A stack of papers is on your kitchen table. Ten pages. You got fired this morning, and HR told you to sign within seventy-two hours.
You flip through the pages, drowning in legal jargon. The only thing you do understand is the number at the top, $18,000. It sounds okay. You think about rent and groceries. You pick up a pen to sign.
Stop.
When we review severance agreements, we ask clients one question first: Did you actually read it?
Most people say yes. Then we ask them to explain it. Silence. They saw the words, but they didn’t get them. That gap can cost thousands.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Your employer is hoping you won’t read closely. They wrote the agreement to protect themselves, not you. Every clause serves its interest. The quicker you sign, the better it is for them.
What Are You Actually Signing Away?
You see “severance agreement” and probably think it’s about money. It’s not. It’s really about what you’re giving up to get that money.
When we read severance agreements, we explain them in plain English. For instance, “General release of all claims” means you’re giving up your right to sue for anything that happened at work. Age discrimination? Gone. Wage claims under California law? Gone. Retaliation for reporting safety problems? Gone.
Are those claims worth more than the $18,000 they’re offering? Maybe. You won’t know unless someone looks at them first.
At Severance Review Lawyer, we’ll look at every part of your severance agreement and tell you whether pursuing legal action makes sense.
Why Employers Rush You Into Signing
Seventy-two hours. Five days. One week. Employers love short deadlines.
When you feel rushed, you don’t ask questions. You don’t bargain. You probably won’t talk to a severance agreement review lawyer. You just sign and hope for the best.
But here’s what we’ve seen: employers who push you to sign fast are often hiding something. Maybe your firing broke California law. Maybe they owe you unpaid wages. Maybe they’re worried about a discrimination claim.
The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act gives workers over 40 at least 21 days to consider a severance agreement. In a group layoff, you get 45 days. Your employer has to tell you this, but many don’t.
Our expert attorneys directly negotiate with your employer to ask for better pay or extended legal benefits.
What your Severance Package Lawyer Finds When they Review Severance Agreements
Unlawful Confidentiality Clauses
Sometimes your agreement says you can’t talk about the terms with anyone. That’s not legal in California. Under Labor Code section 1197.5, you have the right to discuss your pay and working conditions.
Illegal Non-Compete Restrictions
California law, specifically Business and Professions Code section 16600, makes almost all non-compete agreements void. Still, employers add them anyway, hoping you won’t realize they can’t be enforced. We call them out.
Waiver of Statutory Rights You Can’t Waive
Your employer can’t force you to give up minimum wage claims. They can’t make you give up your meal or rest break violations. They can’t stop you from reporting illegal activity to the government. California Labor Code section 206.5 protects you, even if employers try to get around it.
Clawback Provisions
Some agreements say you have to pay back your severance if you get a new job within six months, or if you say anything bad about the company. These rules are often unenforceable, but you wouldn’t know that without a legal review.
We catch these problems before you sign. That’s what a severance pay attorney does.
The Clause No One Notices Until It’s Too Late
Page seven. Paragraph twelve. It’s buried in the middle of a long section about “mutual non-disparagement.”
It says you can’t give information to government agencies that might investigate the company. Not OSHA. Not the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Not the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
This clause is illegal. California law says agreements can’t stop you from reporting violations to government agencies. Still, these clauses show up in severance agreements all the time.
Why? Because most people never read page seven. They skim the document and focus on the money. They miss the trap.
How Much Money Are You Leaving on the Table?
California law doesn’t force employers to offer severance. But once they do, that offer is up for negotiation. And employers expect negotiation.
Think about what’s missing from that first offer:
- Unused vacation time (you’re legally owed this under California Labor Code section 227.3)
- Prorated bonuses for work you’ve already done
- Faster vesting on stock options
- Employer-paid COBRA coverage
- Help with finding a new job
- A neutral reference letter
A severance negotiation lawyer helps even the odds.
We’ve seen employers raise offers by 50% or more when someone pushes back. We’ve seen them add six more months of health coverage. We’ve seen them pay out bonuses they first refused.
What Happens If You Just Walk Away?
Here’s something most people don’t realize: you can say no to the severance offer.
You don’t have to sign. You can walk away, keep your legal rights, and sue for wrongful termination if you have a case.
Sometimes that’s the smarter move. If your employer broke California law, your legal claims could be worth much more than what they’re offering.
In 2024, a California jury gave $34.7 million to a former Walmart employee in a wrongful termination case. That’s an extreme example, but it gets the point across: severance isn’t always your best option.
A severance package lawyer looks at both choices. Sign and take the money, or reject it and go to court. We crunch the numbers, review your claims, and tell you which option is better for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does a severance agreement lawyer actually do?
We go through your agreement line by line, spot any unfair or illegal terms, negotiate for better pay and benefits, and make sure you fully understand what you’re signing.
Q: Can you really negotiate better terms?
Absolutely. Your lawyer can negotiate for higher severance pay, longer health benefits, take out illegal clauses, and secure neutral references.
Q: What if my employer says the offer is non-negotiable?
That’s a pressure tactic. Almost every severance agreement can be negotiated. A severance lawyer knows which terms companies are willing to change.
Q: Should I review my severance agreement even if the money seems fair?
Definitely, you could be giving up valuable legal claims, agreeing to things that aren’t legal, or signing away your rights.
Q: What if I already signed?
Contact us immediately. If you’re over 40, you have seven days to change your mind under federal law. Even if that time has passed, we can sometimes challenge agreements with illegal terms.
Q: Will hiring a lawyer make my former employer angry?
Employers expect people to get legal advice. If a company threatens to take back an offer just because you hired a lawyer, they’re creating legal trouble for themselves.
Your Next Move
That stack of papers is still sitting on your kitchen table. The deadline’s getting close.
Send us your agreement. We’ll review it for free and tell you what’s wrong and what we can fix.
Don’t sign out of fear. Don’t sign because you’re confused. And definitely don’t sign until you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
Contact us today. Let’s go over your severance agreement together and make sure you’re protected.
