Does My Employer Have to Give Me Severance Pay?

The Rules About Severance Pay

There is no legal requirement to offer severance pay in Massachusetts. Many employers, however, have severance policies. Many others decide to offer severance in exchange for a release of legal claims. This may be because they are worried about claims you might have. Sometimes it is just offered as a matter of course, or to

If you are fired without a severance package, and think you might have a legal claim against your employer, it is important to talk to an employment lawyer. You may be able to negotiate a severance if you can convince your employer that they may be liable for some aspect of your termination.

If you have been given a severance proposal to consider, it is also important to consult an attorney. You likely will have limited time to make a decision, and the agreement could require you to release claims that have a higher value than what you have been offered. There are also often terms in severance agreements that you will want to consider carefully, such as new non-compete or non-solicit obligations.

Learn more here about evaluating a severance agreement.