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Severance Agreement

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Severance Agreement between Employee and Employer

Severance Agreement made on the , between of , referred to herein as Employer, and , of , referred to herein as Employee.

Whereas, Employee is leaving the employment of effective ; and

Whereas, Employee and Employer desire to enter into an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the termination of Employee’s employment with Employer;

Now, therefore, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1. Termination of Employment

Employee’s employment with Employer will be terminated effective on . For and in consideration of the severance pay as set forth herein, Employee agrees that Employer has no obligation, contractual or otherwise, to rehire, reemploy, recall or hire Employee in the future.

2. Termination of Benefits

It is understood and agreed that Employee’s employment benefits have been terminated, including health care coverage unless Employee elects to continue his coverage as provided under the provisions of the Federal Legislation known as COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). Employee acknowledges that he will be provided with proper notice of his rights under COBRA. Should Employee elect to continue such medical insurance coverage under COBRA, he shall be solely responsible for the timely payment of insurance premiums due from and after the effective date of termination of him employment with Employer, unless and to the extent he may be due the subsidy provided by the temporary federal subsidy provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Notwithstanding the foregoing Employer agrees to pay Employee the sum of $ to reimburse the Employee for one month of COBRA payments.

3. Severance Pay

In exchange for the execution and non-revocation of this Agreement by Employee, Employer shall pay to Employee the sum of $ less normal federal and state tax withholdings, to be paid in normal payroll installments, following the execution and non-revocation of this Severance Agreement by Employee. This payment shall be in lieu of any other payment including any sales commissions that would have been due Employee had Employee continued his employment with Employer.

4. Unemployment Compensation

If Employee files for unemployment compensation with the state of , Employer agrees not to contest same.

5. Release and Covenant not to Sue

For the consideration of receiving severance pay and other benefits pursuant to this Agreement, and as an inducement to Employer to give same, Employee, for himself, his heirs, administrators, executors and assigns, has released and discharged, and by these presents does hereby release and discharge Employer, his agents, servants and Employees, and any and all other persons, firms, partnerships, associations, parent corporations, subsidiary corporations, or other corporations who are or may be liable in any manner whatsoever for their acts, or for the acts of any of them (said parties being hereinafter collectively referred to as the Releasees), jointly and severally, of and from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, suits and damages of every kind and nature whatsoever which Employee may have, or claim to have, for damages, back pay, front pay, benefits, costs, losses and expenses of every kind or nature whatsoever, whether known or unknown, anticipated or unanticipated, accrued through the date of this Severance Agreement, caused by, resulting from, growing out of or in any manner connected with Employee’s employment with Employer and the termination of Employee’s employment, including, but not limited to; claims of wrongful discharge; claims for breach of contract; whistleblower claims; bad faith claims; claims of employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, handicap, disability, genetic information, or Veterans’ status brought under any federal, state, or local law, including, but not limited to claims under the Title Vii of the Civil Rights Act (“Title VII”), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”)(except for vested benefits); the Americans With Disabilities Act (“ADA”); the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA:”), the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), and all other federal and state statutes applicable to employment; and claims brought under any common law theory based on federal, state, or local law.

The Severance Pay and other agreements are hereby acknowledged by Employee to be and is received by him in full and complete compromise, settlement, accord and satisfaction for any and all claims against Releasees, and that Employee is not otherwise entitled to this consideration. For this same consideration, Employee does hereby covenant and agree that he will never make any demand or claim which he may have or claim to have, or commence or permit to be commenced and prosecuted any action at law or in equity, or any administrative or other proceeding of any kind against the Releasees, or any of them, arising or resulting from, growing out of or in any manner connected with his employment with Employer and the termination of such employment, provided that this provision does not preclude the filing for unemployment compensation. It is further understood and agreed that this Agreement is executed and delivered as the compromise and settlement of doubtful and disputed claims, and that there is no admission of liability on the part of the Releasees, or any of them, but on the other hand, the Releasees, and each of them, specifically deny any such liability to Employee.

