Severance Review Attorneys
Review Your Severance Agreement through a Severance Package Lawyer
When presented with a severance agreement from your employer, it can be confusing to know what, exactly, they are asking you to sign. It is a good idea to have an experienced severance package lawyer review any documents before signing. Our severance review lawyers are skilled attorneys with years of experience in severance agreements. They can help review and negotiate your severance documents to protect your rights while ensuring the maximum benefit to you.
Easy 4-Step Process
Call us or Email your agreement to info@severance-lawyers.com.
Our office will schedule a date and time for the meeting (either in person, Zoom or by phone). All meetings can be scheduled within 24 hours.
Our severance package lawyer will conduct a thorough review of the agreement before discussing it carefully with you and answering your questions.
Our attorneys will send you a detailed email regarding any changes, revisions, or other items that need addressing with your previous employer. You will then have the option to negotiate with your employer directly on your behalf to retain us to negotiate for you to try to improve the terms and amount of severance pay.
Employers Protect Themselves and So Should You
All severance agreements are an employer’s way of protecting themselves against future legal action, which is why it is a good idea to have a severance package lawyer take a look at your documents. As an employee, the law entitles you to certain protections upon your termination, including the right to file a lawsuit against the company.
Your employer is not simply offering you severance to assist you. Your company will aim to protect itself from litigation and future litigation costs. While it will be presented to you as “in your best interest,” not all severance agreements are so straightforward or even in your interest.
Before signing any severance agreement, you need to know what more you could receive. A severance package lawyer can help guide you through your severance documents and point out anything amiss. Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as a standard severance package, and any suggestion from your employer that they’re following common practices is simply a tactic to convince you to sign.
In some instances, your severance agreement will offer you a monetary sum in exchange for your promise not to file any lawsuits against your employer. A severance review lawyer will discuss with you the wording of your agreement that may ultimately limit your ability to support your family by preventing you from working for another company or client. Your employer’s severance package may seek to prevent you from receiving your owed wages and benefits.
Before blindly accepting the terms in your agreement, consider having your severance reviewed by a severance package lawyer who can translate the legal ramifications of all the terms and provide you with additional items that are not included in the severance but should be.
Non-Compete Clause
Another common item in a severance agreement is a non-compete clause, which would prevent you from obtaining a job for a certain amount of time or using any knowledge from your current position in any capacity with a competitor for a specific amount of time. You may not have signed a non-compete or non-solicitation agreement beforehand, and the company is only trying to prevent you from competing after it terminated your employment.
The offered severance may not be as valuable as obtaining a new job. You don’t want to find yourself owing your employer part of your severance package because they perceived your actions to be competitive and covered under that clause when you understood the terms differently. A severance package lawyer can help you ensure that all conditions are specific, objective, and not left up to subjective interpretation by your employer.
Again, having the right severance review lawyer look over your severance agreement before you sign can make all the difference.
Remember, when a company presents you with a severance agreement, it is because your employer needs something from you. The contract terms should benefit you; otherwise, you should not agree to anything. Before making any binding agreements about your future, contact our experienced severance package lawyers to review your severance documents. They will ensure that you make only the necessary concessions and reap the greatest benefits.
Client reviews
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- Al W.
This law firm helped me achieve the results that I needed. Would recommend Paul to anyone that feels as though they have been wronged and need legal guidance and assistance.
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- Wendy G.
My experience with Severance Lawyers was excellent. They gave my case all the time and attention that was needed to be successful. They were a calming and confident presence during a difficult and uncertain time for me. Their guidance was outstanding at all times, prompt, professional, timely and open for calls and quick updates. They invested the time to work through all of my questions and issues. I can’t thank them enough and would hire them again.
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- Michelle M.
Tom and his staff understand the law very well. They are quick to return calls, take the initiative, and explain things in a way I can understand. From start to finish Tom was there to help me out every step of the way with our case. I am glad to have Tom and his team on my side. I simply cannot thank them enough!
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- Tucker W.
I found myself in a challenging & stressful situation that required legal representation and their attorney Paul Castronovo handled it beyond my expectations. Paul is incredibly experienced/knowledgeable and I just felt like I was in good hands the entire time. Paul has a calming demeanor too–which is helpful in these stressful situations. Paul helped turn my lemons into lemonade.
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- Sweta M.
Tom McKinney’s prompt attention, articulate and comprehensive advice addressed my Employment Agreement related issue. His confidence shined through instilling the confidence in me and peace of mind having him by my side. If you’re dealing with the proverbial ‘blood sucking’ company, look no further than Tom’s voice of reason.
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- Austin S.
Going to Tom and his team for my case was the best decision I made. He was professional and knowledgeable in employment law. He helped me reach a resolution and I could not recommend him enough for anyone else out there.
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- Sean C.
Tom McKinney is one of the best attorneys that I know…whether to negotiate on your behalf or reviewing your agreement to make sure you are getting maximum value for your compensation. From stock options to deferred compensation. I have referred him to friends in NJ and NY.
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- Joe K.
I had Tom review my severance agreement. He provided a lot of valuable insight. I was able to go back to my employer with various points and double my package. Tom was prudent in having me use his services (told me to go back to my employer before fully engaging him) and I did not overpay when not needed. Other lawyers could have easily taken advantage of my situation and over-lawyered the situation.
Have Questions?
We Have Answers!
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How long do I have to sign the severance documents?
When companies terminate employees and provide a severance package, the goal of the severance is to benefit both the company and the employee. Therefore, the employee has time to review the agreement. Review timelines depend on employee age and the number of people terminated simultaneously.
- Employees under the age of 40 – No set time frame, but it must be reasonable and ample enough to review and understand the components.
- Employees over the age of 40 – 21 days to review and sign and 7 days to reconsider and revoke your signature.
- Multiple terminations at once – 45 days to review and sign and 7 days to reconsider and revoke your signature.
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How is severance pay calculated?
Several factors go into severance pay amounts. Employees in higher management positions may receive additional benefits like longer pay terms, office equipment, or medical benefits.
Typical payouts can last up to 26 weeks and go by the following calculations:
- Hourly Employees: Number of years with company X 1 week of regular pay = Severance Pay $ Total
- Salaried Employees: Number of years with company X 2 weeks of regular pay = Severance Pay $ Total
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Am I entitled to severance pay?
No, most companies provide a severance agreement when they lay off or fire an employee. Offering a severance package is entirely optional for the company. Most companies only do it to protect themselves from future lawsuits, the employee going to a competitor company, or adverse claims from the employee. The company takes multiple factors into account when preparing the packages.
