This year has been the worst for layoffs since the start of the pandemic, a new report shows — and those newly unemployed workers are entering a tough job market . While a job loss can leave workers scrambling to keep up with bills like their mortgage or children's college tuition , there is one thing it's important to do before you reassess your expenses or talk to lenders , experts say: apply for unemployment benefits . It can take weeks for the benefits to reach you, and minimizing that wait