Any separation or severance agreement should be carefully reviewed by the experienced employment lawyers of Lebau & Neuworth. Because severance and separation contracts can include legal ramifications that are often unnoticed by a non-lawyer, our severance agreement attorneys can thoroughly evaluate your contract, explain hidden legal consequences, and propose terms to be amended.
If you have recently been terminated or forced to resign from your position, reach out to Lebau & Neuworth at (410) 296-3030 today to discuss your severance agreement and make sure you understand what comes next.
Before You Sign: What a Severance Agreement Really Does
Severance agreements often arrive at unfortunate times. These agreements are complex legal documents designed primarily to protect your employer first.
Before signing anything, understanding the full implications of these agreement is necessary. Many employees overlook clauses that limit future opportunities or forfeit valuable rights. Lebau & Neuworth's employment lawyers can help clients spot these issues early and negotiate better outcomes.
Hidden Clauses That Cost You Money or Future Job Options
Severance agreements frequently include "hidden" provisions like non-disclosure requirements that prevent you from discussing your departure, potentially costing you networking opportunities or references.
Clawback clauses may demand repayment of bonuses or severance if you sue later, while overly broad non-compete agreements can block you from similar work in Maryland for years. Our attorneys know how to identify these traps, explain their real-world impact, and propose revisions to the contract to protect your career and finances.
Why “Standard” Severance Offers Usually Favor the Employer
What companies call a "standard" offer is rarely fair. It's drafted by their lawyers to minimize liability while providing just enough to encourage a quick signature. These agreements often undervalue your tenure, exclude earned commissions, or impose one-sided confidentiality without reciprocal protections for you.
Lebau & Neuworth can review your severance agreement to make sure these one-sided terms are excluded, examine them against Maryland law, and push for balanced revisions that reflect your true contributions to the company.
What Can Be Negotiated in a Maryland Severance Package?
Maryland employers must negotiate in good faith and severance packages offer significant room for improvement beyond the initial offer. With an experienced employment lawyer on your side, clients often secure higher payouts, extended benefits, and reduced restrictions.
At Lebau & Neuworth, we work to examine your employment history, company policy, or potential legal claims to strengthen your position in or out of court.
Pay, Bonuses, Commissions, and Benefits Continuation
Many Baltimore employees are unaware that you can negotiate increased severance pay plus full payout of accrued bonuses, commissions, and unused vacation. You also may be able to extend your COBRA benefits at the employer's expense or secure outplacement services and career coaching. Our lawyers press for these enhancements, ensuring your severance package covers your actual financial needs after termination.
Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, and Confidentiality Limits
At Lebau & Neuworth, we negotiate overly broad non-compete clauses by limiting them to specific roles, reasonable geographic areas, and shorter timeframes that Maryland courts can enforce or eliminate them completely when they're unjustified.
Non-solicit restrictions get scaled back to protect only the employer's legitimate interests, preserving your ability to work with clients you personally developed.
Confidentiality provisions become truly mutual, requiring the employer to safeguard your information too. Lebau & Neuworth’s severance attorneys can draft precise contracts that maintain your career mobility without unnecessary barriers.
Severance and Release Agreements: Know What Rights You’re Waiving
Every severance deal requires releasing claims against the employer, but the scope and fairness vary widely. Signing without review means permanently giving up rights to sue for discrimination, wage violations, or wrongful termination.
Lebau & Neuworth ensures you understand exactly what you're waiving and can negotiate terms that make the trade-off worthwhile.
Release of Claims: When It’s Fair and When It’s Not
A fair release covers known issues in exchange for adequate compensation, but unfair ones demand broad waivers of unknown future claims without sufficient payout.
Maryland's Older Worker Benefit Protection Act adds protections for employees over the age of 40, requiring 21-45 days to review and 7-day revocation periods. We assess if the release matches your leverage, advising walk-away if the deal undervalues your rights.
How Lebau & Neuworth Helps You Exit With Leverage
Facing a severance offer doesn't mean accepting defeat. Strategic representation turns it into an opportunity for a stronger exit. Lebau & Neuworth combines quick analysis with aggressive negotiation to secure a just and reasonable severance package. Clients benefit from our deep knowledge of Maryland employment law and proven track record in these high-stakes discussions.
Fast Review, Clear Advice, and Negotiation Strategy
We provide document reviews, breaking down terms in plain language and outlining risks, opportunities, and fallback positions. Our strategy leverages potential claims like discrimination or retaliation to demand better pay, neutralized restrictions, and positive references. Whether through direct negotiation or litigation threat, we secure terms that position you for success. Contact our employment law firm before you sign anything. We want to protect your future, give us a call at (410) 296-3030 to make that happen.
