Severance Agreements Archives

California Severance Negotiation Lawyer: How We Increased a Two-Week Offer to Six Months of Pay

by Matthew Ruggles | Nov 18, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Discrimination, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

If you’ve just been handed a lowball severance offer and you’re wondering whether there’s any realistic way to increase it, you’re not imagining the problem. Employers don’t hand out more severance out of goodwill. They only increase an offer when they’re worried...

Proactive Severance Negotiation in California: 13 Mistakes to Avoid

by Matthew Ruggles | Nov 3, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Discrimination, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

Most executives sense their role is unstable long before termination, but most wait too long to act. Executives convince themselves that the reorganization will settle or that loyalty will be rewarded. By the time they recognize the signs (or are actually terminated),...

California Severance Payment: 5 Tricks and 5 Treats

by Matthew Ruggles | Oct 31, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Discrimination, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

A California severance payment can look like a gift, but it often hides a few surprises. When a severance agreement lands on your desk, it can feel a little like Halloween. Some offers are genuine treats, while others come wrapped as tricks. Employers know that when...

California Severance Negotiation After Layoffs: What to Know Before You Sign

by Matthew Ruggles | Oct 27, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Discrimination, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

If you were just laid off, you may still be trying to process what happened. One day you were part of a corporate team, and the next you were told your position was eliminated and handed a severance package you are expected to review quickly. In moments like this,...

Executive Severance Negotiation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

by Matthew Ruggles | Oct 23, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

Executives often underestimate how costly executive severance negotiation mistakes can be when exiting a California company. Understanding where these mistakes occur, and how to avoid them, is critical to protecting compensation, equity, reputation, and long-term...

Non-Negotiable Severance in California: 5 Myths Dispelled by a Lawyer

by Matthew Ruggles | Oct 22, 2025 | Severance Agreements, Workplace Discrimination, Workplace Retaliation, Wrongful Termination

If you’ve just been handed a severance agreement, there’s a good chance HR made it sound like you need to sign quickly or risk losing everything. Maybe they called it “standard.” Maybe they warned you there’s a deadline. Maybe they even told you it’s a non-negotiable...