Severance in California

A severance offer is a proposal, not a verdict. The first version is usually built to close the file quickly — measured against what similar employees have accepted, not against what your situation actually calls for. Read it once for the total number, then again for the mechanics: how it pays out, what it asks you to give up, and what deadline it sets.

Three things tend to matter most. First, the size against the informal one-to-four-weeks-per-year-of-service pattern common in U.S. employers that pay severance. Second, whether the payout is a lump sum or salary continuation, because continuation often extends benefits and unemployment timing. Third, the release language — what claims you're waiving, and whether there are non-disparagement or non-compete clauses that outlive the payment.

Take the time the offer allows. In most cases you have several days at minimum, and asking for more time is a normal request. Bring your own numbers (severance estimate, PTO payout, runway) into any counter-offer conversation so the discussion is grounded in specifics, not feelings.