There is no requirement to provide severance in the US and if you were terminated for cause a company generally would not provide it. In general severance is only provided when a company does something like lay you off because of financial conditions or restructuring (if even then).
Most termination clauses are an agreement between the employer and the employee that in the event the employer elects to dismiss the employee without cause, the employee will only receive what they are entitled to under the Employment Standards Code.
Negotiation Leverage: Refusing to sign the agreement can provide leverage for negotiation with your employer. You might be able to negotiate more favorable terms including a better severance package, limiting the scope of non-disclosure, non-disparagement, non-compete and non-solicitation clauses, and more.
You can issue a single 'first and final' written warning if the misconduct or underperformance is serious enough. Explain that not improving could lead to dismissal. 'Serious enough' includes if it's likely to or has caused serious harm to the organisation itself.
You have the right to ask for a written statement from your employer giving the reasons why you've been dismissed if you're an employee and have completed 2 years' service (1 year if you started before 6 April 2012). Your employer must supply the statement within 14 days of you asking for it.
Employers are generally understanding about layoffs. Be honest about why you left, and share that your previous company had layoffs that affected you. It's important to only frame leaving your job as a layoff if the company truly laid you off, not if they fired you, to represent your situation accurately.
Yes, you can sue for wrongful termination in New Jersey. New Jersey, like many other states, recognizes various grounds for wrongful termination, including discrimination, retaliation, and breach of contract.
The main thing to never, ever do is lie about being fired. The chances of being found out are just too great and once you are, it will be on your record with the company to which you are applying as well as any agency you're applying through.
Do You Get Severance If You Get Fired? There are no legal requirements or federal law for employers to offer a dismissal or redundancy package at the time of termination of employment. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not have any such provisions either.