Florida Attorney Advises Employees on Severance Packages
Negotiating and enforcing beneficial agreements in Palm Beach County
Florida is an at-will employment state, which means that you can quit or your employer can fire you at any time without cause or notice. Although two weeks notice is considered good business etiquette, there is no rule that mandates such a time frame. Your employer could therefore inform you that today is your last day on the job, leaving you without a paycheck as early as tomorrow. Pfeffer & Associates is a premier employment law firm in Jupiter. Our attorneys have advocated for the rights of Florida employees for almost 30 years.
We can negotiate the terms of a severance package that puts you in the best position possible position should you ever leave or be let go from your company. In addition, if your employer refuses to abide by a severance agreement, we can seek to enforce your rights under Florida’s employment laws.
Are you entitled to a severance package?
A severance package guarantees you wages, a monetary payout, healthcare, stocks or other benefits as a condition of your employment termination. A well-negotiated package can provide a comfortable cushion between jobs or a reward for the years of service you gave to your former company. However, you do not have the right to a severance package under Florida law. Instead, you must negotiate with your employer for this benefit.
Most employees do not receive severance packages, but if you have signed a severance contract, your employer is required to abide by its terms or be in breach of contract. Your employer is also prohibited from engaging discriminatory practices in the allocation of severance package benefits. For example, if the company’s regular practice is to grant severance benefits to outgoing executives, your employer cannot deny you equal terms because of your:
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Terms of your severance package
Severance packages can include a variety of terms, obligations and rights. In some cases, the contract only applies if the company lets you go without cause. Some contracts also grant benefits if you leave your job under certain conditions. Almost all severance packages contain provisions that deny benefits if you are fired for violations of company policy or nonperformance of your job tasks. For this reason, your employer may claim that you were fired for cause to avoid paying you under the terms negotiated in your contract — an intolerable situation for which you should seek legal counsel from our employment law firm to rectify.
Negotiate and enforce the terms of your severance package in St. Lucie County
For more information about your rights to a severance package from your Florida job, call Pfeffer & Associates at 561-745-8011 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. Our firm accepts employment cases on a contingency fee basis.