Zuckerman Law logo
  • Zuckerman Law logo
  • Our Team
    • Jason Zuckerman
    • Dallas Hammer
    • Matthew Stock, CPA
    • Locations
  • Services
    • Whistleblower Rewards and Bounties - SEC, CFTC, IRS and FCA
      • SEC Whistleblower Lawyers – Tier 1 Law Firm
      • International SEC Whistleblower Attorneys
      • SEC Whistleblower Attorney – Tier 1 Law Firm
      • CFTC Whistleblower Rewards Lawyers: How to Report Commodities Fraud and Get a CFTC Whistleblower Award
      • IRS Tax Fraud Whistleblower Reward Program
      • False Claims Act Resources for Whistleblowers
    • Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Corporate Whistleblower Protection Law
      • Guide to Sarbanes Oxley Whistleblower Protection Law
      • Sarbanes Oxley Corporate Whistleblower Protection for Corporate Whistleblowers
    • Executive Employment Lawyers Virginia Maryland Washington DC
    • Whistleblower Retaliation and Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
      • Whistleblower Retaliation Jury Verdicts and Settlements
      • SEC Whistleblower Protections: Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley Prohibitions Against Retaliation
      • Consumer Finance and Banking Whistleblower Protection Law
      • Accountant and Auditor Whistleblower Representation
      • Airline Industry Whistleblower Protection Law
      • Railroad Safety Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
      • Consumer Product Safety Whistleblower Attorneys
      • Code of Ethics Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
      • Nuclear Safety Whistleblower Protection Lawyer
      • Trucking Safety Whistleblower Protection Lawyer
      • SOX Corporate Whistleblower Protection Attorneys
      • Whistleblower Retaliation Damages and Remedies
      • Pipeline Safety Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
    • Northern Virginia Employment Attorneys
    • Washington DC Employment Lawyers
    • LGBT Discrimination Lawyers
    • Frequently Asked Questions About Discrimination and Retaliation
    • Sexual Harassment Lawyers – Washington DC Maryland Virginia
      • Sexual harassment jury verdicts and settlements
  • Testimonials
  • Videos
    • SOX Whistleblower Protection FAQs
    • SEC Whistleblower Awards FAQs
    • False Claims Act and NDAA Whistleblower Protection FAQs
    • Working with Zuckerman Law FAQs
  • Resources
    • Press
    • Articles
    • FAQ
    • eBooks - SOX Protection, SEC Awards and Sexual Harassment
    • Whistleblower Rewards and Protections Wiki
  • Blog
    • Whistleblower Protection Law
  • Contact
Home Legal Services
Home > Severance Agreement Negotiations – Virginia Maryland Washington DC Employment Attorneys

Severance Agreement Negotiations – Virginia Maryland Washington DC Employment Attorneys

need an attorney?
Image of Severance Agreement Negotiations – Virginia Maryland Washington DC Employment Attorneys

Maryland Virginia Washington DC Employment Lawyers

Zuckerman Law represents Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia executives and senior professionals in negotiating severance agreements, employment agreements, non-compete agreements, non-disclosure agreements and other contracts related to employment.

When an employer presents you with a severance agreement, you should assume that the agreement protects the employer’s interests, not your interests. Therefore, it can be useful to get advice on the scope of the restrictions that you would agree to abide by under the agreement, and on whether you are waiving a valuable claim against your former employer.

Click here to read testimonials from CEOs, CFOs, and other senior professionals that we have represented.  To schedule a consultation, call us at 202-262-8959, or click here.

Zuckerman Law can also assist you to determine whether the termination of your employment gives rise to legal claims.  If your former employer terminated you for an unlawful reason, you should not waive your right to bring a claim, including a potential claim of wrongful termination, discrimination, or retaliation.

Employee Rights in Severance Agreements

Some severance agreements contain unlawful provisions that interfere with employee’s rights under anti-discrimination, anti-retaliation, and whistleblower protection laws.  Before entering into a severance agreement, consult with an experienced attorney to evaluate whether your former employer is violating your rights.   Examples of improper or unlawful provisions in severance agreements include:

  • a waiver of a claim that would arise or accrue subsequent to the effective date of the agreement.
  • a waiver of the right to file a charge of discrimination or retaliation.
  • a waiver of vested right under a benefit or pension plan.
  • a waiver of the right to testify, assist, or cooperate in an investigation of a charge of discrimination or retaliation.
  • an agreement not to report a violation of law or regulation to law enforcement or regulatory agencies.

