Did Your Employer Offer You a Severance Agreement? Should You Sign It? What Are Your Rights?

You are never under an obligation to sign a severance or separation agreement. However, often doing so is in your best interest. You should always consult with an attorney before doing so.Employers are not permitted (under Federal Law) to require that you sign such an agreement on the spot. They must give you time to review the agreement and consult with an attorney. However, there almost always is a deadline by which you must respond. Consult an attorney as soon as possible to allow adequate time to review your case.Even when you have a wrongful termination suit, there can be advantages to waiving your right to sue and signing a severance agreement. Lawsuits are never certain and can take considerable time. Severance agreements usually result in you receiving funds much sooner than a lawsuit would.The severance agreement you are offered is rarely the most an employer is willing to offer. Your attorney can help you negotiate a better severance package. Often this can be done on a contingent fee basis. This means you do not pay your attorney up front. Your attorney receives a portion of the funds they get for you from your employer.