Preparing for a Layoff: A Step-by-Step Guide to Protecting Yourself

The Ai-ification of the world has companies using it as a reason to lay off workers and, in some cases, rehire them at lower salaries. When companies make cuts, employees are often the last to know and the first to lose access to their files, to their health insurance, and sometimes, to their sense of stability.

Whether you’ve heard rumors of layoffs or saw the news that your company (like Amazon and others recently) is planning massive cuts, it’s time to prepare. Being proactive doesn’t mean you’re paranoid. It means you’re protecting yourself in a system that isn’t built to protect you.

Here’s what I tell every client to do the moment layoffs are on the horizon.

Secure Your Records Before You Lose Access

When layoffs hit, IT often disables accounts immediately after your meeting. Don’t assume you’ll have time to grab what you need later.

• Download everything you’re legally allowed to keep, performance reviews, recognition emails, pay stubs, project documentation, and proof of your contributions.

• Save copies of benefits documents like health insurance details, COBRA instructions, 401(k) statements, and equity plans.

• Export your contacts and any non-proprietary materials you created.

• Take screenshots or notes of your access and permissions, it can help prove what systems or data you managed if questions arise later.

If you have evidence of discrimination, retaliation, or bias, make sure that information is backed up and timestamped. Once your access is gone, it’s gone.

The Wrk Receipts app automatically adds timestamps and lets you attach documents, photos, videos, and audio recordings.

Protect Your Health Coverage While You Still Can

Most companies end health insurance on the last day of the calendar month in which you’re employed. That means if layoffs are announced on October 31, your coverage may end that same day.

Here’s what to do:

• Book all medical, dental, and vision appointments right now. Even if it’s just a check-up, get it on the calendar before your coverage ends.

• Refill prescriptions for at least 90 days if possible.

• Ask HR for COBRA details and whether there’s a gap between coverage ending and COBRA beginning.

• If you’re on an HSA or FSA, spend down those funds before termination to avoid losing them.

Get Financial and Legal Clarity

The days following a layoff can be confusing, especially when you’re presented with documents full of fine print. Here’s how to protect your income and your rights:

• Request a copy of your PTO balance and ask whether it will be paid out. Get that answer in writing.

• Save your offer letter, promotion letters, and bonus or commission plans. You’ll need these to verify severance and ensure you’re not shortchanged.

• Do not sign anything immediately. Ask for time to review any severance agreement, non-disparagement clause, or release of claims. You are legally entitled to time, especially if you’re over 40 and offered a group severance under federal law (the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act).

• If something feels off, call an employment attorney before you sign. Severance agreements often contain hidden waivers that prevent you from filing claims later.

Control Your Career Story

Once your work email is deactivated, you’ll lose access to years of evidence showing what you achieved.

• Document your wins now. Write down major projects, metrics, and outcomes while you still remember the details. Use documentation tools like Wrk Receipts to safely log your accomplishments, upload supporting documents, and timestamp your records for future reference.

• Ask trusted colleagues for references privately. Don’t wait for formal announcements.

• Update your résumé and LinkedIn profile while the information is fresh.

Remember: layoffs are not a reflection of your worth, they’re a business decision. But how you prepare determines how quickly you recover.

If You Suspect Retaliation or Bias

Not all layoffs are neutral. If you believe you’re being targeted because of your race, gender, disability, protected activity, or previous HR complaint, take extra precautions:

• Save emails, performance notes, and Slack messages showing inconsistencies or differential treatment.

• Keep a contemporaneous journal of what’s happening — who said what, and when.

• Consult an employment attorney before signing anything. If your layoff was retaliatory or discriminatory, you may be entitled to additional remedies.

Get Grounded and Plan Your Next Steps

The emotional toll of layoffs is real. Give yourself space to process, but also take practical action:

• Create a 60–90 day budget assuming reduced income.

• File for unemployment benefits as soon as you receive your separation notice.

• Check your state’s worker protection laws. Some states (like California and New York) have additional requirements for notice and payout.

• Stay connected. Reach out to colleagues, career networks, and support resources like Caged Bird HR for guidance and emotional support.

