Just laid off in Massachusetts? Here's your playbook.

The first 72 hours after a layoff

• Your final paycheck is due the same day. Under the Massachusetts Wage Act, if you're laid off or fired your employer must pay everything you're owed — including accrued, unused vacation, which Massachusetts treats as earned wages — on your last day. (If you quit, it's due by the next regular payday.) Late pay can carry stiff penalties.
• File for unemployment right away. Massachusetts is among the most generous — about 50% of your average weekly wage up to $1,105 a week, plus a dependency allowance of up to $25 per child, for up to 30 weeks (longer than most states). File at mass.gov/unemployment.
• Sort out health cover through the Massachusetts Health Connector (a job loss lets you enroll outside open enrollment) or continue your plan via COBRA.
• Don't rush to sign severance — it usually asks you to give up the right to sue. Take time to read it, and have it reviewed, first.

Your rights when you're let go in Massachusetts

• At-will, with limits. Massachusetts is at-will, but you can't be fired for an unlawful reason — discrimination or retaliation — handled by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
• Layoff notice. Massachusetts relies mainly on the federal WARN Act, which can require larger employers (100+ staff) to give 60 days' advance written notice of a mass layoff or plant closing.
• Severance isn't required by law — it's discretionary.

General information, not legal advice. For your situation, use the official Massachusetts resources below or an employment attorney.

Money and leverage while you search

• Claim unemployment — it's among the most generous in the US, and lasts up to 30 weeks (above). Report part-time or gig income and you may still get a reduced benefit.
• Use the new pay-transparency law. Since 29 October 2025, employers with 25 or more employees must include the pay range in job postings. Use those numbers to target the right roles and negotiate from fact.

Your résumé for the Massachusetts market

Boston hiring — especially in biotech and tech — is ATS-first. Mirror the posting's exact keywords, keep the formatting clean, lead with achievements and metrics, and skip the photo, birth date and age.

Then tune it to your metro and sector:

Do it in minutes with our free Job Description Decoder and résumé keyword checker. The app's team — Wren, Scout and Ace — is free to start.

Where to look in Massachusetts (free and official)

Start with the public, no-cost help most people never use:

• Mass.gov — file for unemployment (DUA)
• MassHire Career Centers — free job-search help
• MassCareers — Massachusetts state government jobs
• Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)

The part nobody talks about

A layoff is a genuine shock, and it's not a verdict on your worth. Take a beat, then take the next small step. In the app, Juno is there for the low days, and Scout and Ace help you get moving when you're ready.

Where the jobs actually are — the big US boards

Hiring managers in Greater Boston & Cambridge, Route 128 / 495 corridor, Worcester, Springfield & the west post across the big national boards — so start your search here, then use your free career team to win the roles you find:

• Indeed — The largest US job board — one-click apply, alerts, reviews.
• LinkedIn Jobs — Get found by recruiters and apply through your network.
• ZipRecruiter — AI job matching and one-click apply across industries.
• Glassdoor — Salaries, reviews and reported interview questions.
• Monster — Long-established board with resume posting and alerts.
• USAJOBS — The official site for US federal government jobs.

Frequently asked questions

Written and reviewed by the Career Agenting System team at Culture & Clarity Limited · Last reviewed August 2026 · Sources: Massachusetts DUA (unemployment) · Massachusetts pay transparency (mass.gov) · Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination · Our editorial standards