Often, we are approached by employers and employees to help negotiate the terms of a settlement agreement. Whilst it can be a daunting process, with the right guidance you can achieve the best outcome.
In a recent case, our client (Mr A) recently found himself in a vulnerable position. The assistance he had been receiving with his settlement agreement from an officer at the union had been cut short because of her sudden resignation. A replacement officer was appointed but due to his already heavy case load and lack of familiarity with his case, Mr A believed he would be unable to provide the same level of support and understanding in such a short period of time. Without the knowledge and expertise of his previous officer, Mr A found himself unsure of how to proceed with his case.
Recognising the importance of finding the right legal representation, Mr A searched for a highly qualified employment lawyer until he had the pleasure of meeting Charlie Higgins, Employment Law and HR Paralegal in our Employment Law team at Wright Hassall. Charlie attentively listened to the details of Mr A’s case and although he was unable to provide any formal advice, he expressed confidence in its potential merit. Mr A explained that there were pressing deadlines involved and Charlie assured Mr A one of his colleagues would have capacity to address the matter promptly.
The following day Mr A, Charlie and colleague Kash Dosanjh, Associate, sat down together in order to discuss Mr A’s case in detail. After their initial meeting, Mr A provided the team with further documentation to assist them with understanding his case. Kash and Charlie were able to get up to speed and produce a letter to his employer within one day. Mr A signed an agreement with his employer within 9 days, on more favourable terms.
Mr A comments: “Charlie was a great support with expediting the onboarding process and within less than 24 hours there was money on my account, and I was sitting in a meeting room with him and Kash discussing our approach. Time really was of the essence here, as my company was trying to force me out, and the guys really did act with pace and together we made a formidable team.”
“Thank you to Kash and Charlie for the excellent work that you have conducted on my behalf. I will definitely be recommending your services to friends, family and colleagues moving forward and whilst I hope we don’t ever need to cross paths again, should I ever be unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of such treatment by an employer, your team will be the first people I reach out to.”
Kash adds “Employees commonly find themselves in a situation where they think the offer presented to them by their employer is the best possible offer available to them. Having listened to our client in respect of the facts of the case, alongside the evidence, we were incredibly confident that we could secure our client a substantially increased offer. The process of negotiating an exit agreement can be daunting for an employee however, our team aims to achieve the best possible outcome for the employee whilst reducing the stress placed upon them.”
This case demonstrates the importance of instructing an employment law specialist when dealing with such matters. It ensures that every aspect of the case is reviewed and dealt with in an efficient and timely manner.
Our employment law solicitors can work with you to negotiate the terms of the settlement agreement, the amount offered as part of the agreement and ensure details such as post-termination restrictions are covered to protect you.
If you are considering offering an employee a settlement agreement or are an employee facing an exit agreement you need advice with, our employment law solicitors can guide you through the process.
If you need any employment law advice, please contact kash.dosanjh@wrighthassall.co.uk.
