Do not negotiate your severance unless you have a potential claim against the company that you have vetted with a law firm. Reach out to a lawyer and ask them to review your case. Be prepared with a detailed timeline that shows a pattern of discrimination, harassment or retaliation. I believe Mattel has to give you 28 days to review the severance offer but it may vary by state. You can always ask your HR rep for an extension so you may review the terms with counsel. Do so in writing. You can google “Mattel harassment lawsuit” to find firms that have gone after Mattel. Good luck to everyone.
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Nonsense. That’s exactly when the majority of claims come to the surface. I suspect that post is from the company trying to dissuade anyone from exploring their options and fighting back. If you believe your termination was a result of discrimination or retaliation, you can fight back. You were selected out of a pool of people on your team. Why you? Talk to an employment lawyer. Most will give an opinion free of charge.
If one truly had a legitimate harassment case against the company, why would they wait until they are laid off to do anything about it? Won't look good in court..
Thank you UwO5mH2-1quv ;)
Your right.
Seriously, I needed to hear that.
No, not separate issues. They work together. Do not negotiate severance unless you have a claim against the company to use as leverage to negotiate your severance. Make sense? This is the only leverage you have. You will not know if you have legitimate leverage until you consult with a lawyer. Think it thru. Why would Mattel offer you more severance in exchange for you to sign a release? There is no argument or persuasive speech that will get you more money. They will only offer more if you are deemed a potential litigation risk to the company. Black and white. Someone asked if it’s negotiable and I’ve answered them based on personal experience and success. It is negotiable IF you have a claim against the company. If you take this route be prepared to leave it all on the table. It’s risky and you have to be willing to back it up so make sure you have the upper hand and can do without the lump sum while you negotiate or litigate should they call your bluff. Good luck, I hope this was helpful to someone. For most, take the money, use outplacement services and move on.
Agreed. Two separate things. And yes if you intend to sue you can’t sign.
You're talking about two different things here. 1) negotiating severance as a result of a layoff and 2) lawyering up for a harassment case.