Severance Agreements

Severance Agreement Attorney in Los Angeles

Employee-Side Severance Review That Considers the Full Workplace Dispute

A severance agreement may require you to release legal claims and accept ongoing obligations in exchange for compensation or benefits. Before signing, you should understand the release, response deadline, confidentiality provision, non-disparagement clause, cooperation duties, and any restrictions affecting your future work.

Our severance attorneys in Los Angeles review the offer in the context of what led to your termination, layoff, or resignation. That history matters because potential discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage, or harassment claims may affect how you evaluate the agreement and whether you seek different terms.

Request a free consultation before responding to your employer. Call (424) 306-1515 to discuss the agreement and the circumstances surrounding your departure.

California Severance Rights for Los Angeles Employees

California law generally doesn’t require an employer to provide severance pay when employment ends. Severance is separate from earned compensation. Final wages and accrued vacation may still be owed whether or not you accept a separation agreement.

A release of claims can affect rights arising from events that occurred before you signed. We assess the proposed release alongside the facts of your employment to identify the legal and financial issues that warrant closer review.

Potential rights and compensation may involve:

Discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or wrongful termination claims.
Unpaid wages, commissions, bonuses, or other earned compensation.
Accrued vacation and final-pay obligations.
Equity, health benefits, or other compensation addressed by the offer.
Age discrimination waiver requirements for employees age 40 or older.

If you’ve already signed, your options depend on the agreement’s language, your circumstances, applicable federal and California law, and the timing of the events. A signed agreement isn’t automatically invalid, but a prompt review can clarify what rights or options may remain.

Employment Law Experience Focused Exclusively on Employees

We represent employees, not employers, and focus exclusively on employment law. This perspective allows us to evaluate a severance offer as part of the broader workplace dispute rather than treating it as an isolated contract.

Our work includes discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage violations, and employment agreement disputes across industries. We handle negotiation and litigation-related matters, developing a strategy around each client’s documents, priorities, and account of what occurred.

How We Review a Severance Agreement

We begin by listening to your account and reviewing the proposed agreement in light of your goals. Relevant materials may include employment agreements, compensation records, performance documents, termination communications, and correspondence about the offer.

Our review can include:

Document Analysis: We examine the compensation, release, restrictions, deadlines, and obligations stated in the agreement.
Issue Identification: We compare the proposed release with the circumstances surrounding your departure and any potential employment claims.
Options & Strategy: We can explain possible next steps, such as requesting revisions, negotiating with the employer, preserving separate claims, or deciding whether signing serves your goals.
Ongoing Communication: We provide updates and guidance as the situation develops.

Remote consultations are available to employees throughout Southern California. We handle sensitive workplace concerns with discretion and tailor our guidance to your agreement, circumstances, and priorities.

Severance Terms That May Affect More Than Your Payment

The payment amount is only one part of a severance agreement. Non-monetary provisions can affect your benefits, professional references, communications about the employer, future work, and potential legal claims.

A detailed review should address:

Compensation: The amount, payment schedule, conditions, and treatment of bonuses, commissions, equity, or other compensation.
Benefits: The duration and terms of health coverage or other benefits included in the offer.
Release of Claims: The rights being waived and whether the release extends beyond known employment issues.
Confidentiality: The information covered, any exceptions, and the obligations that continue after signing.
Non-Disparagement: The communications restricted by the agreement and whether the provision applies to both sides.
References: Any agreed language or process for responding to future employers.
Cooperation Duties: The assistance you may be required to provide after employment ends.
Future Employment: Any restrictive language affecting reapplication, rehiring, or other work opportunities.
Tax Terms: How payments are characterized and whether the agreement addresses withholding or tax reporting.

The document should clearly state what you’ll receive, what you’ll give up, when each obligation begins or ends, and what happens if either side fails to perform. Enforceability depends on the wording, the surrounding circumstances, applicable law, and the timing of the relevant events.

Signing Deadlines, Age Waivers & Final Pay

An employer’s requested response date isn’t always the same as a legally required consideration period. Employees age 40 or older may receive additional federal protections when an agreement waives age discrimination claims. Under the federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, an individual waiver generally must provide at least 21 days to consider the offer. Certain group termination programs require at least 45 days, and a valid waiver generally includes a seven-day revocation period after signing. Whether these rules apply depends on the employee’s age, the claims being waived, and whether the separation is individual or part of a qualifying group program.

Final-pay rules present a separate question. Earned wages and accrued vacation may be due even when no severance is offered. The deadline for final payment can depend on whether the employee was discharged or resigned and, in a resignation, how much notice was provided.

A general deadline or checklist can’t replace advice based on the actual document. The agreement language, termination timeline, compensation history, potential claims, and circumstances surrounding the separation all shape the analysis.

Get Clarity Before You Respond to Your Employer

If you’ve received an agreement, expect an offer, or have questions about one you already signed, contact us for a free consultation. We can review the document, explain the rights and obligations at issue, and discuss whether requesting changes or taking another step may fit your goals.

At Southern California Labor Law Group PC, we provide personalized employee-side guidance informed by both the proposed terms and the events that led to your separation. If you need a severance lawyer in Los Angeles, we’ll approach your concerns with responsiveness, empathy, and discretion.

Call (424) 306-1515 to request your free consultation before the signing deadline.

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