Minneapolis Severance Package Negotiation Lawyers

Severance packages are financial agreements employers offer to employees who are being laid off or terminated. These packages can include various compensation and benefits to support the employee during a transitional time. 

While the specific terms can vary widely, standard components of a severance package may include a lump-sum payment, continuation of health benefits, outplacement services, accrued vacation or sick pay, and sometimes stock options or retirement benefits. Severance packages are crucial as they provide a financial safety net after a job loss, which can be a time of significant economic uncertainty.

Whether you are departing a job voluntarily or due to less favorable circumstances, the details of your severance package can profoundly impact your financial stability and career trajectory. 

Engaging the services of an employment law attorney from RWI Law to negotiate your severance agreement is a prudent decision. We are here to protect your interests and secure the best possible outcome. Our mission is to enable you to move forward with as much security as possible during a stressful time. We serve clients in Hennepin County and throughout the Twin Cities Metro.

Consult a Minneapolis severance package negotiation attorney by reaching RWI Law online or at (320) 408-2614. 

Negotiating for Optimum Severance Terms

Regardless of the underlying situation behind a severance package, you don’t have to be held captive to what is offered. Terms can be negotiated, allowing you to make the most of an opportunity. However, putting skilled legal advocates on your side who know how to seize such an opportunity can be invaluable. 

Employers may voluntarily offer a severance package, even if they are not legally required, for several reasons. They may wish to maintain a positive employer-employee relationship by supporting a valued employee through a transition. 

On the other hand, by offering a severance package, employers may seek to reduce the risk of potential legal disputes or claims from a departing employee. The agreement may include releasing employment law claims, which protects the employer from future legal actions. These claims may involve discrimination, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, or whistleblower retaliation.

A severance package may also be offered with provisions for noncompetition. However, non-competes are no longer legally enforceable in Minnesota. 

Non-solicitation clauses may also be written into severance agreements. These clauses aim to protect the employer's business relationships, customers, clients, and employees from being poached or solicited by departing employees. 

Where such provisions are too restrictive or overly comprehensive, they can limit your ability to pursue future opportunities. For these reasons, consulting with one of our attorneys is vital when negotiating or evaluating severance package terms. 

Common Terms in Severance Packages

Terms can potentially include the following, depending on the circumstances: 

• Severance pay: This is usually calculated based on the employee's length of service and current salary, providing a financial cushion post-termination.
• Health benefits: Continuing coverage through COBRA or an extended employer-sponsored plan.
• Outplacement services: Assistance with job search, resume writing, and career coaching.
• Unused vacation or sick leave: Compensation for accrued but unused leave days.
• Stock options: Exercise or vesting of stock options may be included.
• Confidentiality agreements: Terms ensuring that proprietary company information remains confidential.
• References: Provision of a positive reference or neutral reference terms.
• Retirement benefits: Adjustment of retirement plan terms, including early withdrawals without penalties.

Severance packages are typically offered to specific categories of employees, particularly those in higher-level positions such as executives, managers, and long-term employees. C-suite executives and upper management are often provided with more substantial severance agreements due to their integral roles and potential insider knowledge of company operations. 

Additionally, employees with lengthy tenures may receive severance to acknowledge their service years and provide support as they transition to new employment. Companies may also offer severance packages to employees during mass layoffs or restructuring processes to soften the impact of sudden job loss and maintain goodwill. 

Providing severance packages can ultimately depend on company policy, industry standards, and individual employment contracts.

Why Choose RWI Law?

Executives leave organizations under many circumstances and for many reasons. You may be departing for a more appealing or financially rewarding opportunity. In other cases, your working relationship may have deteriorated. Disputes may have become unresolvable, or other economic factors may underlie a need to move on. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding them, severance package terms can significantly impact your financial and career future. 

Navigating the complexities of a severance package without skilled guidance can be daunting and may lead to missed opportunities or unfavorable terms. By enlisting one of our seasoned employment lawyers, every aspect of your severance agreement can be meticulously evaluated and negotiated for the best possible outcome. 

Reach out to our Minneapolis severance package negotiation lawyers to safeguard your financial stability and professional aspirations during this critical transition.

Contact RWI Law at (320) 408-2614 for legal help today.