Your gut tells you that this is no ordinary meeting. It’s at an unusual time. Someone from HR is there. And, soon after it starts, you hear words like “last day,” “unemployment,” and “COBRA”.
That’s when it hits you: You’ve just been let go.
You didn’t do anything wrong, but you’re out of a job anyway. Even if the writing was on the wall, nothing prepares you for the shock of suddenly losing a steady paycheck, and health insurance.
To “help” with the transition, your employer has offered you a severance package. It feels like a lifeline when you need it most. But buried in the agreement they want you to sign are terms designed to benefit them, not you.
No matter how HR spins it, a severance package is a contract. A legally-binding one. If you’re not careful when accepting it, you could be signing away your rights to:
Before you sign anything, it’s crucial you understand exactly what you would be surrendering, and if their offer is even worth it.
Hi, I’m Brittaney. I’m a severance lawyer who helps Texans understand and negotiate their severance packages after a layoff or wrongful termination.
Admittedly, I haven’t always represented employees. I started my career on the other side. My clients included employers you’ve probably heard of, like Southwest Airlines and the City of Fort Worth. Others, maybe not.
For about a decade, I drafted and negotiated countless severance agreements when they had to make the difficult decision to let staff go. It was gut-wrenching but invaluable experience.
When we work together, I won’t just read your contract and explain its terms. Most lawyers can do that. I’ll ensure the offer matches the full value of what you may be giving up, and help you push for terms that support your next move.
That means pinpointing the leverage you have to demand more. More severance pay. More time on your employer’s health insurance. More freedom to find your next opportunity and land on your feet.
Whatever your goals, I’ll give you an honest assessment and an action plan for achieving them.
Call or click to schedule. Once your appointment’s confirmed, we’ll collect a copy of your severance agreement and review it right away.
We meet the next day to discuss its terms, flag any concerns, and share tactics for negotiating a severance package that achieves your desired goals.
You get peace of mind knowing you’re not leaving money on the table or signing something you’d regret later, and a game plan for approaching severance negotiations with your employer.
Severance Review
$600
Done-With-You Negotiations
$3,000
Done-For-You Negotiations
Contact for pricing
Severance pay is money your employer offers you when they let you go. In most cases, you only get severance pay if you sign a severance agreement. If you don’t sign, they don’t pay. Severance agreements often require you to give up important legal rights. That’s why it’s important to speak with a severance lawyer before you sign anything.
There’s no standard amount, because employers aren’t required to offer severance. Some do, many don’t, and even when they do, the terms can vary from person to person.
A common starting point is one to three weeks of base pay for every year you’ve worked for the company. But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. A severance package can also include other perks and strict limits on what you can (or cannot) say or do after you leave.
What counts as a good severance offer depends on your industry and a lot of factors that aren’t always easy to spot on your own. A severance lawyer can help you understand what’s reasonable, what’s missing, and what’s worth negotiating.
You don’t need to hire a severance lawyer to negotiate your severance package. Just like you don’t need to hire a CPA to do your taxes. But when your financial future is on the line, professional help can make all the difference. A severance lawyer can:
negotiate more money and better benefits than most people can get on their own;
assess whether your employer has violated your work rights;
ensure you don’t sign something you’ll regret later; and
identify valuable support options you might not know exist.
It’s possible, but it rarely happens. Your employer may withdraw the original severance offer if you negotiate. That’s because when you negotiate, you’re rejecting their offer and submitting a counteroffer. And they don’t have to offer it again. But, in reality, that almost never happens. In fact, I’ve never seen an employer take back a severance offer just because someone tried to negotiate its terms.
Most employers who offer severance pay want you to sign the agreement. To them, every terminated employee creates risk. Risk that you’ll sue them, ruin their reputation, or report them to regulators. They want to reduce that risk, and if re-offering the original severance is all it takes most will do that.
It might not be too late. In some cases, an employer must give you 7 days, after signing, to change your mind and revoke your signature. The Older Worker Benefit Protection Act (or the OWBPA) gives eligible employees these revocation rights. But not everyone qualifies. To see if you qualify and how to revoke, it’s best to talk to a severance lawyer about your rights.
Even if you don’t qualify under the OWBPA, you may have other grounds to challenge the agreement. A severance lawyer can review your situation and see if you can change your mind.
Most employers don’t give you much time. They want your signature on a severance package quickly. That’s why, as a severance lawyer, I make these reviews a priority. Once you schedule your review and submit your agreement, we meet within 24 to 48 hours to go over it. You’ll get practical guidance so you can make an informed decision before your deadline.
Typical severance lawyers charge an hourly rate to review severance packages. I don’t. I charge a flat rate of $600 for severance reviews. So no matter how long it takes to review the agreement, explain its terms, flag any areas of concern, or advise you of the leverage you have to sweeten the deal. You’ll never pay more than that for a severance review.
If you want me to negotiate your severance, I offer two options. Learn more about those options here.
Managing Attorney, Brittaney N. Davis
