Negotiate a severance agreement before you sign the release
The agreement decoded clause by clause, the leverage inventoried (unvested equity, unused PTO, the claims you would be releasing, notice-law exposure), a written counter sent inside the review window, and a signed deal with improved cash, benefits continuation, references, and non-disparagement running both ways.
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Who it's for
Employees handed a severance packet with a signature deadline, especially workers 40 and older whose release carries a statutory ADEA review period, and anyone whose agreement bundles non-compete, non-solicit, or non-disparagement clauses with the money. Also fits managers and executives with unvested equity, where the gap between the first offer and a good deal is widest.
About this playbook
This guide takes an employee handed a severance packet from the moment the deadline appears on the release to a signed agreement that pays more and protects more. You will pin down the statutory clocks that govern the offer, decode the release clause by clause, inventory the claims and equity you actually hold, and send one written counter inside the review window. Each phase ends in a concrete artifact: a dated calendar, a clause-by-clause breakdown, a leverage list, a counter letter, and a signed release with its revocation period tracked. The process is designed to stand in for a full attorney review, and it marks the one point where a paid one-hour review is still worth the money. It does not cover negotiating a new salary, litigating a wrongful termination, or filing the payout for taxes.
What you'll do, step by stepFree preview
Only a sample is open: 4 of 23 steps can be read in full. The rest unlock when you buy.
Phase 1: Fix the deadlines and the governing rules
4 stepsPhase 2: Decode the agreement clause by clause
5 stepsPhase 3: Inventory your leverage and set your targets
4 stepsPhase 4: Write and send the counter
5 stepsPhase 5: Close the deal and guard the revocation window
5 steps
Details
What you need first
A severance packet in hand with a printed deadline; your state of employment (for wage-payment and accrued-leave rules); your last pay stub, PTO balance, and bonus plan documents; the employment contract or offer letter if one exists; and current equity statements if you hold RSUs, options, or ESPP shares. The guide assumes the employer has offered severance and wants it signed — in most states at-will employment means severance is not owed, and this guide does not create an entitlement where none exists.
