In March 2026, 7.2 million Americans were out of work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Canned. Right sized. Or my personal favorite, streeted.

More numbers. I found 55 different euphemisms for “fired” in about 30 seconds because, as they say, time is money.

But not so much for me.

This past St. Patrick’s Day. I was in my home office, which is kind of a tasteful cross between a typewriter museum, a baseball diamond and, well, an office. An email was waiting for me from my managing editor, asking me to give him a jingle. I had just finished a call from a colleague and partner in crime, telling me he was no longer basking in the light of full employment.

After about three minutes of my editor speaking words but not really saying anything, I asked if he was trying to say I was fired?

It was a fair query since he’s in the communications business and I ask a lot of questions for a living. As it turns out, he was indeed trying to show me the door. He explained this was the result of our company (The Deal) having been sold in late 2025 and now the purchaser S&P was in a post-transaction cost-cutting mode. As we continued talking, his voice cracked and it was obvious he was feeling emotional about his task, our conversation and my departure.

This was a bit of a coincidence because I wasn’t all that enthused about my involuntary separation. I’d been at The Deal for almost 13 years and made lots of friends, contacts and developed a reputation as a diligent reporter.

And now I was sacked, and I hadn’t even done anything wrong.

Of course, it’s not like I’m the Lone Ranger. For instance, Michael Duffy, NorthBay biz fine technology columnist joined his whole team in being laid off.

Maybe it’s something in the water.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that more than 20 million Americans lost their jobs from 2001 to 2019. And in more than a few cases they lost much more. They lost their professional identity and they lost their self-image. They lost their homes and they lost their families.

Or even their lives.

Which brings us to a number that’s harder to nail down. Job loss is a reality many workers will face at some point in their lives. It can come as a straight-forward firing for failure to do their job, a layoff due to a company economic decision, a larger economic downturn or a bankruptcy.

So, sooner or later, everybody packs a box, gets hugs and leaves footprints.

As a public service, I’m offering a guide to getting through the heartbreaking-account-draining-confidence-shaking experience of being dismissed.

You’re welcome.

Stages of Dealing with a Firing

Just as there are seven stages of grief, there are also seven stages of being fired. First there is shock at having lost your job, unless you are a total screw-up. You went into the office and began doing the things you get paid for, and then you find out you don’t have to do that anymore, and you aren’t getting paid. Shocking.

Next there is anger. Your world has just been turned upside down and now you not only don’t have a J-O-B, you also don’t have a paycheck. Let’s be honest, that’s enough to piss off Mother Teresa.

Number three on the list is questioning. While this may come on as generalized questioning, it may also include specific questions. What will I tell family and friends? What do I do about healthcare? Will they miss this laptop if I take it home?

Another fairly standard reaction is intoxication. This can take on the basic form of drowning one’s sorrows. It can also include drinking to forget. Surprisingly, the drinking can include celebration that you no longer have to take part in that stupid weekly Zoom call where it seems every other person must use the phrase “circle back.”

Another typical stage also includes blame. Those who lose their jobs often grapple with blame, feeling like they brought this drastic change on by things they did, or worse, things they didn’t do. Blame is not very productive, though it is a very human reaction. An exception to this is when the recently unemployed considers who to lay the blame on, as in “I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you.”

Another basic reaction can often be summed up as revenge. This can be as simple as keying the boss’s car or microwaving a big piece of salmon in the break room. But sometimes the act of planning a proper act of revenge that might take two years to pull off can do the trick too.

Finally, there’s acceptance. Yes, you don’t have a job. But now you have a world full of options. You now have the luxury of thinking outside the box. Your imagination can run wild with possibility and recall of your youth when passion and not obligations ruled the day.

On the other hand, you may be too old to become an astronaut.

Fired? You Still Have Paperwork to Do

The state of California has all kinds of public agencies some of which we interact with at least occasionally. We see the California Highway Patrol cruising past you on the 101. Or you are standing in line at the DMV, hoping you have the right form filled out.

But those agencies pale in comparison to the importance of the Employment Development Department. This of course is the agency that pays out unemployment benefits to folks who find themselves unemployment, including those who have been pink-slipped. And paperwork is king when it comes to this place.

