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What Should I Know if I am Over 40 and Offered a Severance Package?

First, any time you are offered a severance agreement that includes signing a release of claims, you should consult with an employment lawyer to better understand whether you have legal claims against your employer that may be worth more than what they are offering you.

Second, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA") and related laws and regulations include specific requirements for a release of age discrimination claims to be effective.  These include:
  • You must be given 21 days to consider the agreement before signing
  • Once you sign, you must be given a seven-day period in which you have the right to revoke, or cancel, the agreement
  • If your termination is part of a layoff or reorganization, the employer must disclose to you by department, role and age, which employees were and were not included in the layoff.  This document can be confusing to read, but the intent is to allow you or your lawyer to assess whether older workers were disproportionately affected by the layoff or reorganization.

Learn more here about severance packages in Massachusetts.

Need Help With an Age Discrimination Question?

Call (781) 784-2322
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Schedule a Free Information Call
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  • Home
  • About
    • Reviews
    • Slnlaw Offices
    • Blog
    • slnlaw core values
    • Publications and Interviews
    • New Client Intake and Consultation
    • Contact
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Andrew Silvia
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Employment Law Solutions
  • Estate Planning
  • Business Law Solutions
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • Legal FAQs
    • Estate Planning FAQs
    • Probate FAQs
    • Small Business FAQs
    • Wage Act FAQs
    • Commission Pay FAQs
    • Overtime FAQs
    • Independent Contractor FAQs
    • Non Compete FAQs
    • Employment Discrimination FAQs
    • Employment Termination FAQs
    • Massachusettts Unemployment FAQs
    • Severance Package FAQs
    • Medical Leave FAQs
    • Sexual Harassment FAQs
    • Employer FAQs
    • Civil Lawsuit FAQs