Entering into a severance agreement can result in an employee waiving or relinquishing valuable rights and agreeing to restrictions on future employment.  Therefore, it is critical to get experienced counsel to review a severance agreement and negotiate favorable terms for the employee.

Basics of executive compensation

When joining or exiting a company, executives face unique challenges to ensure their rights are protected given the variety of compensation they receive beyond a salary.

Knowing precisely what your compensation consists of and how to maximize its value during negotiations is essential.

Below is a high-level review of the key concepts, and more detail will be provided on each subject in future posts.

Base salary

An executive’s base salary is the most straight-forward type of compensation.  It is usually characterized as an annual salary and often paid in the same intervals as other salaried employees (for example, monthly or bi-weekly).

Salaries among executives vary greatly based in part on the industry and potential value of the other forms of compensation offered.

Bonuses (short-term incentives)

Many different types of bonuses exist, including a signing bonus and different forms of annual incentives.  Companies use bonuses to incentivize executives to achieve the company’s short-term business goals.  The bonus itself is commonly paid as a percentage of the base salary.

Various targets are usually set to encourage superior performance and may include criteria like:  development of a new product; achieving a certain level of sales; and other performance goals within the executive’s division or department.

Long-term incentives

Long-term incentives routinely comprise the biggest portion of an executive’s compensation.  Companies offer long-term incentives to retain talent and encourage executives to realize the company’s strategic goals and objectives.

Long-term incentives are normally granted as some form of equity compensation, such as:

  • stock options (the executive can buy or sell the company’s stock at an agreed (exercise) price within a set period of time)
  • restricted stock shares/units (an award of stock with restrictions usually contingent upon working for the company a particular length of time)
  • performance shares/units (an award of stock with restrictions often related to achieving company performance goals)

Typically, the equity grants will vest over a specific period of time, essentially making the executive an investor in the company’s performance. The vesting period varies by company but usually covers a period of 3 to 5 years. Long-term incentives that have not vested are typically forfeited once the executive departs the company.

Termination issues

The manner in which a company characterizes an executive’s termination of employment is extremely important.  For example, if the employer terminates the executive for “cause,” then s/he will often lose most rights to unvested long-term incentives and other future compensation.  If the executive resigns with “good reason” or is terminated without case, however, then the executive is routinely able to secure significant severance benefits.

Thus, how an employment agreement defines a termination for “cause” and a resignation with “good reason” is vital to know if considering a departure.  And when negotiating an employment agreement, it is essential to define this terms to give the executive adequate protection.

Before signing a severance agreement, consult with an experienced Severance Agreement Lawyer.  Call 202-262-8959 or click here to schedule a consultation.

Maryland Virginia Washington DC Discrimination Lawyers

 

If you have suffered discrimination or retaliation for reporting discrimination, we might be able to help you seek compensation for your losses.  We have experience representing clients under a wide range of federal and state anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws, including in claims of:

  • Glass ceiling discrimination;
  • Sexual harassment;
  • Gender discrimination, including Equal Pay Act claims;
  • LGBT discrimination;
  • Religious discrimination;
  • Disability discrimination;
  • Pregnancy discrimination; and
  • Age discrimination

Click here to see our videos answering frequently asked questions about discrimination and retaliation.

AgeDiscriminationLawyers_Infographic

Recommended Posts

  • defense contractor fraud whistleblowing
    Whistleblower Lawyer Co-Authors Article About De Facto Gag Clauses

    Whistleblower lawyer Jason Zuckerman co-authored an article with Professor Richard Moberly and Jordan Thomas titled…

  • defense contractor fraud whistleblowing
    SEC Issues Landmark Order Barring Gag Clauses

      SEC Targeting Agreements that Silence Whistleblowers In public remarks, Sean McKessy, Chief of the…

Need an
attorney?

