Hi, everyone, I'm a regular commenter here but have created this username because I'm feeling pretty ashamed about this, even though it's really not my fault. Anyway...
Today I found out that I'm being laid off from my law firm where I've worked for around 10 years. Among other matters, I had been heavily entrenched in a very large case that we resolved a few months ago just on the eve of multi-month trial. Since I had more than full-time hours on that one case alone, and it was planned for me to be devoted to the trial, I have had extremely low hours since then, despite my better efforts to drum up business and get new work. While I got some work here and there from various sources, I guess it was just not enough. In addition, this comes on a backdrop where several partners (and others) left my group in the last year (but we've added no one new), and I have been very unhappy with the direction of the group, lack of support for the associates in my group, and how this has contributed to somewhat stagnating my career, in my opinion. It's been no secret here that our group has been on a downward trajectory both in terms of new work and employee morale for at least a year. In any event, like I said, I was laid off today.
I've never been in a situation like this and I just feel incredibly lost as to what I should be doing. I had already been in the process of updating my resume and reaching out to recruiters before this because of my concerns about my group and my wanting a change anyway, so that's already in the works. I'm comfortable financially for awhile, but not financially independent, and I had not wanted to semi-retire quite this early. Perhaps a sabbatical, though, may be in the cards? (I guess there have been some relatives around the country I've wanted to visit, plus travel for a more meaningful sake.) I don't know how to do any of the healthcare-on-the-open-market thing, so I guess I should figure that out before my benefits go away.
Fortunately, I have been offered two months of garden leave/severance, so pay and benefits will continue during that time. I have to review the "separation agreement" that they proposed to me today and talk with my boss about it tomorrow. I've heard from people outside my firm that these things can be negotiated somewhat, but I don't know how open this employer would actually be. Today they said my last date in the office is flexible, but the end date is not. Do you think it would be unreasonable to try to negotiate a longer garden leave time, particularly when they already said the end date would not change? Or perhaps I can ask if I can keep the firm laptop that I've been using? (Yes, I am a dodo who does not actually have my own personal computer, and I have been relying on this one from work.) I'm supposed to talk to my boss tomorrow about what "messaging" I want made to the group surrounding my departure -- they'll spin it however I want (within reason, you know, no defamation or such!). Should I have them just say the truth that I was let go for lack of work and lack of foreseeable work for someone at my level? (Yes, our group really has dwindled enough that I'm the only one left at my "level.") Should I say it was a mutual decision, as I've also been feeling like I needed a change in direction? They'll even let me say that it was my decision to leave if I want, but I think that's somewhat implausible given some specific conversations I've had with others in the last couple days about new upcoming work. Ugh...
Okay, to summarize my ramblings, I'm putting this out there for your thoughts on:
(1) Should I try to negotiate some of the terms of this separation agreement, such as length of garden leave and the laptop?
(2) What messaging makes me look least idiotic to my group? I should mention here that I have sacrificed much of "life" in favor of "work," and, as such, my best friends are people that I work with. I'm scared about being very lonely after this ends and how little I will see my friends or how awkward it will be when we do see each other.
(3) Any other words of wisdom or face punches?
Thank you, all.