How many jobs did First Student cut?

According to the WARN notice(s) filed with Iowa Workforce Development, First Student reported 120 affected positions across 1 filing(s) in Black Hawk.

What is a WARN notice?

The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires larger employers to give at least 60 days' advance written notice of a mass layoff or plant closing. The notice is a public record filed with the state — it is not a statement about any individual employee's performance.

Where do I file for unemployment after being laid off from First Student?

File a claim through Iowa Workforce Development as soon as your separation is effective — benefits are generally not retroactive, so filing early protects income. Start here: https://workforce.iowa.gov/unemployment

Is First Student hiring again?

This page reflects only the public WARN filing; it does not track rehiring. Check the company's official careers page for current openings, and use the steps below to line up other roles in the meantime.

Laid Off From First Student? Your Next Steps (Iowa, 2026)

← Layoff tracker

If you were laid off from First Student, the most time-sensitive thing you can do is file for unemployment with Iowa Workforce Development as soon as your last day is effective. Benefits are generally not paid retroactively, so filing in the first week protects income you can't get back. Everything else — severance, health coverage, the search — follows from there.

First Student has also filed WARN notices in other states: Kansas filing. This page covers the Iowa filing(s) only.

The First Student WARN filing(s)

This is the public record filed with Iowa Workforce Development under the WARN Act:

Location	Employees	Type	Notice date	Effective date
Waterloo, Black Hawk	120	Closing	April 2, 2026	June 30, 2026

Source: Iowa Workforce Development WARN report (public record). Reported figures total 120 affected positions. “Notice date” is the notice date as published in the state WARN report; “effective date” is the date the layoff or closure begins. View the official Iowa WARN report.

This is one of 3 employers in Iowa's Transportation and Warehouse sector to file a WARN notice in the 120 days ending July 11, 2026, together about 313 affected positions. Across all sectors, Iowa has logged roughly 1,203 WARN-noticed positions from 10 employers in WARN notices filed in the 120 days ending July 11, 2026.

What to do if you were laid off from First Student

File for unemployment now. Start your claim with Iowa Workforce Development: https://workforce.iowa.gov/unemployment. Don't wait for paperwork to settle.
Check your final pay. Iowa generally requires final wages by the next regular payday after you leave.
Read any severance before you sign. In Iowa, severance or separation pay can reduce or delay unemployment depending on how it's paid — file promptly and report it to Iowa Workforce Development. See our guide to severance and unemployment.
Secure health coverage. Employer coverage usually ends at month's end; losing it opens a special-enrollment window. Compare COBRA against a Marketplace plan — see the full after-a-layoff checklist.
Start a focused search. Rebuild your resume around outcomes and apply selectively. Tailoring each application beats mass-blasting one generic resume.

Your WARN notice also means you likely have a 60-day runway between notice and your effective date — use it to line up your next move before the income gap starts. More on your Iowa WARN rights.

Laid off from First Student? Here's exactly what to do next.

The First Student WARN filing(s)

What to do if you were laid off from First Student

Turn the runway into your next job