On 3/14/2016 9:14 AM, Pine W wrote:
Um. Luis, if you were offered a severance agreement that included a financial payment from WMF, that would be... very interesting. And potentially very problematic.
Or it could be a relatively routine business practice. For example, in many cases an employer is not required to pay out accumulated leave when an employee departs, but may well offer to do so in connection with a severance agreement. And it would not be surprising for a non-disparagement clause to be requested in that context. Other possibilities include facilitating the ex-employee's retaining some employer-provided benefits (health insurance, retirement accounts, etc.) or arranging a transition of those benefits until the person has found a new position.
Since I gather Luis didn't sign the agreement, he may be at liberty to share whether the offer included a financial element, and if there was anything that would warrant concerns aside from the non-disparagement clause. At the same time, it is for him a personal matter, I don't think he should be pressured to disclose details he considers private. Since I trust Luis's judgment without hesitation, I am happy to leave it to his discretion what he does and doesn't want to reveal.
--Michael Snow