Illinois Severance Lawyers
FAQs about Our Severance Agreement Services
Just like in some states, severance is not a requirement when an employer terminates or lays off an employee in Illinois. This doesn’t mean that severance is not available to Illinois workers. In fact, severance agreements are quite common, especially for high-earning employees and those who have been with a particular company for a long time. However, you will need an Illinois severance lawyer to ensure that the agreement you are getting into is favorable.
Severance agreements can be quite tricky, especially to individuals who know very little about labor laws. Over the years, we have noticed that clients have a lot of questions on their minds. Here are answers to some of the Frequently Asked Questions about our Severance Agreement Services:
Q: Is Severance Pay Required By Law?
A: As stated in the introductory part, severance agreement is not a requirement when an employer decides to lay off staff. Also, there is no federal law that makes it compulsory.
Q: Am I Automatically Entitled To Severance Package If My Employer Has A Severance Package?
A: Not really. Employers have the right to determine terms of severance plans. This means some employees will be qualified to get it while some others do not qualify. You need to find out if you are eligible, according to the terms of the plan.
Q: How Much Should I Get In A Severance Package?
A: Again, this will depend on your employer, so it varies significantly from one organization to another. Some offer as little as one or two weeks of salary as severance pay. There may be different plans for different tiers of employees, too.
Q: Can My Employer Make Me Sign An Agreement Not To Sue In Exchange For Severance Package?
A: This normally depends on whether you are eligible for the severance package. If according to the terms of your employment, you are qualified for severance, the employer can make you sign a release of claims. If, on the other hand, you are not qualified for a severance package, the employer can make you sign an agreement not to sue in exchange for a severance package.
Q: There Was A Severance Plan In Place, And Now It Is No More, Can I Do Anything To Get Paid?
A: Employers can cancel a severance package at any time, but you can establish a right to severance if you have an employment contract that states that you will be paid severance, a current employee handbook states that employees will be paid severance, and the employer has consistently paid severance in a manner that made you reasonably believe that you will be paid severance if you are laid off.
Q: I Am A Little Confused About The Worth Of My Severance Package. Should I Just Accept It?
A: If you are concerned about the worth of the severance package you are being offered, you can always talk to Chicago severance negotiation attorneys. Experienced Illinois employment lawyers can always help you figure out the best decision to take in such an instance.
Are you having an issue that requires the attention of Illinois severance attorneys? Contact Morgan and Taylor for a free consultation on 847.816.8100.