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Employment Law
Severance Agreement란 해고를 당할 때, 회사로부터 제안을 받는 퇴직금과 같은 보상제도입니다. 모든 회사가 모든 사람들에게 다 주는 것은 아닙니다. 회사의 Policy에 따라서 회사 재량으로 주어질 수도 있고, 안 주어질 수도 있습니다. 일반적으로 Performance 문제가 있다거나, 회사의 Policy를 어겨서 Involuntary Quit을 시킬 경우에는 제시하지 않고 있습니다. 그러나 어쩔수 없는 상황에서 Position이 없어진다거나, 공장 폐쇄와 같은 회사의 정책적인 결정이 수반될 때에는 이러한 퇴직금과 같은 보상을 제시하면서 해고를 하게 됩니다.
또 한편으로는 회사에서는 나이가 연로한 직원들에게 높은 급여에 대한 부담을 줄이고자, Exit Incentive Program의 일환으로 이용하기도 합니다. 한국에서는 정년퇴직이 있지만, 미국에서는 정년이라는것이 없습니다. 따라서 본인의 건강여부와 노력에 따라서 계속해서 일을 하고자 할 때, 능률이 오르지 않는 점을 감안한다면, 회사로서는 이러한 조기 퇴직 program을 이용하는 것도 좋은 방법이 될 수도 있습니다.
회사에서 해고를 당하게 되면, 대개의 경우, 법적소송의 가능요소들을 없애는 조항들이 들어가 있습니다. 따라서 이러한 Severance Agreement를 서명하여 제출하게 되면, 회사와 일종의 거래로서, 보상을 받는 대신 일종의 법적 소송을 모두 포기한다는 포기 각서와 같은 것입니다. 즉 회사입장에서는 법적 소송을 최소화 하기 위한 Program입니다. 일단 서명을 하여 회사에 제출하면, 회사는 해당 기간내에 명시한 Severance Payment ( 퇴직수당)을 주게 되어 있습니다. 일반적인 경우는 1년 재직기간당 1주일을 주는 경우가 대부분입니다.
일단 소송을 포기한다는 것이므로, 바로 UI등은 신청하실 수 있습니다.
Employee reductions and terminations have been an unfortunate result of the current economic downturn. Even in good economic times, however, businesses of every size carefully assess their operational structures and may sometimes decide to reduce their workforce. Often, employers terminate older employees who are eligible for retirement, or nearly so, because they generally have been with the company the longest and are paid the highest salaries. Other employers evaluate individual employees on criteria such as performance or experience, or decide to lay off all employees in a particular position, division, or department.[1] An employer’s decision to terminate or lay off certain employees, while retaining others, may lead discharged workers to believe that they were discriminated against based on their age, race, sex, national origin, religion, or disability.
To minimize the risk of potential litigation, many employers offer departing employees money or benefits in exchange for a release (or “waiver”) of liability for all claims connected with the employment relationship, including discrimination claims under the civil rights laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) -- the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Equal Pay Act (EPA).[2] While it is common for senior-level executives to negotiate severance provisions when initially hired, other employees typically are offered severance agreements and asked to sign a waiver at the time of termination. When presented with a severance agreement, many employees wonder: Is this legal? Should I sign it?
This document answers questions that you may have if you are offered a severance agreement in exchange for a waiver of your actual or potential discrimination claims. Part II provides basic information about severance agreements; Part III explains when a waiver is valid; and Part IV specifically addresses waivers of age discrimination claims that must comply with provisions of the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA). Finally, this document includes a checklist with tips on what you should do before signing a waiver in a severance agreement and a sample of an agreement offered to a group of employees giving them the opportunity to resign in exchange for severance benefits.
만약에 이러한 Severance Agreement를 받게 된다면, 서명하시기 전에 아래와 같은 checklist를 점검해 보시는 것이 좋겠습니다.
아래는 EEOC에서 권장하는 checklist입니다. 참고하세요.
Employee Checklist: What to Do When Your Employer Offers You a
Severance Agreement:
- Make sure that you understand the agreement
- Read the agreement to see if it is clear and specific, or if it is confusing because it contains terms you do not understand.
- If you are 40 or older, inform your employer that the law requires your agreement to be written in a manner that makes it easy to understand. Usually this means that your agreement should not contain technical jargon or long, complex sentences.
- Check for deadlines and act promptly
- The moment you are given a severance agreement, check to see if your employer gave you a deadline for accepting, or declining, the agreement. If you are 40 years old or older, federal law requires the employer to give you at least 21 days to review the agreement and make up your mind.
- If your employer has not given you a reasonable amount of time, or rushes your decision, this is a red flag. An employer who is fair will understand that you cannot review or make decisions about an important document on a moment’s notice.
- If you are being rushed, ask for more time. Put your request in writing. If you are 40 or older and your employer is asking you for a decision in fewer than 21 days, remind the employer that the law requires you to be provided at least 21 days. (If you and at least one other person are being laid off in a reduction in force (RIF) at the same time, you must be given 45 days to consider the agreement.)
- Consider having an attorney review the severance agreement
- Even if you are parting amicably with your employer, you may want to ask for advice about whether you should sign it, whether the terms are reasonable, and whether you should ask your employer to change any of the terms.
- If you decide that you want an attorney to review the agreement, promptly make an appointment. Do not wait until the last day before the deadline to review the severance agreement.
- If you are at least 40 years old, the agreement must advise you to consult with an attorney.
- Make sure you understand what you are giving up in exchange for severance pay or benefits
- The main benefit to signing an agreement is that you will receive a cash payment or benefits in exchange for signing away your right to bring certain legal claims against your employer.
- Make sure that the agreement offers you something of value to which you are not already entitled.
- If you think you have been wrongfully terminated because of age, race, sex, religion, or some other discriminatory reason, you may want to think twice about signing. The benefits of signing a severance agreement should be carefully weighed against claims you might have against your employer, the likelihood of winning a court case or settlement, and the probable costs.
- Review the agreement to ensure that it does not ask you to release nonwaivable rights
- Confirm that your employer is not asking you to waive your right to file a charge, testify, assist, or cooperate with the EEOC.
- Make certain that the agreement is not asking you to waive rights or claims that may arise after the date you sign the waiver.
- Make sure that your employer is not asking you to release your claims for unemployment compensation benefits, workers compensation benefits, claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, health insurance benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), or claims with regard to vested benefits under a retirement plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
혹시 Severance Agreement 에 더 궁금한 점이 있으시면 아래 댓글을 달아주세요.
성실히 답변드리겠습니다.
** 상기 내용은 무단 복제를 금합니다.
** 상기 내용에 따른 모든 Liability는 본인에게 있음을 알려드립니다.
** HR Counsel은 법률 자문이 아닙니다. 따라서 소송에 관련된 건은 전문 변호사와 상담하시기 바랍니다.