How Caged Bird HR Can Help

If you’re facing a layoff, Caged Bird HR provides independent HR support designed for employees, not corporations. Our consultants can help you:

• Educate you on strategies used to maximize your severance

• Strategize next steps if you suspect retaliation, discrimination, or unfair targeting.

• Navigate unemployment claims and COBRA benefits with confidence.

• Rebuild your career path with clarity and support during transition.

You don’t have to navigate this alone. Book a Discovery Call to speak with an independent HR professional who can help you understand your options and protect your future.

The Bottom Line

You don’t control corporate decisions but you do control how prepared you are when they come.

Save your records. Protect your benefits. Don’t sign away your rights.

And when in doubt, document everything. Apps like Wrk Receipts make it easy to track what’s happening at work, from performance reviews to HR conversations so you’re ready with proof when it matters most.

If something doesn’t feel right, get legal or HR guidance before you agree to anything.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you need legal advice specific to your situation, contact a licensed employment attorney in your state.

Shrinking Your Professional Carbon Footprint: Actionable Steps for a Sustainable Career

When most people think about reducing their carbon footprint, they picture swapping plastic straws for metal ones or sorting the recycling. But your career also has a carbon footprint—one shaped by the way you commute, the technology you use, and the everyday decisions you make at work. Whether you’re logging into a virtual meeting from your home office or commuting into a high-rise, the choices you make can have a measurable impact on the planet. At Caged Bird HR, we believe sustainability in the workplace is more than just good PR—it’s a way to align your work with your values, reduce costs, and future-proof your career.

Your professional carbon footprint matters for three big reasons. First, it’s a climate issue. From business travel to cloud storage, the energy behind our work contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Second, it’s a career opportunity. Many employers now highlight sustainability metrics in their annual reports and value employees who actively contribute to those goals. And third, it’s about personal branding—being known as someone who cares about eco-friendly practices can give you an edge in a job market that increasingly values environmental responsibility.

The good news is, you don’t have to overhaul your life to make a difference. Start with your commute. If remote or hybrid work is an option, it can dramatically reduce your emissions. If you need to be in the office, try public transportation, biking, or carpooling to cut down on single-occupancy vehicle trips. Once you’re at work, look at your paper usage. Going paperless isn’t just a buzzword—secure cloud storage and digital signature tools can replace the need to print and file documents.

Your devices are another hidden source of emissions. Choosing energy-efficient laptops and monitors, and setting them to sleep mode when idle, can reduce both energy use and your utility costs if you work from home. Even your digital footprint matters—archiving old files, cleaning out unused apps, and consolidating your cloud tools can lessen the strain on data centers.

And don’t underestimate the power of speaking up. Advocating for green policies within your organization can ripple outward. Suggesting sustainable procurement practices, reusable office supplies, or refill stations can positively influence company culture in ways that extend beyond your own carbon footprint.

Incorporating sustainability into your career isn’t just good for the planet—it’s a smart professional move. It can make you stand out in a competitive job market, position you as a forward-thinking leader, and even save you money along the way. At Caged Bird HR, we help professionals find employers who share their values.

Every small change adds up. By making intentional choices in how you work, you can shrink your professional carbon footprint, protect the environment, and shape a career you can feel proud of.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a professional carbon footprint?
A professional carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions linked to your work life. This includes your commute, the energy used by your devices, business travel, and even the digital storage you rely on.

2. How can I reduce my carbon footprint at work?
You can lower your footprint by working remotely when possible, using public transportation, going paperless, choosing energy-efficient technology, and advocating for sustainable office policies. Even small actions, like putting your laptop in sleep mode, can make a measurable difference over time.

3. What are examples of sustainable workplace habits?
Examples include switching to reusable office supplies, consolidating cloud tools to minimize digital waste, participating in company green initiatives, and opting for video calls over unnecessary travel.

5. How can Caged Bird HR help with workplace sustainability?
Caged Bird HR helps you integrate sustainability into your career strategy—whether that’s documenting your eco-friendly initiatives for a performance review, finding a values-aligned employer, or building a case for greener workplace policies..

