In many cases, when an employer lays an employee off, he or she will offer his or her employee a severance package. A severance package is an agreement that an employee will sign that essentially allows them to receive a final payment to help soften the blow of being out of work. The hope is that the severance package will be enough to help them along until they are able to find a new job. Of course, this sounds like a good deal, though you should always be careful about signing these agreements, as there are sometimes certain clauses that may actually not work to your benefit. Please continue reading and speak with our Atlanta employment law attorney to learn more about severance agreements and how our firm can help.

What do most severance agreements include?

Of course, your severance agreement will depend on your job, your standing at that job, and more, however, many severance agreements are offered to employees in an effort to assist them after being laid off. That being said, if your severance agreement includes any of the following, it may not actually work to your benefit:

• A non-solicitation clause: This prevents you from hiring any employees from the company in the future.
• A non-compete clause: This prohibits you from getting a job with a competing company in a substantially similar field.
• A proprietary information clause: This will protect all confidential information you know regarding your company. Of course, this makes sense in most situations, though there are times they may be unfairly constricting.
• A non-disparagement clause: This is so you cannot badmouth your company after leaving. This may obstruct the course of justice, however, if you witnessed wrongdoing.
• A release of legal claims: This will deny you the right to make a wrongful termination claim against your former employer.

How Our Firm Can Help

The truth is, while your agreement may seem fair, you should strongly consider hiring a Georgia employment law attorney before signing your agreement, as we can help ensure that your employer is not unfairly constricting future opportunities, silencing you from reporting wrongdoings or illicit activity, or otherwise harming you or putting you in danger. For any further questions, simply give us a call today.

CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED GEORGIA FIRM

If you need help with an employment law matter in the state of Georgia, you can count on Ben Barrett Law to effectively represent your interests. With over 30 years of experience, Attorney Barrett has the skill and experience necessary to help you navigate the complexities of any employment law matter you may be facing. To discuss your case with a legal team you can trust, please do not hesitate to contact Ben Barrett Law today.