Settlement Agreement Solicitors
A settlement agreement refers to a legally binding agreement between an employee and their employer. The settlement agreement process is often used to settle claims that staff members have raised against their employers. In other cases, an employer may choose to offer a settlement to protect themselves when terminating employment.
The agreement is often used to secure a severance payment, ending the contract between the two parties. By accepting the severance payment, the employee agrees not to pursue claims against the employer using a court or employment tribunal.
Under some circumstances, settlement agreements do not involve ending the employment contract. Instead, the agreement is used to resolve a dispute, before continuing the employment contract as normal.
Rollits’ employment lawyers have years of experience in handling complex settlement agreement matters. If your employer has offered you a settlement agreement and you need specialist legal advice, get in touch with our employment law solicitors today.
Get in touch with our settlement agreement solicitors in York and Hull
To discuss your requirements, please get in touch with our specialist settlement agreement lawyers. From our offices in both Hull and York, we support clients in Yorkshire and the surrounding area, as well as nationally and internationally.
Call us in Hull on 01482 323239 or in York on 01904 625790. Alternatively, you can fill in our contact form and one of our lawyers will get back to you.
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Lucy was a great help during the process, her patience, professionalism was second to none and there was no issue in answering any questions or clarifying any part of the process. Her support was very much appreciated, Lucy was thorough and pointed out areas that were not clear in the document as well as missing items. Thank you Lucy.
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I reached out to five separate firms when I needed advice regarding an employment settlement agreement. The reason I chose Rollits was because of the initial communication I had with Jill whose initial information, advice and guidance was by far the best out of the firms I reached out to and that is what persuaded me to use Rollits. Lucy Trynka then picked up my case and dealt with it in a timely and efficient manner. I would not hesitate to use the service again if needed.
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Really happy with the work that was done, Lucy really did get me the best outcome for my case.
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“I received excellent service and attention in a very caring way from the team at Rollits Solicitors at a stressful time in my career. They supported me and was very helpful making my whole settlement agreement process a simple and uncomplicated experience using her significant knowledge of employment law. They ensured I got the best possible outcome in a timely way. I was very impressed by the whole team approach and can thoroughly recommend the Rollits service 100%. I know which solicitors I will use in the future.”
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- Ed Heppel
- Partner and Head of Employment
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- Ruth Everitt
- Associate Member of CILEx
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- Lucy Trynka
- Senior Solicitor
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- Molly Bloom
- Solicitor
Our settlement agreement expertise
Our settlement agreement solicitors can assist with:
- Independent legal advice on settlement agreements
- Settlement negotiations
- Advice on making an employment claim
Our settlement agreement services
To create a legally binding settlement agreement, the employee must have received legal advice from a trade union representative or a qualifiedsolicitor.
At Rollits, we’ve supported employees ranging from straightforward to complex settlement agreement cases. With our outstanding legal advice, we can help to ensure you are receiving a fair settlement, protecting your financial circumstances and your reputation, and allowing you to move forward with your career.
To negotiate a settlement agreement, you’ll first need to understand your legal position and rights. You’ll need to find out the potential value of your legal claims and what kind of offer is deemed reasonable.
The settlement agreement should clearly outline the benefits that you’re seeking regarding the agreement terms. You should seek the guidance of a settlement agreement solicitor to help you negotiate the agreement on the best possible terms for you. Our employment lawyers at Rollits can expertly walk you through the legal process, helping you to achieve a positive outcome.
If a suitable settlement cannot be agreed, or you feel a settlement is inappropriate, we can advise on your rights to bring an employment tribunal claim. Our experts will talk you through your rights and what the claims process involves, then support you every step of the way.
Frequently asked questions about settlement agreements
Employers will usually ask you to sign a settlement agreement when they would like to terminate your employment contract using mutually agreed terms or if you’ve made a claim against your employer, such as unfair dismissal, and they wish to settle the matter out of court.
Formerly known as a compromise agreement, a settlement agreement typically offers the employee a severance payment. By accepting the payment, the employee legally agrees not to bring a claim in court or at an employment tribunal.
If your employer believes that your performance is inadequate and they’d like to terminate your employment, they may offer you a settlement to formally end your contract rather than following a performance management process.
This will entirely depend on your circumstances and whether you want your employer to be held to account by issuing a claim or prefer to resolve the issues and move on.
Reasons to accept a settlement include:
- Ending your employment on more positive terms
- In some cases, it may even be possible to continue your employment if you wish to do so and feel this is viable
- Resolve the dispute faster
- Keep legal costs to a minimum
- You may be able to secure an agreed reference from your employer
A basic settlement agreement outlines the employee’s termination payments, including bonuses, holiday and redundancy, where applicable. You are entitled to receive any wages and pay in lieu for any untaken holiday. It is also common to be offered payment in lieu of notice, so you do not need to work the notice period set out in your contract, but still receive your wages as if you had.
Any additional compensation you might receive beyond this will depend on the situation, so it is important to seek expert advice at an early stage. This ensures you understand what you are entitled to and do not undervalue your settlement.
A basic settlement agreement outlines the employee’s termination payments, including bonuses, holiday and redundancy, where applicable. You are entitled to receive any wages and pay in lieu for any untaken holiday. It is also common to be offered payment in lieu of notice, so you do not need to work the notice period set out in your contract, but still receive your wages as if you had.
Any additional compensation you might receive beyond this will depend on the situation, so it is important to seek expert advice at an early stage. This ensures you understand what you are entitled to and do not undervalue your settlement.
For the settlement to be legally binding, you need to take independent advice from a qualified solicitor or an appropriate trade union representative. The advantage of using a solicitor for a settlement agreement is that they will usually have a broader and deeper understanding of employment law than a trade union rep, so can give confidence that your rights are being respected and you are getting the best possible settlement.
Why choose our settlement agreement lawyers?
When you instruct the employment team at Rollits, you can be confident of receiving a friendly, personal service, as well as expert legal advice delivered in plain English.
Our settlement agreement solicitors offer:
- Recognition as industry-leading employment lawyers with:
- Tier 1 ranking from The Legal 500
- Band 1 ranking from Chambers & Partners
- A wealth of combined experience across the team
- An excellent track record of securing favourable settlement agreements for clients in a wide range of situations
- Confidence that your rights are being defended
- A sensible, pragmatic approach focused on the outcome you want to achieve, both now and for your future career
- A reputation in the legal industry that stretches back over more than 180 years
Our settlement agreement fees
A straightforward review of a settlement agreement can usually be completed on a fixed fee basis and your employer will normally fund all or some of the cost. If you need support with settlement negotiations or making an employment claim, we can advise on the likely costs involved.
Please note: We only offer settlement agreement advice on a fee paid basis. We are unable to provide free initial advice, Legal Aid or handle matters on a No Win, No Fee basis. If you have legal expenses insurance, we may be able to represent you if your insurer approves this.
To discuss our fees today, please get in touch using the contact details below. We can offer an accurate estimate of your legal fees based on your circumstances.
Get in touch with our settlement agreement solicitors in York and Hull
To discuss your requirements, please get in touch with our specialist settlement agreement lawyers. From our offices in both Hull and York, we support clients in Yorkshire and the surrounding area, as well as nationally and internationally.
Call us in Hull on 01482 323239 or in York on 01904 625790. Alternatively, you can fill in our contact form and one of our lawyers will get back to you.