Severance Agreement

SEVERANCE AND GENERAL RELEASE AGREEMENT

(Connecticut – Single Employee Separation)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Definitions
2. Severance Benefits & Consideration
3. Release of Claims
4. Representations & Warranties
5. Covenants
6. Default; Remedies
7. Risk Allocation
8. Dispute Resolution
9. General Provisions
10. Execution Block

1. DEFINITIONS

“Agreement” means this Severance and General Release Agreement, including all schedules and exhibits, as amended from time to time.

“Company” means [Full Legal Name of Employer], a [State of Incorporation] [Entity Type], and its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, predecessors, successors, assigns, and their respective officers, directors, managers, employees, and agents.

“Employee” means [Employee Name], whose employment with the Company will terminate effective [Separation Date].

“Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.7.

“Severance Amount” means the gross aggregate sum of $[Dollar Amount], less applicable withholdings, payable pursuant to Section 2.1.

“Release Period” means the twenty-one (21)-day period (or, if applicable, the forty-five (45)-day period) described in Section 3.6.

“Revocation Period” means the seven (7) consecutive calendar days following Employee’s execution of this Agreement.

[Add additional defined terms as required.]

2. SEVERANCE BENEFITS & CONSIDERATION

2.1 Severance Payment. Subject to Employee’s timely execution and non-revocation of this Agreement, the Company shall pay the Severance Amount to Employee in [lump sum / equal installments] commencing on the first regular payroll date after the Effective Date.

2.2 Health-Coverage Subsidy. [If applicable] The Company shall pay [x] months of the employer portion of eligible continuation-coverage premiums for Employee and eligible dependents, subject to timely election, the plan, and applicable law.

2.3 Outplacement Assistance. [Optional] The Company will provide up to [Dollar Amount or Hours] of professional outplacement services, to be used within [Time Period].

2.4 Additional Consideration and Final Wages. The consideration in this Section 2 is in addition to anything Employee is already entitled to receive. It does not include wages, commissions, reimbursable expenses, vested benefits, or accrued leave already owed under a controlling plan, policy, or contract. After a voluntary termination, wages are due by the next regular payday; after a discharge, wages are due no later than the next business day; after a layoff, wages are due by the next regular payday. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-71c. Employee identifies any known unpaid-compensation issue here: [________________________________].

3. RELEASE OF CLAIMS

3.1 General Release. For good and valuable consideration, Employee, on behalf of Employee and Employee’s heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, hereby irrevocably releases the Company from any and all actions, causes of action, claims, demands, damages, or liabilities, known or unknown, based on acts occurring on or before the date Employee signs this Agreement, including but not limited to claims under:

• the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act;
• the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act employment provision, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-60; and
• any other federal, state, or local employment law or common-law theory.

3.2 Scope Exclusions. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to waive:
(a) rights to unemployment or workers’ compensation benefits;
(b) vested rights in any qualified retirement plan;
(c) claims arising after Employee signs this Agreement;
(d) rights to enforce this Agreement; or
(e) any right that cannot be lawfully waived.

3.3 Mutual Release by Company. [Optional – include only if negotiated] The Company releases Employee from claims based on acts occurring on or before the date Employee signs this Agreement, excluding claims for fraud, embezzlement, or willful misconduct.

3.4 ADEA-Specific Terms. The ADEA waiver is written to be understood, expressly names the ADEA, excludes later-arising claims, and is supported by additional consideration.

3.5 Advice to Consult Counsel. The Company hereby advises Employee in writing to consult with an attorney of Employee’s choosing before signing this Agreement.

3.6 Consideration Period. Employee has at least 21 calendar days to review and consider this Agreement before signing. If this waiver is offered in connection with an exit incentive or other employment termination program offered to a group or class of employees, replace 21 days with 45 calendar days and provide at the beginning of that period the written decisional-unit, eligibility, time-limit, job-title, and age information required by 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H). Employee may sign sooner only by a knowing and voluntary choice not induced by the Company.

3.7 Revocation. Employee may revoke this Agreement within seven (7) calendar days after signing by delivering written notice to [Company Contact/Address]. This Agreement shall not become effective until the eighth (8th) day after Employee signs it without revocation (the “Effective Date”).

4. REPRESENTATIONS & WARRANTIES

4.1 Mutual Authority. Each Party represents that it has full authority to enter into and perform this Agreement, and that doing so does not violate any other agreement.