6. Indemnification

For the same consideration and as an inducement to give same, Employee further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Releasees, and each of them, from and against any and all claims, losses or damages arising out of, resulting from or in any way connected with Employee’s employment with Employer and the termination of his employment.

7. Further Assurances of Employee

In executing and delivering this Severance Agreement, Employee relies wholly upon his own judgment, knowledge and belief as to the nature, extent and duration of any damage which he may have suffered or sustained as the result of him employment with Employer and the termination of him employment. Employee further represents and warrants that he has not been influenced by any representations, statements or warranties made by the Releasees, or by any agent or other person representing any of them, concerning the nature, extent or duration of the damages or losses, or the legal liability thereof. Employee certifies that he is of legal age, under no disability of any kind which would preclude him from being fully and completely competent to execute this Severance Agreement in him own behalf, and that he has fully read and completely understood this Severance Agreement, or has had this Severance Agreement explained to him by him attorney.

8. Effective Date

The effective date of this Severance Agreement shall be the day following Employee’s execution of this Severance Agreement.

9. Confidentiality and Disparagement Provisions

Employee shall, aside from discussing the Severance Agreement with him tax preparers or other representatives, keep the existence and terms of this Severance Agreement completely confidential. Employee further agrees that he will not make negative statements concerning Employer or its agents or to other Employees of Employer or to any third parties, except as may be required under federal or state law with respect to matters, if any, pending before any state or federal agency. Employee agrees that for breach of the terms of this paragraph, Employee will pay to Employer and/or its successor, as liquidated damages, a sum equal to the Severance Pay payable to Employee under this Release Agreement, as well as any costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in pursuing said liquidated damages.

10. OWBPA Provisions

Employee hereby acknowledges that this waiver is knowingly and voluntarily executed; that the Agreement specifically refers to rights or claims arising under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act; that Employee waives all rights or claims against Employer and the other Releasees as of the date this release is executed; that Employee waives rights or claims only in exchange for consideration in addition to anything of value to which Employee is entitled; that, prior to signing this Agreement, Employee has been advised in writing to consult with an attorney before signing this Agreement; and that Employee has been given a period of at least twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Agreement. It is further understood that for a period of seven (7) days following the execution of this Agreement, Employee may revoke this Agreement by delivering a written notice of revocation to Employer on or before the seventh (7th) day following the execution of this Agreement.

11. Entire Agreement

This Severance Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the termination of Employee’s employment and with respect to any wages and benefits (except for vested benefits under the Employer pension plan, if any) to which Employee may be entitled as a result of Employee having been an Employee of Employer. This Severance Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties, both oral and written, with respect to its subject matter.

12. Confidential or Proprietary Information

Confidential or Proprietary Information furnished by Employer to Employee with respect to the products and services and the sales procedures, customer lists, company price structure, company product pricing, company financial, procedures, and related material is designated by Employer as confidential or proprietary shall be held by Employee in confidence. All such confidential and proprietary information, including all copies of such information, and any other information not specifically designated by Employer for release to the public that may have come into the possession of Employee during the term of Employee’s employment with Employer, including all copies of such information, shall be delivered to Employer when requested to do so by Employer without making or retaining copies or excerpts of such information. Disclosure of any such confidential or proprietary information in violation of this Agreement will result in immediate payment by Employee to Employer of the sum of $ as liquidated damages.

13. Severability

The invalidity of any portion of this Agreement will not and shall not be deemed to affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, the parties agree that the remaining provisions shall be deemed to be in full force and effect as if they had been executed by both parties subsequent to the expungement of the invalid provision.

14. No Waiver

The failure of either party to this Agreement to insist upon the performance of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, or the waiver of any breach of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall not be construed as subsequently waiving any such terms and conditions, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect as if no such forbearance or waiver had occurred.

15. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of .

16. Notices

Any notice provided for or concerning this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given when sent by certified or registered mail if sent to the respective address of each party as set forth at the beginning of this Agreement.

17. Mandatory Arbitration

Any dispute under this Agreement shall be required to be resolved by binding arbitration of the parties hereto. If the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator, each party shall select one arbitrator and both arbitrators shall then select a third. The third arbitrator so selected shall arbitrate said dispute. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties and any prior understanding or representation of any kind preceding the date of this Agreement shall not be binding upon either party except to the extent incorporated in this Agreement.