I have a former reporting amigo who wound up as an Employment Program Representative with the EDD and though he retired, he did agree to speak on background to pass along some basic wisdom and make navigating this process easier.

To begin with, apply the first Sunday following your departure from your workplace. The EDD’s benefit week that runs from Sunday to the following Saturday. You can and should fill out your application online. You want to go slowly and fill in the data truthfully.

After your account is set up and your application is complete, your mail relationship with the agency begins. They will send you a variety of information which includes a form with nine questions on it regarding your job search. My source advised that these questions need to be considered carefully and again your answers need to be truthful, because like the federal Internal Revenue Service, slipping in a white lie can be costly.

The benefits from the state max out at $450 a week and last a maximum of 26 weeks.

While the state expects you to report your income while you are receiving benefits, and that income is likely to be deducted from your unemployment check, for senior workers, there is some good news. If you received Social Security benefits, those are yours to keep and have no connection to state benefits.

And now for the secret sauce. Like any government agency, there is the chance that the EDD may err in their efforts to help you through your transition, there may come a time when you find the EDD to be sluggish and unresponsive, much like my old VW Jetta. If this happens, here is what you do. Reach out to your state assembly or senator and flip them an email describing the particular issue in detail.

“Like any government agency, the EDD doesn’t like to look bad, and they don’t like attention from other government agencies. The EDD is very responsive when other people are asking questions,” my source said. “It becomes a legislative case and that isn’t what the EDD wants.”

Gives a whole new meaning to the old saw “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.”

Control the Narrative

As a journalist, I’m way too familiar with what public relations aces call spin and getting a story out on your own terms. Along these lines, when you have been handed your walking papers, you may want people understanding your side of that oftentimes messy transaction.

So, after you get the news from your employer, you may want to tell both colleagues and key industry contacts that there has been a change in your status. I’m not suggesting you share every gritty detail with others, but I am saying it’s your story, get it out first, especially if you are likely to cross paths with others in a job search capacity.

One other note of caution. Keep in mind that the difference between spin and lying is the difference between looking out the window and noting that the rain pouring outside may produce a splendid rainbow—and pulling a full-blown Donald Trump, insisting Noah is building that boat for a race on Saturday.

Coping…

Losing one’s job is one of the most emotionally fraught moments of your life and brings up a wealth of worries, stressors and concerns. At the risk of utilizing a phrase that seems to be everywhere, a little self-care is a good idea. Be gentle with yourself. While the challenge before you is not small, your approach can make all the difference.

A few ideas? Get off social media for a bit. Doom scrolling and comparing your predicament with others is not likely to make you feel better.

Rather than look at finding a new gig and income as a daunting challenge, consider that this gives you a new opportunity. For instance, while writing at The Deal gave me a national and international platform for my stories, it also included a set of style and reporting limitations that sometimes felt like a velvet straitjacket, and I mean that in the best way.

While talking about a firing as an occasion to look on the bright side may seem a little pollyannish, nevertheless the change is a chance to explore the road not taken. The pursuit of your next job should not only speak to the practical but also give your heart some equal time.

The Last Word

The world of job seeking has changed in ways that are almost unrecognizable for some. The channels where new jobs live are different now. Hell, the jobs themselves have changed and what we expect as well as how employers view candidates have undergone massive change.

Today’s job market comes with its own language and learning curve. Ghost jobs, Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and STAR method are just some of the buzzwords awaiting you in your future job search. Ghost jobs refer to a relatively new twist where a posting claiming to be a new position either doesn’t exist, is already filled or is not meant to be filled quickly. These postings can be used to build talent pipelines or to give human resource departments data to refine searches. The reality is that ghost jobs can make up as many as 20% of job postings and they deeply frustrate those who reply.

ATS is software used by employers to screen applicants based on keywords. STAR refers to a way to answer questions during an interview, Situation, Task, Action and Result.

And so, if you are currently seeking a job, I wish you nothing but success in finding both the position and the company that are perfect fits. Stay positive and Godspeed.

And if you are currently employed and have not a worry in the world, good for you.

Could you float me $20?