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Patricia A. Abell |Attorney at Law | The Normandy Building | 101 North Seventh St. | Louisville, KY 40202 | Phone: (502)561-3455 | pabell@patriciaabell.com
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Separation Agreements                            
If you are being laid off or discharged and have been offered some kind of severance payment in return for a release,  the agreement will probably say that you understand  that you have the right to consult with a lawyer at your expense. 








 






































 
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Patricia A. Abell |Attorney at Law | The Normandy Building | 101 North Seventh St. | Louisville, KY 40202 | Phone: (502)561-3455 | pabell@patriciaabell.com
I currently practice in Metro Louisville, and serve clients living in Jefferson and surrounding counties. If you live in Breckinridge, Bullitt, Hardin, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Spencer or Washington counties in Kentucky and are interested in filing a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy please contact me for a consultation. 
  We are a debt relief agency. 
We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.
 
Kentucky does not certify specialties of legal practice.
Should you go to a lawyer and pay them to review the agreement when you believe your employer won't negotiate? This is your choice, however, there are  reasons you may want  to get legal advicebefore you sign.  For example, 

1.  Does the agreement accurately reflect the offer? You need to make sure that the payments specified in the agreement match your understanding of the offer.   It is surprising how often the person who drafts the agreement gets it wrong; and the error is usually in the employer's favor.   Also,  If the person who gave you the agreement tries to explain a provision to you - it is wise to get your own lawyer to take a look at the document before you sign.             

Patricia A. Abell 
(502)561-3455
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2.  Do you understand all  the rights that you are giving up by signing the release and what rights you may still have?  Also, understanding what options you have if you do not sign the release is important. 

3.The fine print.  There are often surprising provisions.  For example, It may contain a provision in which you admit that you have no work related injuries as of the date that you sign the agreement. If you have a pending workers compensation claim, the employer can use that admission against you in the worker's compensation case
.  
4.  Has your employer properly followed or complied with any laws that apply to your situation?

Other reasons:

Some Supervisors discount or explain away any issue an employee raises.   Common employer responses to the employee include:  'You’re wrong, it doesn't say that.'  'It really means ...' There is nothing I can do about it.'  Sometimes, a well meaning supervisor may not fully understand the terms of the agreement and unintentionally gives misinformation.  Having a lawyer review the documents and facts to make sure what you have been told and what the agreement says are the same, can prevent problems later.


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If you have been offered a severance or separation package, and would like to have it reviewed by an attorney please contact  me to schedule an appointment (502) 561-3455 

Disclaimer  The content you find on this site is for informational purposes only.  No information you gathered from this web site should be construed as legal advice.  Your use of, or reading any information contained in this web site, or your contacting my office, is in no way to be construed as the establishment of an attorney-client relationship. See full disclaimer.

 If you would like to retain an attorney for your hearing, I can be contacted at:   Patricia A. Abell |Attorney at Law | The Normandy Building | 101 North Seventh St. | Louisville, KY 40202 | Phone: (502)561-3455 | pabell@patriciaabell.com