19. Modification of Agreement

Any modification of this Agreement or additional obligation assumed by either party in connection with this Agreement shall be binding only if placed in writing and signed by each party or an authorized representative of each party.

20. In this Agreement, any reference to a party includes that party's heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, singular includes plural and masculine includes feminine.

WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.



Acknowledgements may vary by state.

State of

County of

Personally appeared before me, the undersigned authority in and for the said county and state, on this day of , 20, within my jurisdiction, the within named , who acknowledged that he executed the above and foregoing instrument.

__________________________

NOTARY PUBLIC

My commission expires:

SEAL

Enter text✕

What a Severance Agreement Is and When It Applies

A Severance Agreement is a written contract between an employer and departing employee that specifies separation terms, including severance pay, benefit continuation, release of claims, confidentiality, and post-employment obligations. These agreements often resolve employment termination issues, set timelines for payment and return of property, and may include non-disparagement or non-compete clauses. While not required by law, severance agreements are widely used to manage risk, provide clear exit terms, and document mutual obligations; they can be executed on paper or electronically where ESIGN and applicable state law permit.

Why a Clear Severance Agreement Matters

A clear severance agreement reduces litigation risk, defines employer and employee expectations, and documents consideration and release terms. It helps preserve company reputation and ensures payroll and tax treatment are handled consistently with applicable law, including any age-related protections or required disclosures.

Why a Clear Severance Agreement Matters

Who Typically Prepares and Signs Severance Agreements

Employers, HR professionals, and counsel typically draft severance agreements; departing employees review and sign them.

  • Human Resources teams and managers handling workforce exits and benefits administration.
  • Corporate counsel or employment attorneys preparing releases and compliance language.
  • Departing employees or their counsel reviewing consideration, releases, and revocation periods.

Use clear internal roles for drafting, review, and signature routing to ensure legal requirements and payroll actions are completed on schedule.

Key Roles Involved in Execution

HR Manager

An HR Manager coordinates the severance offer, confirms payroll calculations and benefit continuation, and ensures the signed agreement is stored per retention policy. They typically initiate the document and manage internal approvals.

Corporate Counsel

Corporate Counsel drafts or reviews release language, confirms compliance with statutes that may affect validity, and advises on negotiation points like tax treatment and confidentiality clauses.

Security and Compliance Considerations

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest.
Audit Trail: Time-, IP-, and action-stamped signing record.
HIPAA: BAA required for PHI-containing agreements.
21 CFR Part 11: Available for FDA-regulated records.
Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO support.
Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced signer verification.

Step-by-Step: Prepare and Complete a Severance Agreement

Follow a clear sequence from drafting to execution to ensure legal compliance and timely payment.

  • 01
    Gather Information: Collect employment dates, pay rate, and benefits to calculate severance.
  • 02
    Draft Terms: Create release, consideration, confidentiality, and governing law clauses.
  • 03
    Legal Review: Have counsel verify release language and any age-related protections.
  • 04
    Execute & Record: Sign, distribute copies, and update payroll and retention systems.

How Electronic Execution Works for Severance Agreements

Electronic signing follows a standard workflow that preserves intent, attribution, and record retention consistent with ESIGN and state law.

  • Upload Document: Sender uploads the agreement as PDF or DOCX.
  • Place Fields: Add signature, date, and conditional fields where required.
  • Invite Signers: Send secure email or link to each signer or their counsel.
  • Capture Audit Trail: Platform logs timestamps, IP addresses, and actions.

Configuring an Online Severance Agreement Workflow

Set up fields and authentication to match legal needs and internal approval steps before sending the agreement for signature.

Field Configuration
Signature Field Required; signer signs and date auto-populates.
Date Field MM/DD/YYYY format enforced.
Initials Field Use for page-by-page acknowledgment.
Conditional Release Show full release only after checkbox confirmation.

Technical and Integration Considerations for eSigning

Use a platform that supports required authentication, audit trails, and integrations with HR and payroll systems.

