Losing your job can be financially devastating for yourself and your family. Severance pay can serve as an important safeguard in such an upsetting situation. It is often granted to employees upon termination and is usually based on their length of hire with their employer. However, not all employers make this offer. If you have been denied severance pay or disagree with the amount that your employer is offering you, contact the employment law attorneys at Emery | Reddy, PLLC today.

What Is A Severance Agreement?

A severance agreement is a contract between an employer and an employee signed upon termination. Severance pay is then offered as part of that agreement, which may also contain other benefits such as continuation of healthcare known as Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) or job counseling services, thus creating a severance package. COBRA allows workers and their families the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary job loss.

Are Employers Required To Provide Severance Pay?

No. Employers are not required to offer severance pay as it is considered a voluntary benefit. However, if an employee was promised severance pay in an employment contract, company policy manual, or union contract, that promise must be upheld. If your employer denies you those benefits, you should contact an employment law attorney immediately.

How Is Severance Pay Calculated?

There is no set amount to which you are entitled as severance pay according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). It is often based upon length of employment, but there are no true guidelines for how much a terminated employee is entitled to receive.

What If I Am Denied Promised Severance Pay?

If you have been denied the severance pay that you have been promised by employment contract, company policy manual, or union contract, then it’s time to consult with an experienced Seattle employment law attorney. They can help you determine if you have a case, and what your options are. If needed, they can help you bring the case to court or help you negotiate a deal with your employer without ever stepping into a courtroom.

Employment law is complicated and can be overwhelming for anyone not familiar with it. Trying to hold a company accountable for bad business practices requires a skilled attorney to navigate the different laws and tactics an employer may use.

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Workers’ Rights 

As a Washington State employee, you are entitled to several protections and benefits under State and federal laws.

Document Review

A document review is a comprehensive consultation and analysis of your document’s legal language, context, and impact on your worker’s rights as an employee of Washington State.

Wrongful Termination

If you believe you are a victim of wrongful termination, you need an aggressive and experienced legal team to fight for the justice you deserve.

Meet The Team

The Seattle employment law attorneys at Emery | Reddy, PLLC are passionate about helping workers with employment law issues and L&I claims. We Help Workers®: it’s our motto and what drives us every day.

We know how companies think, and we understand the tactics they use. Our employment law attorneys use that knowledge coupled with over two decades of experience to help our clients get access to the L&I benefits to which they are legally entitled and hold employers accountable when they break the law.

If you’re struggling with an employment law issue, injury, or L&I claim, please call us and see how Emery | Reddy can help you today.