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 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.
________________________ _________________________
(P rinted name) (P rinted 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
___________________