7 Things to Consider Before Leaving Kaiser Permanente

With all of the news about Kaiser Permanente layoffs in Northern California, employees need to know what steps to take before leaving Kaiser. Retiring or worse, losing your job is a grandiose moment. Your mind is racing and you simply just don’t know how to operate. Loss of a job, especially for those with over 20 years of service, affects the same receptors in the brain as loss of a loved one. You have been connected with Kaiser Permanente for 20 years and now the relationship is over.

The same five stages of grief apply for a person going through retirement or job loss. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to get through the lack of employment.

As the reality of the situation settles, your emotions will be a mess. You might feel upset one minute and annoyed the next, and it can be tempting to vent your frustrations. Remember, acting upon impulse almost never turns out well and can make a difficult situation ever worse.

Here are a few items to check off before leaving Kaiser Permanente:

1. Sit down and analyze your finances (If you have a spouse involve them in this process). This may be the perfect time to reach out to a financial planner that knows the Kaiser Permanente plan in detail. Avoid doing financial business with friends or family. Money and friendships do not mix. Contact me on Linkedin if you need a referral.
2. Call your Credit Union or Bank and consider opening a line of credit against your home equity. Consider opening any additional credit cards to create an emergency money fund. As many of you have been employed your whole life, you won’t think of doing this… but once you are unemployed, it becomes exceedingly difficult. . .

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