SEVERANCE NEGOTIATION
Severance agreements are not guaranteed in every employment position. Employers sometimes offer these agreements when they initially offer employment candidates a job, or they may offer them at the time of termination. Regardless of when you are offered a severance agreement, it is important to speak to an Akron severance negotiation attorney that will ensure the agreement is in your favor and does not violate your rights.
Employees are often too eager to accept a severance agreement and so, they sign it without even fully reviewing it or trying to negotiate with their employer. Still, there are instances in which accepting an agreement may make the most sense. For example, an employee may not have a valid wage or hour dispute with their employer under the Fair Labor Standards Act, but they still want to leave the company due to a contentious relationship with their employer. When the terms of the agreement are fair, signing the agreement may provide the simplest way for the employer and employee to sever their working relationship and go their separate ways. Even when an employee believes the terms of the agreement are fair, they should still speak to a severance negotiation attorney that can review the contract. If an employee is too eager to sign the contract, they may be signing away their rights.
Being presented with a severance agreement is sometimes exciting, but they are not always fair and when that is the case, employees are advised to reject the contract. For example, an employee may have been wrongfully terminated due to discrimination and the employer simply wants to shield themselves from liability. In this case, and any other time an employer has acted illegally, it is important employees know they may be signing away their rights. Employers that are trying to avoid legal issues will typically include a provision in the agreement that the employee releases the employer from liability, so the employee cannot sue them in the future.
Employees often think that they can either accept a severance agreement or reject it, and that there is no middle ground. However, employees can often negotiate for better terms in the agreement, particularly if they do have a valid legal claim against their employer. Employees that have a valid basis to take legal action typically have more leverage and bargaining power, which can help them negotiate a much better severance.
If your employer has approached you with a severance agreement, you should never sign it without first allowing an Akron severance negotiation attorney to review it. At Coffman Legal, LLC, our knowledgeable attorneys can advise on whether the agreement is fair and when it is not, we will negotiate with your employer to secure better terms that will protect you now and in the future. Call us today at (614) 949-1181 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.