what you can expect re COBRA (I was let go in June so I'm a going through this right now).
about a week after your last date of employement (~11/28) you'll get a package in the mail from the COBRA administrators. You'll be on the current plan until 11/30, then you'll transition to COBRA effective 12/1
You have a full 60d to sign up for COBRA. In my plan, the company pays for COBRA for 4mo, from 9/1 to 12/31. Even if you sign up on the last day, your coverage will be effective back dated to 12/1, so don't worry if your insurance company says you're not covered in the 1st week in Dec. My insurance co (AETNA) does show that I am not currently covered. It means that they won't cover copays right now which is a PITA. According to the cobra folks they get status updates weekly, so I'm hoping that by next week I'm back in the AETNA system.