Built by Sierra Napier · THME · Washington DC · 2026
"Your layoff is a plot twist. Not the end of the story."
A free, single-file HTML survival guide for people who just lost their job — built specifically for the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) community, federal workers navigating DOGE-era layoffs, and anyone who needs structure when their brain is in survival mode.
No fluff. No toxic positivity. Real .gov links, real citations, real numbers.
| Page | Title | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | Cover | Protocol overview + key stats |
| 01 | Briefing | How to use this guide + execution order |
| 02 | 48-Hour Checklist | 3-phase action list: Hours 1–4, 4–24, 24–48 |
| 03 | Don't Say This | 5 critical post-layoff mistakes + why they destroy you |
| 04 | Benefits Reference | COBRA, Unemployment Insurance, SNAP — with deadlines |
| 05 | Federal Worker Section | DOGE/RIF rights, UCFE, FEHB, civil service protections |
| 06 | The Black Box Key 🔑 | DORS/RSA/DARS vocational rehab triple-stack unlock |
| 07 | DMV Resource Map | Food pantries + emergency programs: DC, MD, VA |
| 08 | Workforce Programs 💰 | WIOA, TAA, Workforce Pell Grant, Rapid Response |
| 09 | AI Prompts | Copy-paste prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini |
| 10 | What's Next | Full Guide CTA + all resource links |
Most people in the DMV never learn this:
DORS / RSA / DARS (vocational rehabilitation) can be stacked on top of unemployment insurance and food assistance simultaneously — and it can pay for retraining, certifications, college, assistive technology, transportation, and even business startup costs.
Neurodivergent individuals, people with anxiety/depression/PTSD/ADHD, chronic illness — you may qualify. The bar is whether your condition creates a barrier to employment, not whether it's severe.
| State | Agency | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| DC | RSA — DC Dept of Disability Services | dds.dc.gov · 202-442-8400 |
| Maryland | DORS — Division of Rehabilitation Services | dors.maryland.gov · 1-888-554-0334 |
| Virginia | DARS — Dept for Aging and Rehabilitative Services | dars.virginia.gov · 1-800-552-5019 |
- People who just got the news and can't think straight
- Federal employees navigating DOGE-era reductions in force
- Neurodivergent folks who need structure in chaos
- Anyone in DC, Maryland, or Virginia who needs to protect their money today
- ☀️ / 🌙 Light/Dark mode toggle
- Matrix rain animation (Side Hustle Sisi — Data Vigilante aesthetic)
- All
.govlinks embedded and verified - Real data citations (BLS, EEOC, Holmes-Rahe, USDA, Federal News Network)
- Mobile responsive
- Single self-contained HTML file — no dependencies, no tracking, no ads
- DC DOES — File for Unemployment
- USA.gov — Unemployment Benefits
- DC DHS — SNAP Eligibility
- EEOC — ADEA Severance Rights
- BLS — Job Search Duration (Table 30)
- Holmes & Rahe Stress Scale, Journal of Psychosomatic Research Vol. 11 (1967)
- Federal News Network — DOGE Layoffs
- OPM — FEHB Continuation Coverage
- DOL — WIOA Programs
- DOL — Trade Adjustment Assistance
- Capital Area Food Bank
- Workforce Pell Grant — July 2026
- COBRA Insurance Cost 2026
- MD Response — Federal Workers
This is free. Always will be. If it helped you, pay it forward.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Free to share and adapt with attribution. See LICENSE for details.
Built with rage, research, and real receipts. — Sierra Napier, The Robin Hood of AI