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Employment Contracts & Severance Packages in New York, NY
Employment Contracts and Restrictive Covenants
Starting a new job is usually an exciting time, whether you were out of work or the company is offering you more money to leave your current employer. Most employers give you a stack of papers to review and sign to get started. While your first instinct is to sign whatever they put in front of you and not "rock the boat" by asking questions, it is very important that you review these documents and consult with an attorney. Most employers' standard employment agreements are very one-sided and protect the employer more than they protect the employee, but most employers are willing to negotiate.
Even if you are an at-will employee that does not have an employment contract, many companies ask new employees to sign confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements as part of the hiring process. You should always consult with an attorney before you sign any of these agreements. At the very least, you should know what you are signing and how it will affect your ability to move to another company down the road.
Severance Agreements
Losing your job can be an incredibly stressful and shocking experience. Most employers provide terminated employees with a "standard" severance agreement that they want the employee to sign to receive severance benefits. What they often fail to explain is that the severance agreement waives any right that you might have to sue the company for any reason or to receive any additional compensation. Before signing a severance agreement, you should consult with an attorney to discuss what the agreement means and whether you can negotiate additional severance or remove some of the provisions that might prevent you from working in the future.
When it comes to drafting and negotiating employment contracts, restrictive covenants and severance agreements, employers typically have big law firms working for them. You should have an attorney with experience negotiating these terms to look out for your interests. Here at the Filosa Graff Law Firm, we have experience reviewing hundreds of agreements and covenants and are prepared to assist you in protecting yourself as much as possible. You can contact us by calling (212) 256-1780 or Filling Out The Form Here.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. PRIOR RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIMILAR OUTCOME. Please consult an attorney for advice about your individual situation. The information on this site is not legal advice, nor is it intended to be.
