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Employment Lawyer Rutger Heymann is a member of the California Sate Bar and provides legal services throughout the San Jose and the South Bay Areas including the cities of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Redwood City and Foster City, as well as the communities within and adjacent to the Santa Clara Valley (Silicon Valley), from San Francisco to Gilroy, and from Walnut Creek to Oakland, Alameda, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore and Hollister.

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The Law Offices of Rutger Heyman

4 North Second Street, Suite 550

San Jose, CA 95113

Phone: (408) 297-7100

Fax: (408) 297-7110

Office Location & Information

Email Rutger Heymann, Esq.

Compensation, Severance, and Transition

Compensation and Severance Pay Attorney San Jose, CA

What is Severance Pay?

Severance pay is generally a payment of money, and in some cases benefits, that the employer gives the employee upon discharge or termination in order to help them make a transition to a new job or career. When an employee leaves a company, they may be offered a severance agreement, separation agreement or severance package to compensate for the years of service they provided to the employer.

A severance agreement, separation agreement or severance pay may be one of the most important documents you will ever sign. Be aware that a severance agreement could prohibit you from continuing to work in your field or prevent you from filing a lawsuit against the company. Therefore, it is important that an employment attorney review the terms of the severance agreement prior to you signing it.

Many employees think that if they are laid off along with many other employees that they have no rights to seek severance pay or if they are offered a severance agreement that they are powerless to seek additional benefits. This is not necessarily the case.

It is essential to consult with an experienced employment law attorney before signing a severance package offer. At the San Jose area Law Offices of Rutger Heymann I, Rutger Heymann, offer comprehensive employment law services, including helping employees who have questions concerning what to do with a severance package offer.

Choosing the Right Bay Area Severance Package Lawyer

Employers often low-ball their initial severance pay offer, hoping you will accept it quickly and move on. In addition, sometimes companies ask workers to sign Settlement Agreements and Releases in order to receive their severance pay. These legal documents often require that the worker waive all their legal rights to sue, to work for a competitor company, or prevent them from collecting unemployment. In many cases, my negotiation skills allow me to negotiate additional severance pay for laid off and fired workers that go far beyond the initial offers from employers.

Contact Employment Law Attorney Rutger Heymann

If you have been the victim of workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or a hostile work environment you should always speak with a San Jose severance package attorney before signing any legal documents. You may be entitled to significant compensation. Laid-off workers should have these documents reviewed by an employment lawyer before signing them. Contact my San Jose office at 408-297-7100 or email me to discuss your severance package today.