Call us at:

(202) 262-8959

 

 


Button to contact Zuckerman Law Whistleblower Lawyer

Recommended Posts

  • Whistleblower Lawyer Co-Authors Article About De Facto Gag Clauses
  • SEC Issues Landmark Order Barring Gag Clauses
Zuckerman Law Avvo Rating
Best law firm Zuckerman
Zuckerman Law Best Whistleblower Lawyers
Jason Zuckerman Rated by Super Lawyers
Jason Zuckerman at Best Lawyers
Martindale AV Zuckerman Law Rating
Zuckerman Law Avvo Rating
Best law firm Zuckerman
Zuckerman Law Best Whistleblower Lawyers
Jason Zuckerman Rated by Super Lawyers
Jason Zuckerman at Best Lawyers
Martindale AV Zuckerman Law Rating

SEC Whistleblower

  • Effective Whistleblower Lawyers
  • Whistleblower Protection Law and SEC Whistleblower Awards Blog
  • Broker-Dealer Anti-Money Laundering Violations
  • SEC Whistleblower Attorney – Tier 1 Law Firm
  • Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Attorneys
  • Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Rewards and Protections
  • Washington DC SEC Whistleblower Lawyers
  • Inadequate Disclosure Whistleblower Attorneys
  • SEC Whistleblower Awards FAQs
  • Investment Adviser Fraud Whistleblower Lawyers
  • Unregistered Broker-Dealer SEC Whistleblower Lawyers
  • Securities Fraud and Ponzi Scheme Whistleblower Lawyers
  • CFTC Whistleblower Rewards Lawyers: How to Report Commodities Fraud and Get a CFTC Whistleblower Award
  • Accounting Fraud SEC Whistleblower Lawyer
  • Foreign Bribery and FCPA Whistleblower Attorneys
  • Auditor Independence Whistleblower Lawyers
  • Inadequate Internal Accounting Controls Whistleblower Attorney
  • EB-5 Investment Fraud SEC Whistleblower Lawyers

Executive Employment Lawyer

  • Whistleblower Rewards and Bounties
  • Government Contractor Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
  • Federal Contractor Protection and Grantee NDAA Corporate Whistleblower Protection Law
  • Accounting Fraud SEC Whistleblower Lawyer
  • Whistleblower Rights and Protections for C-Suite Executives
  • Resources About Sarbanes Oxley Whistleblower Protection, SEC Whistleblower Program, and Whistleblower Protection Act
  • Top-Rated False Claims Act Qui Tam Attorneys
  • Northern Virginia Employment Attorneys
  • Executive Employment Lawyers Virginia Maryland Washington DC
  • Severance Agreement Negotiations – Virginia Maryland Washington DC Employment Attorneys
  • Representing Whistleblowers Nationwide

Retaliation

  • SEC Whistleblower Retaliation: Tools to Combat Retaliation and Protect SEC Whistleblowers
  • Sarbanes Oxley Corporate Whistleblower Protection for Corporate Whistleblowers
  • Whistleblower Retaliation Jury Verdicts and Settlements
  • Whistleblower Retaliation Damages and Remedies
  • Whistleblower Retaliation
  • SOX Corporate Whistleblower Protection Attorneys
  • False Claims Act Whistleblower Retaliation Law
  • Compliance Officer Whistleblower Representation
  • Consumer Finance and Banking Whistleblower Protection Law
  • Federal Contractor Protection and Grantee NDAA Corporate Whistleblower Protection Law
  • SOX Whistleblower Protection FAQs
  • False Claims Act and NDAA Whistleblower Protection FAQs
  • Sarbanes Oxley Corporate Whistleblower Protection for Corporate Whistleblowers
  • Guide to Sarbanes Oxley Whistleblower Protection Law
  • Maryland Whistleblower Protection Lawyers
  • Top-Rated SEC Whistleblower Attorneys
  • Whistleblower Rights and Protections for C-Suite Executives

Important notice

Information contained in this website should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice on your specific situation. Visiting this site or relying on information gleaned from the site does not create an attorney-client relationship with Zuckerman Law. Contacting Zuckerman Law or providing information to Zuckerman Law about a potential legal claim does not create an attorney-client relationship with Zuckerman Law. The content on this website is the property of Zuckerman Law and may not be used without the written consent thereof.

Zuckerman Law Washington DC Whistleblower Retaliation and Award Law Firm 1629 K St NW Ste 300 Washington, DC 20006 United States [email protected] (202) 262-8959
© 2023 Zuckerman Law, All Rights Reserved. Sitemap
Powered by powered by swapps swapps