Employee Rights in the Age of Workplace AI

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace has ushered in an era of unprecedented efficiency and innovation, but it also brings new questions about employee rights and workplace protections. From recruitment and performance evaluations to task allocation and surveillance, AI is increasingly influencing decisions that shape careers. Understanding your rights in this evolving landscape is essential for protecting your privacy, ensuring fairness, and adapting to technological change.

How AI Is Changing the Workplace

AI is now woven into many aspects of employment. Employers use algorithms to scan resumes, monitor productivity, allocate tasks, and even make decisions regarding promotions or terminations. While these tools promise speed and accuracy, they also introduce potential risks, such as bias in decision-making, overreach in workplace surveillance, and displacement of human jobs.

Around the world, governments and regulatory bodies are developing frameworks to ensure AI is deployed ethically and responsibly. These initiatives aim to balance innovation with the need for fairness, transparency, and human oversight.

The Risk of Bias in AI Decision-Making

One of the most pressing concerns is bias. AI systems learn from historical data, and if that data reflects past discriminatory practices, the technology can inadvertently reinforce them. This can impact hiring, promotions, and performance assessments.

Many emerging regulations, such as the European Union’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Act, aim to mitigate this risk by requiring transparency in AI-driven employment decisions. In some regions, employees and job candidates also have the right to explanations when AI is used to make decisions that affect them significantly.

The Right to Transparency and Explanation

If an AI system plays a role in determining whether you’re hired, promoted, or disciplined, you have a right, under many data protection laws, to know how it works and why it reached a particular decision. This “right to explanation” is designed to ensure that workers are not left in the dark about the factors influencing their careers.

Data Privacy and Workplace AI

AI systems often rely on vast amounts of personal and professional data to function effectively. This makes data privacy a critical part of employee rights. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the legal right to know what personal information is collected about you, how it is used, and whether it is shared with third parties.

Beyond legal requirements, ethical best practices encourage employers to limit data collection to what’s necessary, store it securely, and be transparent about its use.

AI-Powered Workplace Surveillance

AI-driven monitoring tools can track keystrokes, screen activity, or even facial expressions. While employers have legitimate reasons to protect assets and ensure productivity, employees are entitled to reasonable expectations of privacy. Understanding your company’s monitoring policies and whether they align with applicable laws can help you set boundaries and protect your autonomy.

Adapting to AI-Driven Job Changes

As automation takes over certain tasks, job roles and responsibilities inevitably shift. Ethical workplace AI implementation includes informing employees about significant changes to their roles, offering training to help them adapt, and providing opportunities for skills development. Global organizations, including the World Economic Forum, emphasize the need for human-centered AI design that complements rather than replaces human work.

The Role of Collective Representation

Unions and employee representatives are increasingly involved in negotiating the use of AI in the workplace. These conversations often cover transparency, data use, job security, and the extent of automation in decision-making. International labor standards emphasize the importance of a “human-in-command” approach, ensuring that final decisions affecting employment remain in human hands.

The Right to Human Review

Employees should be able to challenge AI-driven decisions they believe are unfair or inaccurate. In many jurisdictions, data protection laws safeguard this right to human review, preventing workers from being subject solely to automated decision-making that significantly impacts them.

Staying Informed and Proactive

The AI regulatory landscape is evolving quickly. To protect your rights, familiarize yourself with your company’s AI policies, ask questions about how AI is used in your workplace, and stay updated on relevant laws and ethical guidelines. By being proactive, you can help ensure that AI is used responsibly, enhancing rather than undermining human potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is AI used in the workplace?
AI can assist with hiring, performance evaluations, scheduling, productivity monitoring, and decision-making about promotions or terminations.

2. What risks does workplace AI pose to employees?
Potential risks include bias in decision-making, privacy violations, over-surveillance, and job displacement due to automation.

3. Do employees have the right to know when AI is making decisions about them?
In many jurisdictions, yes. Data protection and AI regulations increasingly require transparency and explanations for AI-driven decisions.

4. How can employees protect their privacy when AI is used at work?
Understand your company’s data collection practices, know your rights under local laws, and advocate for ethical AI and limited surveillance.

5. Can AI replace human decision-making in the workplace?
While AI can support decision-making, many global labor standards stress that final employment decisions should remain in human hands.