Coping With a Partner’s (or Spouse’s) Job Loss and Unemployment

When a partner loses a job, the effects on both members of a couple can be challenging. Here are some tips to get through that time:

1. Don’t panic. You didn’t lose the job. Your partner did. Stay steady. Keep doing what you were doing. Your panic will fuel derivative issues between you and your partner and within yourselves.

2. Accept that these lows happen in careers. Your partner isn’t special for getting let go, or losing a job some other way. It happens to just about everyone. It’s normal.

3. Ask what you can do to help. Be supportive without blaming. If you do number 2, you won’t blame, because you’ll understand it wasn’t anyone’s fault. These things happen. If, however, your partner was fired because of an issue like theft, addiction or something else that was a clear problem (illegal, etc.), then you have to insist that he or she get help before re-entering the work force.

4. Be prepared to make adjustments as a result of the transition — and this means accepting the transition. Funds have to be preserved; budgets adjusted; etc.