If you're under 40, you get five days to review a severance agreement. If you're over 40, you get 21 days. #EmploymentLawyer #California.
An ADEA waiver is a provision in a severance agreement that requires an employee to give up their right to sue their employer for age discrimination. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) requires that certain requirements be met for an ADEA waiver to be valid.
Thankfully, in California, employers are required to follow certain rules when offering severance agreements to older employees, including providing time to consider the agreement and the option to consult with an attorney.
Employees age 40 or older must be given 21 days to consider the employer's offer, unless it is part of a group termination. In a group termination, employees must be given 45 days. If the employee is younger than 40, there is no specified period of time which the employee must be given to sign the severance agreement.
Lump sum severance package cons Lump sum payments may push you into a higher tax bracket for that year. You need to manage your finances more carefully to ensure the lump sum lasts until you secure another source of income. Finally, you forfeit any negotiation power for future benefits or assistance.
In addition, employees over 40 being terminated as part of a group or class of employees (more than one) are entitled to a consideration period of 45 days. Even if they sign the agreement within the 45-day period, they are entitled to an additional 7 days to revoke the agreement.
Employees age 40 or older must be given 21 days to consider the employer's offer, unless it is part of a group termination. In a group termination, employees must be given 45 days.
The OWBPA is an amendment to the ADEA that provides additional protections for workers who are 40 years of age or older. It was enacted in 1990 to make it more difficult for employers to use severance agreements to waive older workers' rights.