Losing a job is disorienting enough on its own. Then the packet arrives: a release, some clauses, a dollar figure, and a signature line with a date circled. Nearly every client asks us the same question in the first five minutes. Do I have to sign this?

The short answer is no. A severance agreement is an offer. You are being offered money you are not otherwise owed, in exchange for rights you currently hold. Whether that trade is fair depends on what rights you actually have, and most people have no way to price their own claims without help.

What you are giving up

A release is not housekeeping. A typical one waives every claim you have against the employer, known or unknown, from discrimination to unpaid overtime. Many add non-disparagement clauses that bind only you, cooperation promises, and sometimes restrictions that follow you to your next job.

If you were let go in a way that smells wrong, fired three weeks after a complaint, replaced by someone half your age, or shorted on overtime for years, you may be selling a real case for the price of six weeks of salary.

Protections for workers 40 and over

Federal law adds a guardrail for age claims. If you are 40 or older and the release covers age discrimination, you must be given at least 21 days to consider it, and 7 days to revoke after you sign. In group terminations the consideration period is 45 days and the employer must disclose information about who else was let go. An agreement that skips these rules may not release your age claim at all.

Things worth negotiating

Money is the obvious one, but often not the most valuable. We regularly negotiate reference language (who at the company will confirm your dates and title), a neutral announcement, payment timing, and narrowing of clauses that would handicap your next job. Employers expect a conversation here more than most employees realize.

One more check

If you are signing, confirm how the payment interacts with unemployment. A severance can affect the timing of benefits in Pennsylvania depending on how it is structured, and a well-drafted agreement addresses it. Ours reviews are flat fee, and for straightforward agreements we often charge nothing at all. Bring the deadline, but do not let the deadline drive the decision.

Have a question about your own situation? The consultation is free. Call (215) 555-0148 or send us a message.