▸case-01 I was just laid off from my Senior Engineer role at a tech company in San Francisco after 3.5 years. My base salary was $180,000, and they're offering 6 weeks of severance ($20,769) if I sign this release within 21 days. I have 1,000 unvested options and accrued PTO, but the document doesn't mention bonus or equity acceleration. I received the notice on October 10th. Can you decode this severance package for me? I need a clear summary of what they get versus what I give up, a clause-by-clause table grading each section's severity, a list of critical flags with realistic financial/career costs and proposed fixes, a money breakdown showing what's included versus missing, the exact deadline and revocation dates calculated, and 3 ranked negotiation requests complete with exact phrasing I can email to HR. | pass→pass | 38,356 | 34,885 | -9% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 5,876 | 5,434 | -8% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-02 Here is the paperwork I received yesterday (November 12) from my employer in New York, where I worked for 5 years as Director of Marketing making $150k/year. They offered 5 weeks of pay, but I'm concerned about my non-compete, annual bonus, and COBRA health coverage. Please analyze this agreement for me. I'd like an overview paragraph summarizing the trade, a detailed clause table with risk severity indicators, ranked red flags detailing potential risks and fix language, a comprehensive checklist of offered vs omitted financial items, concrete sign-by and revocation target dates computed from my notice date, and prioritized counter-offer asks with turnkey scripts I can use to negotiate. | fail→pass | 50,637 | 39,045 | -23% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 6,580 | 5,823 | -12% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-03 I was laid off from my Operations Manager position in Chicago (42 years old, 7 years tenure, $110k base salary). The company offered $12,000 in exchange for signing a general release handed to me on March 1st. My top priority is extending healthcare coverage and securing a neutral reference. Please evaluate this document and generate a structured analysis: 1) a single-paragraph trade summary, 2) a clause-by-clause breakdown table showing severity ratings, 3) key warning flags with estimated costs and recommended edits, 4) a financial comparison covering base, equity, bonus, PTO, and benefits status, 5) the exact computed consideration and revocation calendar deadlines, and 6) 3-4 ranked negotiation requests complete with draft wording. | pass→pass | 31,020 | 34,197 | +10% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 5,600 | 6,099 | +9% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-04 I just received a job offer for a Principal Product Manager position at a mid-stage startup in Austin, Texas. The offer includes $195,000 base salary, 0.25% equity vesting over 4 years with a 1-year cliff, and 15 days of PTO. I want to negotiate for $210,000 base salary and immediate equity vesting starting on day one. How should I approach negotiating this incoming employment offer? | pass→pass | 26,329 | 24,003 | -9% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,913 | 3,929 | +35% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-05 I was terminated last Friday from my job in Denver, Colorado. I need step-by-step instructions on how to submit a claim for state unemployment insurance benefits through the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. What documents do I need to prepare and what is the weekly benefit calculation formula? | pass→pass | 20,491 | 26,125 | +27% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,670 | 4,263 | +60% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-06 I am an HR director at a software company preparing an onboarding packet for new engineering hires. We need a standard Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect our trade secrets and source code. What key clauses should be included in an employee NDA signed on their first day of work? | pass→pass | 21,090 | 22,507 | +7% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,613 | 3,403 | +30% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-07 I received a severance agreement after being let off from a sales executive role in Boston (notice date June 1, 45 years old). The document introduces a brand new 2-year post-employment non-compete clause that prohibits me from working for any competitor nationwide, which wasn't in my original employment contract. The company is offering 8 weeks of pay. How should this new covenant be evaluated? | pass→pass | 22,071 | 36,934 | +67% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,767 | 5,394 | +95% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-08 My entire department in Seattle was eliminated in a group layoff on September 1st. I am 52 years old with 10 years of service. The separation paperwork gives me 45 days to review and sign, plus 7 days after signing to revoke. They offered 10 weeks of base pay ($140k base). The paperwork is silent on accrued vacation pay and Q3 bonus. What are the key deadlines and missing items? | pass→pass | 16,572 | 23,845 | +44% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,856 | 4,303 | +51% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-09 I was terminated from my VP of Operations position in Miami after 6 years ($200k base salary, received notice July 15, age 38). The agreement requires me to never speak ill of the company or its executives under penalty of liquidated damages, but contains no reciprocal promise from the company. Severance offered is 6 weeks pay. What risk does this present and how should I counter? | pass→pass | 27,119 | 23,917 | -12% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,458 | 4,184 | +21% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-10 I received a severance document in Chicago following my layoff on May 10th (4 years tenure, Senior Financial Analyst, $105k base). Paragraph 8 states that I must assist the company with any future litigation, audits, or investigations indefinitely without any compensation or cap on hours. They offered 4 weeks pay. How should this clause be graded and fixed? | pass→pass | 15,626 | 35,627 | +128% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,476 | 4,151 | +68% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-11 I was laid off in Los Angeles on August 10th after 2 years as a Project Manager ($95k base salary). The separation agreement includes broad language waiving all past and future claims, specifically naming workers' compensation and state unemployment claims. How should this scope of release be evaluated? | pass→pass | 25,212 | 36,018 | +43% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,872 | 5,284 | +84% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-12 I was let go from an engineering lead role in Austin after 3 years ($160,000 base, notice received April 1). The company offered 4 weeks of severance pay. I have 15,000 stock options with a chunk vesting in two months, and my health insurance ends at the end of the month. The agreement says nothing about equity or COBRA subsidy. How should I approach these silent terms? | fail→pass | 27,782 | 29,852 | +7% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,007 | 4,837 | +61% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-13 I was laid off from a design role in Atlanta on November 1st. I am 32 years old. The severance document gives me a 21-day review period and offers 3 weeks of pay ($75,000 base salary). How are the review timeline and revocation terms calculated? | pass→pass | 17,488 | 29,509 | +69% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,387 | 4,322 | +81% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-14 I was terminated from my marketing manager job in Denver on January 15th ($90k base, 2 years tenure). They offered 2 weeks of base pay ($3,461). I have a medical condition requiring ongoing prescriptions and COBRA will cost me $650/month out of pocket. How can I leverage the negotiation to protect my healthcare? | pass→pass | 26,020 | 28,212 | +8% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,024 | 3,855 | +27% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-15 I received a severance offer in Phoenix on September 5th ($120k base, Director of Product, 4 years tenure, age 44). Clause 12 states that if I reveal the terms of this agreement to anyone—including my spouse, tax advisor, or legal counsel—I forfeit all severance pay. Is this provision typical and how should it be modified? | pass→pass | 20,379 | 26,567 | +30% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,160 | 4,233 | +96% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-16 I was laid off on November 30th from a Finance Manager position in Dallas after completing 11 months of the fiscal year ($130,000 base, target bonus 15%). Company performance targets were met. The severance agreement offers 6 weeks base pay but makes no mention of my annual bonus earned for the year. What is the financial cost and how do I ask for it? | pass→pass | 22,555 | 29,408 | +30% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,486 | 4,469 | +80% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-17 I was let go from my Director role in Seattle (notice December 1st, $175k base salary, 4 years tenure, age 48). The company offered 4 weeks severance pay ($13,461) in exchange for a full waiver of all claims. I feel forced to sign immediately because they said it's standard. How should I view this transaction before deciding? | pass→pass | 25,589 | 28,096 | +10% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,596 | 4,088 | +57% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-18 I was terminated from a Director of HR position in San Jose on February 10th ($160k base, 3 years tenure). The agreement prohibits me from making any negative comments about the company, but doesn't mention how prospective employers will be answered when calling for references. What changes should I demand? | pass→pass | 22,773 | 28,490 | +25% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,536 | 3,880 | +53% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-19 I was laid off from a senior developer role in Philadelphia on May 1st ($140k base, 5 years tenure, age 39). They offered 5 weeks of severance. I need a complete financial audit showing what is explicitly included versus what is silent regarding base pay, annual bonus, unvested options, accrued PTO, and health insurance continuation. | pass→pass | 35,043 | 31,865 | -9% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 4,019 | 5,091 | +27% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-20 I was handed a separation agreement during a layoff meeting in Salt Lake City on Monday, June 5th ($100k base, 2 years tenure, age 35). HR told me I have only 48 hours to sign or the 2 weeks of severance pay will be revoked. Is this legal and how should I handle the deadline? | fail→pass | 24,803 | 21,864 | -12% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,777 | 4,457 | +60% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-21 I was let go from an executive VP role in Chicago on October 15th ($250k base, 8 years tenure, age 51). Section 14 of the severance contract re-affirms a non-solicitation of clients clause and adds a new nationwide non-compete for 18 months. The offer is 12 weeks of severance. What is the severity of this section? | fail→pass | 27,867 | 30,445 | +9% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,952 | 4,381 | +48% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-22 I was laid off in San Francisco on July 1st ($130k base, 3 years tenure). California law requires all earned, unused vacation time to be paid out upon termination. The severance agreement states that the severance lump sum includes all accrued vacation. Is this permissible? | pass→pass | 18,469 | 31,168 | +69% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,532 | 4,356 | +72% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-23 I was laid off on April 10th from a Sales Director position in Chicago (age 46, tenure 6 years, base salary $160,000). The offer is 6 weeks of severance ($18,461). I have 500 unvested RSUs set to vest in May, $10k in accrued PTO, and COBRA will cost $800/month. Provide ranked negotiation points with exact conditional signing scripts for HR. | fail→pass | 34,804 | 29,953 | -14% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,898 | 4,787 | +23% | 0 | 0 | — |