They offered me a severance to leave. Here's what to check

In My Corner · Learn — 7 min read · Updated July 2026

It often arrives dressed as a friendly talk: "we wanted to see if there's a different path forward." Sometimes there's a document already printed. Sometimes there's a deadline — today, ideally, while you're still reeling. If you're in that moment, three protections before any analysis:

Don't sign anything today. No legitimate offer expires in an afternoon. Urgency is a tactic.
Don't resign in the room. A pressured verbal resignation can be very hard to unwind.
One sentence: "I'll review this and get back to you." Polite, calm, and it buys the thing you need — time.

Then write down everything about the conversation while it's fresh.

What a severance agreement actually is

It's a contract: money (and sometimes an agreed reference or benefits) in exchange for you releasing your legal claims against the employer. Not inherently sinister — many well-negotiated exits are the best realistic outcome. The question is never whether to fear it; it's whether the terms are right, and what you're signing away. Read the release word by word: it can waive discrimination, retaliation, and other claims you may not know you have.

Two US rules worth knowing

If you're 40 or older (OWBPA): to validly waive age-discrimination claims, the law generally gives you 21 days to consider the agreement (45 days if it's part of a group layoff, with extra disclosures) and a 7-day period to revoke after signing. If they're rushing you inside those windows, that's a flag.
Sexual harassment (Speak Out Act, 2022): a pre-dispute NDA or non-disparagement clause can't stop you from speaking about or pursuing a sexual-harassment or sexual-assault claim. Don't let a broad confidentiality clause convince you otherwise.

What's negotiable (more than most people think)

The money — a first offer is rarely the last. What would the claims you're releasing realistically be worth?
References and how your departure is described.
Health coverage / COBRA contribution, unused PTO, timing.
The scope of the release and any non-disparagement / non-compete language — the fine print that outlives the money.

The golden rule: don't decide alone

The US has no mandatory "independent advice" rule for severance the way some countries do — which means the responsibility to get it reviewed is on you, and it's worth it. Have an employment attorney read it before you sign (many do flat-fee reviews or free consults). Check the money, the tax treatment, the release scope, and what you're giving up. Use every day the agreement gives you. Decide once, calm and fully informed — the exact opposite of what the "sign it today" script is hoping for.

If any of this has you at the edge — not sleeping, dreading every morning, or worse — please put this article down and talk to a human first: the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org (free, confidential, 24/7). The job problem can wait an hour; you matter more.

You don't have to work this out alone. In My Corner is a team of five AI companions for exactly this — one who listens, one who decodes letters and knows your deadlines, one who keeps your evidence organised, one for fresh starts, one who teaches. Private by design: conversations are never stored on our servers.

Talk it through — In My Corner

This article is general information, not legal advice, and it covers US federal baseline law — state and city law varies a lot and is often broader, and deadlines are strict. For decisions that matter, talk to the EEOC (1-800-669-4000), your state fair-employment agency, or an employment attorney (many offer a free consultation).