Multiple deadlines run concurrently after a termination — final pay (state-specific), unemployment (1-week wait), EEOC (180-300 days), wage SOL (2-4 years), ERISA documents (30 days). Start them all early so you preserve every claim.
Document everything — TODAY
Write down: the reason given, the manager and HR rep present, the time and place, any witnesses, the date of every prior performance review, any written warnings, and the exact words used. Save copies of every email, slack, text, and pay stub. HR files lock; your memory fades. The first 24 hours after termination are when evidence is most accessible.
Demand your final paycheck on the statutory deadline
Every state has a final-pay deadline. If you were discharged, most states require same-day or next-business-day payment. If you quit, the employer typically has 72 hours to a full pay period. Late final pay = statutory waiting-time penalties (in some states up to 30 days of pay). Counsel can pull your state's deadline.
File for unemployment — this week
Most states impose a 1-week waiting period and a hard cap on retroactive benefits. Filing late can disqualify you from weeks of benefits you would otherwise be entitled to. File at your state workforce commission immediately. Termination "for cause" can disqualify, but "cause" has a narrow legal meaning — file anyway and let the agency adjudicate.
If discrimination, EEOC charge within 180-300 days
Suspect age, race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or genetic discrimination? The EEOC clock starts the day of the adverse action. 180 days in non-deferral states, 300 days in deferral states. Miss it and you lose your federal claim forever.
Calculate wage SOL — start with FLSA
Owed final wages, unpaid overtime, accrued PTO, missed-break premiums, off-the-clock work? Federal FLSA SOL is 2 years (3 if willful); state SOL is often longer (3-4 years). Each missed paycheck is a separate claim with its own clock.
If retirement/health benefits are at issue, demand ERISA documents
Under ERISA § 104(b)(4), the plan administrator MUST provide your plan documents within 30 days of a written request. Failure to comply = up to $110/day in penalties under § 502(c)(1). This works for 401(k) plans, health insurance, severance plans, and any ERISA-governed benefit.
If FMLA retaliation, document the timeline
Were you fired during or right after FMLA leave? That is a textbook retaliation claim under 29 U.S.C. § 2615. The proximity of the termination to your protected activity is your strongest evidence. Save every email, doctor's note, and HR communication about your leave.
Ask Counsel anything along the way
Free Q&A. Counsel pulls your state's wage-claim agency, final-pay deadline, EEOC deferral status, and unemployment portal via tools. Best for: parsing whether your termination was "for cause" under unemployment law, sequencing EEOC vs state-FEP filings, and FMLA / ADA accommodation strategy.
SynthCounsel is a document preparation tool, not a law firm. No attorney-client relationship is created.