Severance Agreement between Employee and Employer
Severance Agreement made on the _____________________ (date), between
_____________________ (Name of Employer) of ________________
___________________________________________________ (street address, city,
state, zip code) , referred to herein as Employer, and ______________________
(Name of Employee) , of _____________________
______________________________________________ (street address, city, state,
zip code) , referred to herein as Employee.
Whereas, Employee is leaving the employment of ___________________
(Name of Employer) effective ________________ (date); 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
___________________ (date and time). 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 CompensationIf 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. IndemnificationFor 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 AgreementThis 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 LawThis 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.
________________________ _________________________
(Printed name) (Printed name)
________________________ _________________________
(Signature of Employer) (Signature of Employee)
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 ___________________ (Name of Employee), who
acknowledged that he executed the above and foregoing instrument.
__________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
My commission expires:
SEAL
___________________