4.2 Pending Matters. Employee has disclosed any pending lawsuit, arbitration, charge, or complaint against the Company here: [________________________________].

4.3 Tax Treatment. The Company will make required withholdings. Benefits and tax counsel must review the payment schedule before use; this template makes no tax-compliance representation to Employee.

4.4 Return of Company Property. Employee will return Company property and delete Company data from personal devices within [x] days, except material that must be preserved by law, litigation hold, or written instruction.

4.5 Survival. These representations and warranties shall survive the Effective Date.

5. COVENANTS

5.1 Confidentiality of Company Information. Employee shall protect legitimate trade secrets and non-public proprietary information. This Section does not restrict protected communications, government reports, testimony, or other conduct protected by law. Employee may disclose the payment amount to Employee’s attorney, tax advisor, spouse, or as required by law.

5.2 Mutual Non-Disparagement. During the [SEVERANCE PERIOD], neither Party shall knowingly make a false statement of fact intended to harm the other Party’s reputation. This Section does not restrict truthful statements, government communications, whistleblower reports, testimony, or other conduct protected by law.

5.3 Future Cooperation. Upon reasonable advance notice, Employee will provide reasonable factual cooperation concerning matters within Employee’s personal knowledge. Cooperation may not unreasonably interfere with other work, require protected or privileged disclosure, or restrict truthful testimony or government communications. The Company will reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and compensate substantial time at $[RATE] per hour.

5.4 Continuing Obligations. No prior restrictive covenant is automatically reaffirmed by this Agreement. Any proposed noncompetition, customer nonsolicitation, or similar post-employment restraint requires separate Connecticut legal review and must be identified expressly here: [________________________________].

6. DEFAULT; REMEDIES

6.1 Material Breach. A Party defaults by materially breaching a lawful obligation under this Agreement.

6.2 Notice and Cure. The non-breaching Party shall provide written notice and a ten-day cure period if the breach can be cured.

6.3 Remedies. A Party may pursue lawful contract remedies for a proven material breach. No remedy creates a release-challenge penalty, requires repayment merely for filing or participating in an agency matter, or restricts a protected communication. This template creates no prevailing-party fee shift.

7. RISK ALLOCATION

7.1 Protected Rights. Nothing in this Agreement prevents Employee from filing a charge, communicating with, providing information to, or participating in an investigation or proceeding before a government agency. Nothing interferes with agency enforcement authority. Any effect of the release on individual monetary recovery is governed by applicable law.

7.2 No Employee Risk-Shifting. This Agreement does not impose employee indemnity, a liability cap, a force-majeure excuse for payment, a severance clawback, or a penalty for a good-faith challenge to the release. The rules governing ADEA waiver challenges remain controlled by 29 C.F.R. § 1625.22.

8. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

8.1 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with (i) the laws of the United States to the extent federal law controls and (ii) the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles.

8.2 Forum. An action concerning this Agreement may be filed in a Connecticut state or federal court with subject-matter and personal jurisdiction and proper venue.

8.3 Arbitration. No arbitration clause is included. If selected, use a separately reviewed addendum addressing formation, costs, discovery, remedies, and governing law.

8.4 Jury Trial Waiver. No predispute jury waiver is included in this template.

8.5 Protected Rights. Nothing in this Article restricts agency access, protected communications, or claims and remedies that cannot be waived privately.

9. GENERAL PROVISIONS

9.1 Amendment; Waiver. No amendment or waiver of any provision shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both Parties.

9.2 Assignment. Employee may not assign or delegate any obligations hereunder. The Company may assign this Agreement in connection with a merger, sale, or other business transaction.

9.3 Successors & Assigns. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

9.4 Severability. If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect to the extent permitted by law. This clause does not authorize expansion of a release or restraint.

9.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the Parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements, whether written or oral, relating thereto.

9.6 Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts. The Parties agree to accept signatures delivered by PDF or an electronic-signature platform.

10. EXECUTION BLOCK

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Severance and General Release Agreement as of the dates set forth below.

[Notary block or witness lines if required under Company policy.]

Sources and References

• 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)
• 29 C.F.R. § 1625.22
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-71c (2025 mirror; official CGA page failed TLS through the required fetch tool)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-60 (2025 mirror; official CGA page failed TLS through the required fetch tool)