Laid off from General Dynamics Information Technology? Here's exactly what to do next.

If you were laid off from General Dynamics Information Technology, the most time-sensitive thing you can do is file for unemployment with Virginia Works (Virginia Employment Commission) 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 General Dynamics Information Technology WARN filing(s)

This is the public record filed with Virginia Works (Virginia Employment Commission) under the WARN Act:

Source: Virginia Works (Virginia Employment Commission) WARN report (public record). Reported figures total 409 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 Virginia WARN report.

What to do if you were laid off from General Dynamics Information Technology

1. File for unemployment now. Start your claim with Virginia Works (Virginia Employment Commission): https://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed/online-services. Don't wait for paperwork to settle.
2. Check your final pay. Virginia does not set a single statutory deadline for final pay; final wages are generally expected on or before the next regular payday.
3. Read any severance before you sign. In Virginia, severance can affect or delay unemployment depending on how it's allocated — file your VEC claim promptly and report any severance. 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 Virginia WARN rights.