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A clear-eyed read on what to ask for.
Severance Calculator.
What a typical severance package looks like for your role, tenure, and state. Whether the WARN Act applies. What rights age 40+ gets. A specific list of things worth negotiating for, beyond the dollar number.
Honest about uncertainty: severance is rarely a formula, it is a negotiation. Treat these as starting numbers, not promises.
Calculator
Methodology
How these numbers are derived.
Severance is not regulated. Companies do not have to offer it, and when they do, the formula is rarely written down. These ranges come from published industry surveys and common practice, not a guaranteed entitlement.
Standard band: 1–2 weeks of pay per year of service for individual contributors, increasing with role level. High band: what is offered to senior leaders, often framed as "salary continuation" rather than a lump sum.
WARN Act applicability: federal WARN applies to companies with 100+ full-time employees laying off 50 or more workers in a 30-day window. Several states (California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Vermont) have stricter "mini-WARN" rules.
Age 40+ rights: under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, employees 40+ who are asked to sign a release of age claims get 21 days to review (45 days for group layoffs) plus 7 days to revoke after signing.
Primary sources
- · SHRM 2024 severance benchmarking survey
- · Mercer 2023 US Severance & Separation Benefits survey
- · Federal WARN Act — 29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq.
- · ADEA / OWBPA — 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)
- · State labour departments (mini-WARN provisions)
This page is for general information only. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. If your situation is high-stakes — a senior role, an age- or disability-related dispute, or a non-compete you do not want to sign — consult an employment attorney.