I'd say watch out for a meeting that's so important that it's split into two groups, and you're in the first group.
Much later, when I got into the workforce for real, I learned that I could've collected unemployment checks for this, and that if I'd played my cards right, I could've been drawing unemployment for my first year at college. Ah well - one of my coworkers told me "If you'd done that, I might have to hate you. Unemployment is for workers who need it, not college students who take a gap year at a dot-com."
What state was this in? That is certainly illegal in California, and I would assume most states, though people do get away with defrauding the system.
http://www.mass.gov/lwd/unemployment-insur/resources/questio...
I didn't because it never occurred to me - as far as I was concerned, I left my job normally to go to college and they just didn't pay out the vacation pay. I wasn't hurting for money then or now (I was still living with my parents at the time), so I don't really regret it, but it does appear to be a real, genuine loophole in the system.
Unemployment is covered by taxes paid by the employer. You should absolutely collect it if legally allowed: https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Fede...
Additionally, California has additional protections for workers, such as requiring immediate payment for all wages, including accrued vacation, upon termination: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_paydays.htm
I mean each time, the survivors all do the "wow this sucks, but at least we made it" motions. Then a portion of them go grab a beer and inevitably talk about what a mistake it was to lose person X and the disbelief that useless person Y is still around. Then a portion of them talk about finding work at a better company.
The one time I did leave, I think the entire survivor group went through the above ritual. There was a lot of anecdotes revealed by various people that pretty much convinced everyone to leave before the next round.
I have a sample size of 3 so now idea how normal my experiences are.
For bonus points, do it on the 31st of the month so nobody has health care the next day.
You'd still be covered by your current plan as part of the provisions of COBRA. You have 60 days to elect coverage, if you had a medical need at any point during that time, you could seek care immediately and then deal with the paperwork later.
If you get laid off today in the US, you have two full months to either 1) sign up via COBRA to stay on your old plan 2) sign up for a new individual plan or 3) start a new job and move to your new employers plan.