  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace supported.
  • Document Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML uploads accepted.
  • Authentication Options: Email, SMS, KBA, and SSO methods.

Ensure your eSignature provider can export signed PDFs with embedded audit trails and integrate with payroll and recordkeeping systems to automate tax reporting and retention tasks.

Essential Components to Include in a Severance Agreement

A professional severance agreement should be clear, complete, and tailored to the separation circumstances to reduce future disputes.

Parties

Identify the employer entity and the employee by legal name and include any DBA or related entity specifically responsible for payment.

Severance Pay

Specify gross amount, payment schedule, tax withholding, and whether payments are lump sum or installments.

Benefits Continuation

Describe COBRA, health plan continuation, and employer-paid portions with start and end dates.

Release of Claims

Include clear, knowing, and voluntary release language tailored to applicable statutes and any age discrimination protections.

Confidentiality

Specify confidentiality and non-disparagement obligations and any permitted disclosures to counsel or tax advisors.

Governing Law

Name the state law that will interpret the agreement and any venue provisions for disputes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing an Agreement

  • Vague consideration language that fails to state exact payment terms and timing, creating enforceability disputes.
  • Omitting required age-related disclosures when a release is for an older worker and state or federal protections may apply.
  • Incorrect or inconsistent party names that cause confusion over who is bound to pay or who is releasing claims.
  • Failing to record the signed document and update payroll and benefits systems, which delays payments and tax reporting.

Risks If the Agreement Is Incorrect or Unenforceable

Unenforceable Release: Release may be invalid.
Tax Misreporting: Incorrect W-2/1099 reporting.
Litigation Exposure: Increased legal costs and damages.
Benefit Errors: Improper COBRA handling.
Breach of Privacy: Unauthorized PHI disclosure risk.
Delayed Payment: Cashflow and compliance issues.

Key Timing and Reporting Deadlines to Track

Severance execution triggers payroll and reporting actions; track deadlines for payments, tax reporting, and any statutory revocation periods.

Payment Timing:

Follow the payment schedule set in the agreement to avoid wage claims.

W-2 Reporting:

Severance paid as wages is reported on Form W-2 by January 31 following the tax year.

1099 Consideration:

Independent contractor-like payments may require Form 1099-NEC by January 31.

Revocation Windows:

Certain older-worker releases may include statutory revocation windows; consult counsel for specifics.

Record Retention:

Retain executed agreements per your retention policy and applicable federal standards.

Typical Milestones in a Severance Process

A sequential timeline helps coordinate approvals, signing, and payment distribution across HR, payroll, and legal teams.

01

Negotiation

Terms are proposed and revised between employer and employee.

02

Internal Approval

HR and counsel sign off before finalizing the offer.

03

Execution

Employee and employer sign; eSignature or wet signature captured.

04

Payment & Closure

Severance paid, benefits adjusted, and records updated.

Comparing eSignature Options for Executing Severance Agreements

Select an eSignature provider that supports enforceable signatures, audit trails, and any required compliance (for example HIPAA BAA). Pricing and feature sets vary by plan and organization size.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Trial available Trial available Trial available Trial available
Bulk Send Yes Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Practical Severance Scenarios and Typical Outcomes

Below are two example scenarios that illustrate common severance approaches and issues employers address in practice.

Scenario — Mid-Level Separation

An HR manager offers two weeks' pay per year of service as consideration, with a confidentiality clause to protect trade secrets.

  • Negotiation centered on payment timing and counsel review.
  • The parties executed electronically; payroll processed the lump sum within the stated schedule and documents were retained per company policy.

Scenario — Executive Exit

An executive negotiates a six-month salary continuation and enhanced outplacement benefits in exchange for a broad release and non-solicitation covenant.

  • Counsel added tailored release language.
  • Signatures were captured via secure eSignature with audit trail; company coordinated tax withholding and benefits termination dates.

Frequently Asked Questions About Severance Agreements and eSigning

Common questions cover enforceability, revocation options, tax reporting, and whether electronic signatures are valid; answers focus on practical compliance steps.


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