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

If you were laid off from First Student, the most time-sensitive thing you can do is file for unemployment with Kansas Department of Labor 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.

The First Student WARN filing(s)

This is the public record filed with Kansas Department of Labor under the WARN Act:

Source: Kansas Department of Labor WARN report (public record). Reported figures total 151 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 Kansas WARN report.

What to do if you were laid off from First Student

1. File for unemployment now. Start your claim with Kansas Department of Labor: https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/. Don't wait for paperwork to settle.
2. Check your final pay. Kansas generally requires final wages by the next regular payday.
3. Read any severance before you sign. In Kansas, severance can affect unemployment depending on how it's paid and allocated — file promptly and report it to KDOL. See our guide to severance and unemployment.
4. 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.
5. 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 Kansas WARN rights.