Settlement agreements
A legally binding deal to end your employment. Your employer pays for you to get advice on it — always take it.
How we can help
- Explaining in plain terms what you are giving up by signing
- Checking the payment is correct and the tax treatment is right
- Reviewing restrictive covenants, confidentiality clauses and references
- Telling you whether the offer reflects what your claim is actually worth
- Negotiating better terms where there is room to do so
- Signing the certificate your employer needs to make the agreement binding
What happens next
- Send us the draft agreement and anything explaining how the figure was reached.
- We’ll go through it with you and tell you whether it’s fair.
- We either sign it off or go back to your employer to negotiate.
Fees for this work
Your employer normally pays a contribution towards your legal fees, and in most straightforward cases that contribution covers our costs entirely.
Common questions
Do I have to sign?
No. But be clear about what happens if you don’t — usually the offer is withdrawn and you are left with whatever claim you have. We will tell you which is the better position to be in.
Can I get more money?
Sometimes. It depends on the strength of any claim you have and how keen your employer is to close matters. Negotiating is not always the right call, and we will say so if the offer is already a good one.
Is my payment tax free?
Part of it may be. Compensation for loss of employment is often tax free up to a threshold, but notice pay and holiday pay are taxable. Getting this wrong is expensive, and the agreement usually makes you responsible for any tax due.
What about my reference?
Reference wording can and should be agreed as part of the deal. Leaving it out is a common and avoidable mistake.
Tell us what's happened
Confidential, reviewed by a solicitor, answered within one working day.