Legal Advice for Employees

Signing a settlement agreement typically waives your right to bring claims including unfair dismissal, discrimination, unlawful deduction of wages and breach of contract, among others. Before you sign anything, we’ll check:

• Exactly which claims the agreement is asking you to waive and whether that’s appropriate given your situation
• Whether the financial offer reflects the actual strength and value of your position
• Whether your notice pay, accrued holiday, bonus and any other contractual entitlements are properly accounted for
• Whether any post-termination restrictions from your original contract still apply and whether they’re enforceable

Claims Settlement Agreement Advice Regularly Advise On

Redundancy: Checking your package reflects your actual entitlement, not just what’s been offered, and that selection was carried out fairly

Unfair dismissal and constructive dismissal: Advising on your rights if you’ve been dismissed, or felt forced to resign, because of your employer’s conduct

Discrimination: Including age, disability, gender, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, and sex discrimination. This is where compensation is uncapped and can include a separate award for injury to feelings

Whistleblowing: Protecting your position if you’ve raised concerns and believe you’ve faced retaliation as a result

Disputes in the workplace: Advice on grievances and how internal processes can affect the value of your claim

Protected conversations and without prejudice discussions: Understanding what your employer can and can’t use against you later

Same-day Reviews

Most settlement agreements are reviewed the day we receive them. The majority of cases are wrapped up within about a week, depending on how quickly your employer responds.

We Only Push for Negotiation When it Will Actually Help

Not every offer needs to be challenged. Sometimes the fair advice is simply to sign. Where we do think there’s a genuine opportunity to improve your position, we’ll say so and negotiate on your behalf; where there isn’t, we’ll tell you that too, rather than manufacturing a negotiation that doesn’t add value. When we do negotiate, we typically secure an increase of 25–50% on the employer’s opening offer.

Real Employment Tribunal Experience

Many settlement agreements are negotiated in the shadow of a potential tribunal claim. Because our solicitors regularly handle tribunal disputes directly, we can give you a realistic view of what your claim might actually be worth, not just a best-case estimate.

No Hidden Costs

In most cases your employer contributes towards your legal fees and we’ll never go beyond that contribution without agreeing it with you first.

Founded on Deep Specialism

Settlement Agreement Advice was founded by David Harris, who has advised on employment matters for over fourteen years. Every solicitor on our team is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and is a long-standing member of the Employment Lawyers Association and we act for clients across England and Wales.