Since stepping into adulthood, you have worked hard to get to where you are now in your employment, and when that employment is ripped out from underneath you, the emotional and financial impact is huge. If a severance agreement is in play after being let go from a job in Walnut Valley or following a layoff at your company near Walmerado Park, a Covina severance agreement lawyer is here to protect your rights.
At GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP, we represent employees throughout Los Angeles County in negotiating fair and advantageous severance agreements. This is true for both public-sector and private-sector employees. We pride ourselves on a client-focused approach to each case and are ready to pay attention to even the smallest details to secure an optimal severance package of provisions, tailored to your unique situation.
When you choose to work with GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP to negotiate a fair severance agreement after losing your employment, we are here to review all aspects of your job, including your previous salary and benefits and your future employment plans. Following this step, we can work to create a negotiation strategy that protects your interests and rights and advocates for you, with your specific goals in mind.
In California, if you are laid off or fired from your job, your employer may offer you payment or the promise of certain things once you leave your employment. In exchange, you will likely be required to sign a document stating you will never bring a legal claim against your former employer. This signed document is known as a severance agreement.
Nearly 58% of employers across the U.S. offer their employees some form of severance benefits. Unfortunately, in many situations, an employer may try to convince their workers to sign these agreements without explaining that the agreement will unfairly silence them after termination, or may try to underpay a worker once the severance agreement is signed.
In the U.S., 40% of adults will be laid off at some point in their professional career, and their employers may offer severance pay. When you are asked to sign a severance agreement, or when you believe you have a case to be made for receiving severance payment, the skilled attorneys at GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP are here to advise you and can work to make certain you receive the full amount of settlement pay possible.
While a severance agreement might work in one employee’s favor, it can directly conflict with another employee’s rights. It is important to understand how a poorly drafted or unfair agreement can actually harm you. At GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP, we can review a severance agreement to determine how it can work in your favor. Most severance agreements will include one or several of the following components:
According to a recent study, the average severance package in the United States is around $40,000 per employee. However, even in cases where the potential payout is alluring, many severance agreements are written in a predatory or silencing manner, and it is crucial that your attorney review the terms before you put pen to paper.
Before you sit down to sign a severance agreement, there are certain things you need to consider first. These considerations include:
A: No, in California, your employer is not required to provide you with severance pay. This is the case even when your employer has offered severance to other employees in the past. Sometimes an employer may have a policy that provides these agreements under certain circumstances, but an employee’s entitlement depends solely on their company’s unique policy.
A: In cases where signing a severance agreement is in your interest, refusing to do so could carry serious consequences. The worst possible consequence may be that you do not actually receive your due severance compensation. For this reason, it is essential that you speak with an attorney to better understand your unique position and the actions that serve your interests and protect your rights.
A: There can be several situations that arise when signing a severance agreement does not actually serve your interests. In certain cases, such as in situations where you have been wrongfully terminated as an act of retaliation, you have not been properly paid your due wages, or you are the victim of employment discrimination, signing a severance agreement might inadvertently waive your rights to pursue a valuable legal claim.
A: While hiring a severance agreement lawyer is not required by law, it can make all the difference when it comes to achieving the outcome you most desire and deserve. The terms and conditions of a severance agreement can be complicated and difficult to understand, and your attorney can be there to explain to you all of your rights and what you may be entitled to in a severance package.
If you have lost your job or are about to lose your job, it is essential that you hire a severance agreement lawyer to look over any documentation pertaining to your situation. At GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP, we can explain your rights to you and provide the necessary insight to determine what compensation you may be entitled to. Contact our offices today to learn more and to schedule your initial consultation with our employment law team.
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