It’s important to review a severance agreement carefully to make sure your interests are protected after signing. In some cases, Utah employees can negotiate for more money and/or better terms before signing. For an affordable flat fee, we can review your severance agreement to help you protect yourself and avoid making costly mistakes as you decide whether to sign an agreement. We can also determine whether trying to negotiate for better terms is a good idea.
Reviewing Severance Agreements
Obtaining a severance agreement or package that is fair and maximizes the benefit to you is vital for your economic security when leaving a position. We can review a severance agreement offered by your employer to identify any provisions that are concerning or unfavorable to you. For example, many separation agreements include clauses about confidentiality, non-competition, non-disparagement, and release of legal claims. Sometimes employers also ask you to cooperate with investigations after you leave the company. Clauses like these should be examined to protect yourself.
Sometimes parts of a severance agreement include legal language that just doesn’t make sense to a person with little to no experience in employment law. For example, you might wonder why your agreement gives you 21 days to sign and 7 days to revoke your signature. Or you might want to understand better what specific claims you would waive by signing the agreement. Having a trusted and experienced attorney walk you through the entire agreement to explain each provision of it can give you more peace of mind about what you are signing.
Many separation agreements also fail to include provisions that are important for your protection. For example, many agreements don’t outline how the company will handle references when prospective employers call. Including a clause like this can help protect you and help you know what to expect as you search for new employment.
We can review a severance agreement offered by your employer to identify any provisions that are concerning or unfavorable to you. We can offer advice on any provisions you might want to ask your employer to change or add into the agreement.
Negotiating Severance Agreements
In some cases, you can negotiate with your employer for a higher severance amount or for provisions that are more favorable to you. Or you might be entitled to a greater amount or specific benefits if the employer has promised these things in a handbook or contract you signed.
We can review the circumstances that led to their offering the agreement and determine whether you have a good case for asking for more compensation and/or better terms. We can discuss these things as part of our review of your agreement. If needed, for an additional fee we can represent you in negotiating a more favorable severance agreement or package.
Finally, we can assist with litigation if you need to enforce your severance agreement against your former employer or defend yourself against the employer.
Next Step
For clients in Utah, we can do consultations via telephone. We can typically schedule an appointment to review a severance agreement within 1-3 business days. To get started, submit your information by clicking on the link below, and then send us a copy of your severance agreement at staff@piccololawoffices.com. You may also fax the agreement to (702) 944-6630.
Request Severance Agreement Review
We look forward to assisting you with your severance agreement.